To think 3 year olds should not be given homework?

[twoisenoughmum]

Its to do with PACT bags, I'm afraid.

My DS is 3.6 (actually his half year birthday today, oh goodness I do love him to pieces). He started school nursery in January this year and because of his birth-date will be in nursery for the rest of this school year and then the whole of next year, finally going to reception in September 2008 when he will be a few days off his fifth birthday.

I've got myself a bit worked up about this whole PACT bag issue. Not sure why I feel so strongly about it, but the fact is, it is homework and I just don't feel he needs it right now. He reads at home every day with me, and also joins in most days when I read with his big sister. I sincerely don't feel he needs to do this whole PACT thing - he is still so young!

I'd like to say to his nursery teacher that I don't want him to have a PACT bag until September. That way it will also mark the transition from this school year, when he is 3 and only just emerging from toddlerhood, and next year when he will be 4 and one of the older children in the class.

Am I being unreasonable?

I think a parent who goes up to a teacher and says the equivalent of 'I object to you sending a reading book home with my 3.6 year old' could easily be perceived as a bit of an idiot .. sorry

Imagine what the teacher would think? .. its just a reading book, that your child has chosen, that makes a link between the time he spends in pre-school and the time at home ... and you object to it?

well different strokes for different folks twoif but the phrase mountain and molehill springs to mind

Well said Twig

agree with snowleopard

those books do also tend to be quite dire IMO

agree-too much structured stuff, too young

I agree with you, twois. Fine to get a reading book home (at the preschool our dd2 goes to she chooses -we see a lot of Postman Pat but she never wants to read it here anyway) but to fill in a record book is a joke.

My dd1 is in Reception. I never fill in her reading record book and I think her teacher has given up. I listen to her read all the time, she even reads dd2's bedtime story. But I have been told that her handwriting practise homework is non-negotiable and that from Yr1 she will get maths and spellings homework daily. In their dreams.

I have similar thoughts about my dd's school, N3. She's 4.5 y o (August baby so one of the v. youngest in her class) and we should be heatinh her read and using flashcards etc every day. Part of me worries that if we don't (some evenings we take the dcs to see their grandad which leaves no time for such things) she will get left behind - and if we do, she'll be in the sausage-factory that is exam-driven education at her tender age.

The impression I get that h/w for 3ish yos is that it's for thed parents, not the kids.
In most cases I can't see how 15-20 mins reading with them causes the kid any stress.
However, many parents do need to be led into the habit of working with their kids.

3

3!

3!!!
3!!!!!!

fkinell - take your kid and PLAY!

My DS is the same age as yours. I do see what everyone is saying about it only being a book and it's no different to what we do with him already, but I would feel pretty fed up if he came home from nursery with something to do at this age, whatever it is, so I fully understand where you are coming from on this.

I am in 2 minds over this one. My Ds is 3.5 and doesn't get this pact scheme from nursery. I can see the point in the scheme in that it encourages those parents who do not read with thier children to do this and children who are read with will benefit.

However what annoys me about such schemes is that rather than targetting those specific families that require support with areas such as reading or packing thier childs lunch box - a balanaced diet imho is not 2 packets of crisps and a fizzy drink as most parents would agree, we have these blanket approaches telling everyone that they must do certain things a certain way. It can have the effect of putting additional pressure on some parents or making them feel as though all thier choices around how they raise thier children are eroded by more and more intervention at an earlier age. Can't beleive they were seriously talking in the news this week about assessing babies for thier gurgling etc !!!!!!!

stretchmarks think about what you're proposing?

"Hello parent of 3 year old, we have judged you and found you lacking so we shall put you on x scheme to make sure you come up to the mark"

talk about a nanny state

instead we offer an approach for everyone so that everyone can take out of it what they will and what they need ..

every child should be allowed the privilege of taking a book home from school EVERY CHILD .. not just those who don't read at home ..

I think you are over-reacting. My dd loved bringing a book home each week, we have always read most days to dd's anyway so we just replaced one of the books with the one from pre-school. DD particulary enjoyed one book so kept it for 3 weeks, she always got to choose the books so don't see why anyone would find it a problem.

Twiglett, I think all these schemes are examples of nannyism. My ds got his Bookstart pack at his 8 mo check. Myhv knows how book-mad we are and said, 'I'm preaching to the converted here,' as she handed it over. Apart from the fact taxpayers' money could be better spent, I resent the fact that the Government thinks it knows better than me. It doesn't trust mre to read to my children. Furthermore, in the pack I got a booklet telling me how to read to my ds, along with an approved booklist of what I should be reading next.

My dd2 didn't get into books until she was well past two. Dd1 an dds loved them from babies - ds the most of the two. If I believed the Gov. I'd have been panicking over dd2' lack of interest.

I hate those reading record books too - dd1's teacher explained that the reason they have them is to see who reads with your dc rather than record your dcs' reading progress.

Twois, am I right in gathering that your ds doesn't choose his own book, but ha sto read on echosen for him? Bloody hell, the system wants all our dcs to be little identikit model citizens, doesn't it?

And one of the things that really bugs me about these schemes is that they are usually specially-written books commissioned for the scheme - and as such are not good books. They are churned out quickly and generaly not by top authors. Which is daft when there are so many brilliant, inspired and funny children's books out there. I can't understand why government reading schemes don't simply select the best books by the best writers, instead of getting boring new ones written.

Twiglett,

I am not proposing the following :-

"Hello parent of 3 year old, we have judged you and found you lacking so we shall put you on x scheme to make sure you come up to the mark"

My concern is that these schemes are judging all parents on their parenting skills across a wide range of areas and I don't agree with the growing extent with which this is occuring. The government is trying to do this to ensure that every child gets the opportunities that they should in life which is a sentiment I certainly agree with. However I don't see how a scattergun approach at all parents helps when we have very limited finite resources in this country and as such I would rather these were targetted at people who would benefit from them most. That doesn't necessarily mean that we should be singling them out and pointing fingers and tutting about thier parenting skills but how can we help and support them to make more informed parenting choices,but at the end of the day it should be about choice.

I agree with OP, its just not necessary for such 'structure' at their age.

When they start reception is a more than adequate time for all that malarkey imo.

So - some think I am being unreasonable, some think I am being "totally OTT" and some can understand what I am saying.

Thanks all for your input.

If the whole process is as casual and harmless as some respondees suggest, then I feel pretty confident that his nursery teachers won't mind if I express a preference to leaving all this until his next year in nursery (although I'd prefer to leave it til Reception, but thats another story) and let him start bringing home his homework at age 4.

Thanks once again.

twoisenoughmum - I would feel just the same as about this

Good to hear that Yurtgirl. Its not that I don't want to hear people disagreeing with me, just that my pov is somehow being misunderstood ... and actually it has more to do with emotion than logic.

Snowleopard- my older dcs have been reading, or refusing to read i should say, some truly appalling books sent home from school. I think they are "treetops" or something, "The Masked Cleaning Ladies".
They are bloody dire, incomprehensible plot, dull, dull, dull.

sounds a good idea to me much the same as the library..simple and if you don't take them to the library evey week you still get to look at a book they have chosen

If you don't like the rules then don't send him to nursery.

twois, why are you sending him to a pre-school? I am interested because my ds is 10 days younger than yours and as such will go to school at the same time. i took the decision that i don't want him in 'structured' education from so young an age so he won't be starting preschool til September.

I use his funding at a nursery where he is learning but in a very 'childlike' environment.

Very interested to know why you went the other way, esp. as i'm still trying to decide if i've done the right thing