Raising Future Citizens - Preschoolers
Preschoolers are a lot like toddlers only further along the developmental spectrum. In many ways they seem like miniature people. Some preschoolers are as composed and calm as any adult. Yet, preschoolers are also prone to meltdowns is pushed too hard. In terms of early development it was probably my favorite age to go through with my own kids.
I'm going to talk about discipline in more detail in a few weeks, but I will say here that if the preschooler is running the house, and not the parents, you've got problems. And fixing the problem will only be harder from here on. While I'm not a fan of his politics, I do like the writing of James Dobson in "The Strong Willed Child" on this topic.
I was talking to the parent of a preschoolers just today. Because she works, she had to leave much of the early training of her child to her mother and aunt. Mistake. Her child was spoiled and thinks she runs the house. The mom is doing the right things now, but it's harder.
We also talked about preschool, daycare, and the Head Start program. It used to be that a child stayed home or was with babysitters until they started kindergarten. One of the purposes of the old kindergarten was to wean the child from the home and to socialize them to the school rules. Things have changed. Now it is pretty much expected that a child will have gone through some sort of preschool before kindergarten. They are supposed to arrive socialized, and with some understanding of letters, numbers, and such. That varies, depending on the school.
So having a child attend some sort of preschool is almost a necessity. A babysitter may be good. They might learn letters, numbers, etc., but the socialization and start of learning to work together won't be there. Day care can be better. It depends on the quality of the day care. Places that are specifically preschools can be good. It just depends. A good Head Start program works well too.
The preschool years are also the years in which they start to develop their tastes in movies, books, television, cartoons, etc. And games.I almost can't stress this enough Parents (and caregivers) must oversee what their children put into their minds! Especially at this age, the "garbage in, garbage out" rule applies. If your children are watching or reading material that glorifies violence, should you be surprised later on when they assume violence is ok? Video and computer games fall under this as well.
When my kids were young, new cartoons were usually started in the fall. I would set aside time to watch these new cartoons with my kids the first time. Note: if I already knew that a cartoon was going to be objectionable(based on their ages usually), we didn't even watch it. After the cartoon was over, we'd talk about it. I had a short list of questions for us to talk about. 1. Did the cartoon use language that they shouldn't be using? 2. Were the characters talking about and/or doing things that they shouldn't be doing (would it get them in trouble)? 3. What was the cartoon teaching them? I have smart kids. Pretty early on they could figure this stuff out. And we could come to an agreement about which shows were ok to watch, and which ones they should avoid for now. Sesame Street - wonderful show. I found it boring, but it taught preschool age concepts and positive ethical stuff, like friendship and honesty. This question concept came in handy and can be applied to other things, like music.
I want to talk about gaming a bit as well. I'm seeing preschool computer games now, which is not a bad idea, but there needs to be balance. Too many kids are not getting enough outside time, with or without friends. Playing computer (or video) games may help fine motor skills, but doesn't help with social skills. I believe that kids need to spend time with neighbor kids, talking about everything and nothing. Watching clouds. Computer games encourage solo behavior skills.
Preschool days are when kids are finally able to actually play with each other. Play days and play groups are important. Especially if there aren't neighborhood kids for them to play with. Be careful you don't over schedule your child. It will tire out and frustrate you and them. Give them time to breath and think. and dream.
Preschool days are great or libraries. Storytime (age appropriate) are favorites. The summer reading program can really encourage them towards reading skills. If you haven't started reading aloud to your children, make sure you start now! Some libraries will have movies and music you can rent as well.
Because a preschooler is a small human, parents have less stuff to haul around to take care of them. Preschoolers are mature enough to take with, especially to events with older siblings. You have to plan for the preschooler boredom factor, but generally they will enjoy active Scout meetings, church events, school programs and the like. It sort of gives them a preview of coming attractions.
Preschool years are often the first time a child is around a professional teacher for any length of time. You may have your questions about your child, but if there is a problem (developmentally, etc.), these teachers will probably spot it. Always run it by your pediatrician to get an official diagnosis. With some issues, early diagnosis is key.
In short, enjoy your preschooler. They will frustrate you, make your head spin, but also help you to see the magic in the world.
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