I have a 3 1/2 year old......special schooling?

Question

SHE IS 3 1/2 YEARS OLD.
SHE KNOWS HER ABC'S. SHE KNOW EVERY SHAPE AND COLOR, EVEN WEIRD ONES SUCH AS: TEAL, BLUE/GREEN, DARK RED, DARK BLUE...NAME IT, SHE KNOWS IT.

SHE KNOWS HER FULL NAME.....SAYS IT, SPELLS IT, WRITES IT. SHE KNOWS MY NAME. CAN SPELL IT, SAY IT, WRITE IT, KNOWS HER DADS NAME, CAN SPELL IT, SAY IT, AND WRITE IT. ME AND HER DAD AREN'T TOGETHER ANYMORE.

SHE KNOWS HOW TO WRITE AND SAY BOTH ADDRESSES.

SHE CAN COUNT TO 75, (100), IF WE HELP HER.

I KNOW SHE IS REALLY SMART FOR HER AGE GROUP. HER DAD WENT AND TOOK HER TO A HEAD START LEARNING FACILITY, AND WITH HER KNOWLEDGE, THEY PASSED HER FOR A 5 1/2 YEAR OLD.

SO HERE IS MY QUESTION: IS IT BAD FOR ME NOT TO WANT HER TO BE ADVANCED...I WANT HER TO GROW WITH CHILDREN HER AGE. WOULD I BE SETTING HER BACK? I KNOW I SHOULD DO WHAT IS BEST FOR HER....WHICH IS SUCCEEDING. I THINK I AM JUST TOO ATTACHED. SHE WILL BE ALLOWED IN KINDERGARTEN WHEN SHE TURNS 4 (4 MONTHS AWAY).

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

My daughter has an awesome social life. When she goes to her dad's house, she has plenty of kids to talk to due to his gf's neices and nephews. she even says hi to strangers and tries to start a conversation (she has no problem with social skills) She asks everyone their name and how they are doing.....its halarious to me...b/c I don't expect it...but she has no problem with social skills.

Answer 1

Just because she is smart does not mean she is socially or psychologically ready to be in school. Just because she is as smart as a 5 1/2 year old does not mean she has the maturity of that age. If you are not comfortable with sending her to school, then don't do it. Trust your instincts. Take the opportunity to continue teaching her at home. Start her on some basic math and reading lessons. Keep challenging her, but make it fun so she will continue to love learning. I think the negativity that comes from some children being advanced has to do with the fact that they possess no social skills, so be sure to keep her socialized and remember to let her be a kid! Good luck!

Answer 2

Parents think that knowing the ABC's and counting are important markers for whether their child is 'smart' or ready for school. They often miss other essentials, such as, can they put on and take off their own jacket. Can they hold their own in a group. Our son has shown an incredible ability to do complex puzzles and counts to twenty+ in three languages. He's been home with a sitter and just started at a really great daycare at almost three. We've opted for more play and social interaction, and less 'learning'. As a so-called prodigy, I started school early, but was probably not emotionally ready. Moving three times in one year did not help either. Being 'gifted', sometimes people forget you're just a kid.

I believe that how you start your child off in school will affect the rest of their life and their first impressions of education, so be sensitive to her personality and remember to listen - you are not only her mom, but her advocate. It's great that you don't want to push her. The most important thing is to make sure she has your support and love and that whatever environment she learns in is challenging for her and fun.

Answer 3

My son will be 3 in 9 days. We have been looking recently for preschools as well. My son was refused from 3 preschools because he already knows all shapes, colors, ABCs (in english and spanish), can count to 25 in English and higher in Spanish. No we are no bilingual. I am taking Spanish classes in college and I am teaching him as I go. We just found a preschool that teaches phonics. My son already traces letters. They will work with him on all his writing and phonics. They are hoping he can read well in 1 year without troubles. It is not a special school at all. You just need to look around for schools that will challenge her. I was heart broken when my son was turned away, it doesn't at all mean he is better than other children nor that he is ready for kindergarten (despite testing results). Yes he needs class work that will challenge him but not make him grow up too fast. The school he will be going to (starting in Jan) will add SO much structure that most preschools so not provide. He has to sit at tables and only allowed to explore the room and just let his mind wonder at set times in the day. It is not all about art and play.

Good luck.

Answer 4

What does she like to do? Does she like to play with children her own age or does she act and think like she's older? You know her better than any teacher is going to, you're going to have to figure out what will suit her best. I was lucky. My mom taught at a private school where everyone, students and teachers both, were hand picked by one very aware person who owned the school. It was nursery through 8th grade. We all knew each other and there was no teasing or bullying. Each child got to learn at his/her own pace. I wish you could find someplace like for her. Kids that are "too" smart can get an attitude or be ostracized for being different. By the time I was eleven, I read in the top two percent of high school seniors. There wasn't a higher test at that time.
I felt out of place when I had to go to public school. I still love to read and learn, but high school was hell.

Does your daughter nap? Will it be boring for her to have to go over colors and basics so much?

Just consider how much she has learned being home with you. It may be OK to send her at four, maybe better at five.

'm just trying to give you suggestions of factors to consider as you make your decision. What I would want is for her to be happy and enjoy learning for her whole life. She'll always be smart.

I have known girls to start school that early and do fine.

Answer 5

I think it's great that she is so far advance in her education. But that does not mean she is socially ready to be with kids that are older. Perhaps the best solution is to keep her in her age group but offer her other learning activities outside of pre-school. Maybe an outside group or even just at home - keep her mentally challenged, but allow her to grow up with kids her own age. Perhaps if she stays ahead of the game, later on she (and you) may decide that it would be a good idea for her to move ahead. But the young years are when they learn their most important social skills that will go with them for the rest of their lives. You don't want to neglect that aspect of her education either. If you move her up too soon, she may become depressed, socially isolated, stressed and other symptoms. I would think that the best thing to do is to let her move at her own pace - in all areas of her life.

Answer 6

She might be board for a few years at school but her social skills will be normal people who put kids in years a head end up loaners that have no friends and end up with More problems then you would ever think because what surrounds you makes you if i was you i would be happy that she is smart and may be a bit board for a few years but she will end up a healthy girl emotional healthy as well ,your child will be at school for many years and many hours you would hope that she will at least feel like the average child instead of an unhappy one

Answer 7

LOL My son was the same way when he was three too. I started him in Kindergarden early, and when we moved to Washington the school system made him go to kindergarden an extra year because he was born in October. If you can, I'd say advance her as much as you can and keep her in a school where the smarter kids are. But remember its likely she'll even out with her age group in a few years.

Answer 8

Let her be a child. Just because she is smart does not mean that she needs to pushed into growing up faster. Let her enjoy preschool and start kindergarten when all of her same age peers do. If you push into it she will just develop problems later on.

Answer 9

If she was taught those things, there is no reason for her not to know them. My kids knew most of those things too at that age. Kindergarten at 4? I never heard of that. In the states, Kindergarten starts at 5.

Answer 10

I know a few tots that were advanced it does not mean she will always be, let her be a child no special schools, also my daughter tested 2 years up in head start we pulled her, (i know she is not that advanced, smart but there standards are a bit low in my eyes)