can your 4 year old do zips??

[ladykay]

My DS (Aug b'day so 4 and a bit) is getting pressure from his teacher to be able to do his coat up on his own. I've tried teaching him and he's all fingers and thumbs - he really can't get the bits together so I get frustrated (I try not to let it show but his teacher must know the abilities of all the other four year olds...) and such a silly thing could be impacting self-esteem. I haven't asked if the other children can do it as I don't want to teach him to compare himself to others like that.

aaaw, no my DS couldn't do it really well until he was a bit older than that. I know that nursery spent time with the older children teaching them how to do it though.

DS was able to do it easily by the time he started school in Sept, he was 4.10yrs by that point.

mine was able to do easy zips (wide plastic ones on a coat) at about 4.6.
keep practising without pressure, he's still young.

No and he puts every item of clothing on back to front too. Every day.

My 4y 8m DS has learnt fairly recently but he still struggles a bit if it doesn't catch properly or if a bit of fabric gets caught in it.

It does annoy me actually. I do think if schools are going to have children that are so little then they have to be prepared to help them with stuff like this. Of course some children are going to be more capable than others and of course a just turned 4yo is going to find it harder than a 4y 11m child. A year makes a lot of difference at that age. Yes teach and encourage independence but I don't think it should be forced. That's for school's convenience not the benefit of the child.

Thanks everyone! That not only makes me feel better but will make my son feel better too as I am going to put velcro strips next to the zip so that it's just not an issue at school. Geraldine I know, whenever mine has everything on backwards, I say "did you have p.e. or nativity rehearsals?"! Iscreamtea I totally agree. I know really what he's capable of and it just puts both of us on edge when someone (who doesn't actually have kids) is chipping away at him like that. It niggles me because he often doesn't say stuff as soon as it happens - it's often a week or so later and he's cried in school about stuff (clothes/changing related that I think he's only just getting/almost but not quite able to do now) but I haven't known. So I've said 'you can use the velcro. If Mr - says you should be able to do the zip , you can say 'Mummy says I will be able to do it when I'm ready'

Ooh yes that's a good idea! It takes me too long to catch onto this stuff - I bought lovely but useless cords and jeans with flies and buttons DURING TOILET TRAINING only to realise later why he always opted for his jogging bottoms. He still does. He's smarter than me (luckily).

My dd 4.9 can do her zips but not toggles!

It's a minefield!!!

Gosh! don't worry yourself hun. My DS can't do zips yet, he just learnt how to put his own shoes on! My DS's teacher doesn't give us hassle but i have seen children come out of his school with their zips done up. Don't worry hun, he will soon find out his own little way of doing it, me and my DS came up with a little rhyme to help him every time when putting his shoes on and it seems to do the trick. Maybe try that.
God bless
Bethany x