No More “BABY”

I talk a lot about babies in my Kindergarten class. Babies in my conversations includes  loosely ages  0-3 years old , so preschoolers  included . I think it is very important for students to learn about child development. Talking about  when they were younger helps children understand and be more accepting of their skills and skills of others who may be  at a different stage of development  . I use this, ” when you were a baby” conversation to address the differences in speech, physical, emotional and social development. I talk about how babies  can’t use their words to solve problems, how they can’t dress themselves, how they mispronounce words , how they are not super coordinated, how they have to persevere- learning to walk , feeding  themselves…. I will explain why babies all  ‘scribble scrabbled’ when they first picked up a crayon.  I think children should be reminded of where they started and how each year of their lives they learned new skills. This is where I will repeat often- “practice makes improvement” . I will remind them that everyone has their own schedule for learning- l use walking and talking as an example. When my students understand this ,I feel they  have more empathy for others . Kids love to hear funny stories about younger kids , words that are commonly mispronounced and why .For example, in Kindergarten many do not have the “th”, sound so I may hear “Fursday ” instead of Thursday and  “Lello”  in stead of Yellow. I find that when I tell my students that they ALL did or said funny things, they are more accepting of their peers and I even find them reassuring friends or helping friends gain the missing skill. So.. I encourage you to share stories and photos of your child when they were little. If there are  younger siblings , I can use them as an example .  Besides physical development, I also use the baby conversation to address expectations and responsibility. Kindergartners are not expected to get a job, but school is their job right now. In Kindergarten ,I  expect students  to start to take on more responsibilities because they are ‘not babies “ anymore. Kindergarteners are expected to use words to solve problems, to be better able to wait for a turn, control impulses and listen for longer periods of time. Parents, don’t be afraid to use this baby conversation at home . Suggestions or a goal for this age at home ? Maybe a converstaion like this , ” Unlike when you were a baby   , Kindergarten  age is when you dress yourself, get your clothes ready for the next day, put your backpack in the right place when you come home, put clothes in the hamper. ” Go  ahead pick 3-5 new responsibilities or habits you want your child to have this Kindergarten year.Even better , make these decisions together.  If  a Kindergarten child can change and learn that fast in my classroom they can do the same at home-So parents, raise the bar and expect more, you will get it or close to it.