to put DS in nursery for more days

[ZombieBelle]

DS (4) currently goes to Nursery for 1.5 days. He is a wonderful boy but has no attention span to speak of. I try and teach him new things (right now we're trying to learn how to write letters, a, b,c etc) but as soon as he does something he seems to instantly forget it. I tell him something and when i ask him what i just said he replies "I don't know"

Maybe I don't have the knack for teaching, but i feel its my fault he can't do things that i think he should be able to do. DH thinks more time at nursery will help him but I'm a SAHM and feel guilty that I seemed to have failed and handed my job over to the nursery.

blimey you are a SAHM NOT a teacher - he is 4 - eligible for free nursery - my 3.5 year old goes 5 mornings a week

you are not failing - send him!

he is four. next year he will go to school. so yes send him to nusery for more days and talk to the teachers there for advice on what you can also do at home to help him.

but remember he is four years old and in many countries no formal learning of letters ec takes place until six or seven.

start with obvious letters like letter for his name is X .

ry getting him o do something active like trampoline for five minutes bfore sitting still and doing writing.

by cbeebies magazine adn do eltter tracing if he likes cbebies characters. if not then go with what he likes - if he likes bob the builder teach him B for bob
go with what motivates him make it fun not formal a b c

Why do you feel he needs to be able to write letters - isn't that what Reception will be for next September?

Enjoy your boy, take him to parks, get him to play with other children and look on here for the threads about what schools need children to do - it's handling a knife and fork, getting dressed, bum wiping, and focus on those things.

oh and how much does dh do with him? eg does dh sit and read with him each night, point out letters and pictures in books? let dh shoulder some responsibility too for his learning! but i should be fun, read a pictue book together poitining out certan leters that mean something to him etc

It's not your fault, you are not a teacher. Your job is to be his Mum. I am at home during the day, and I do try to teach him little bits (cbeebies magazine is very good), read with him etc, plus talk to him about what we're doing when we're out and stuff but I am in no way qualified to teach him to write or read fully

DS is 3.8 and started nursery 5 mornings a week, 3 weeks ago. They have done wonders with him. His attention is better, he listens better, he is more patient. They don't have proper lessons at this age, it's more learning through play.

Ultimately, you need to do what you think is best for your son, but you wouldn't be handing your 'job' over to anybody.

Teach him stuff that he's interested in, what does he like? Animals? Space? Follow his lead. If you can chuck a bit of stuff on letters in then great, but why worry about formal learning? Enjoy your time with him as you'll miss it when he goes to school and has to learn these things.

DH does a lot with him as well, very hands on dad. He's just phoned me from work to talk about it and thinks that DS is just normal and that we should relax. Everything that has been said here he just said so perhaps he is a secret mnetter hehe

You're right. I need to enjoy my boy, not stress about whether he will be einstein when he starts school. He'll learn more and grow more that way. I have a wonderful, friendly, polite little boy.

I think i'm pushing my worries and inadequacies on to him. I'll stop that. Thankyou

I think i'm pushing my worries and inadequacies on to him.

I do, too.

Let him be a little boy, it's a short and very special time. Soon enough he'll be at school and having to do all these sit down sorts of tasks.

DS is just normal and you should relax. Let him play. Most of the time in reception it is learning through play. Not so much in year one. That is when the work begins. Not at 4, when he should be playing. Play counting games with him. Give hime pencils and let him do his own thing, he will start mark making, not letter writing. Point out words when you are out and about. Encourage 'What does that say Mummy?'.
Again, DS is just normal and you shoudl just relax.