Concerned about DS

[missmummymum]

Hi

I am abit concerned about my three year olds behaviour at nursery. One week he can be good as gold and another week he can be the complete opposite. His pre school teachers say that he does not follow instructions and today whilst trying to 'construct a class, DS was trying to lead the other children to play, part of me feels like I shouldn't worry and he is just a child however I don't want to be completely ignorant to this behaviour especially as he is starting school this September. My other concern is that I feel he is a bit behind in terms of recognising his numbers and letters, I try to do activities with him to help him recognise his numbers and alphabet, he also gets homework once a week from Nursery however he is just not that interested. If anyone has any suggestions or 'nice' opinions please feel free to write them.

Miss mummy, I could have written the same post as you. At the beginning of term in sept, my dd's pre school identified a speech delay. She was getting frustrated at pre school with the other children, due to communication. We took her to see a speech therapist, who identified a slight delay, but did not think she needed speech therapy. Anyway she has come on leaps and bounds and is talking so much in the last few months. She has started communicating with his peers, which was an issue previously. Our next issue to get her to recognising numbers and letters. Shes not even getting colours correct yet. I'm so concerned that as she is starting school in sept. I'm really going to try over the next 9 months to get her 'ready' for school but she's got a lot of catching up to do. It does worry me.

I honestly wouldn’t worry op, he is only 3. Letters and numbers he will pick up when he is ready. Behaviour wise again, he is so young. I might say If the teacher mentions it to you ‘oh you should try and do as Mrs x asks in nursery shouldn’t you’ then say no more. Schools are well aware that some children will only be turning 4 and 8 months is a long time in the life of a 3 year old

Homework from nursery is bonkers. Homework at primary school age is based on zero evidence, but homework at three is crazy. I would not be doing that homework in sheer protest at its inappropriateness for that age.

Don't worry OP. He's three. They won't be expecting him to recognise letters and numbers accurately the day he arrives in Reception. There will be children who will already be writing full words, but he may not be one of them. My DS1 could just about scratch out the short version of his name when he started Reception. He's now at the top end of his Y1 class for reading and maths and he's an early summer-born.

DS2 is an August baby, starting school in September this year also, is only just out of nappies and is only just producing sentences slightly understandable to other people when he speaks. I'm not worried at all. Eight months is a long time for development at their ages. I'm going to change the subject rather than discuss his behaviour...(still not worried )

Recognising numbers and letters is not appropriate for a 3 year old
And I say that as an early years teacher
I'm getting my cohort ready for school by teaching them how to sit and listen, to put on their coats, to find their drawer and water cup, to stand in a line and to be independent at going to the toilet
I am not teaching them to recognise numbers or letters as such
We do letters and sounds activities as well as maths activities but it's much more than just recognising letters and numbers

I agree with insancerre. They're all so different at that age and can change an awful lot in a year. My 3 and 4 year olds are all interested in different things, so they are learning in different ways. One wants to know all her letters, another counts everything, another wants to do creative work every day, another wants to run and play in the forest all the time, while another is experimenting with how many different sounds they can make with their body.

They should be encouraged to listen and take some direction and all the life skills mentioned above, but they come to learning in their own time. Forcing it upon them too early can crush their interest in it.