To Kumon or not to Kumon. That is the question.

[megabored]

DD is starting school in September. Below are the Pros and Cons I have been debating recently.

1. She is bright, so should be okay without extra help in school
2. It is too early to put her through this
3. Kumon is expensive and time consuming.

The Pros

1. It may give her that bit of extra confidence at school
2. Earlier is better as then she can grow with that system
3. Its not so expensive as to be prohibitive.

I really cant decide either way. Please someone help?

iyatoda what bad mummies we are!
I did consider private school. But having more than 2 kids means a big financial commitment to go private. Maybe he she is 11 (for secondary school).
I got so panicked by the class size when I went to visit dds school. 30 kids! She is used to 10 max at the kindergarten she goes to. .

OK, so this is my last word on this thread.
Those of you who are keen to send your young children to Kumon, can I suggest you go away and read "The Elephant in the Classroom" by Jo Boaler?
Or, if you have no time for that, this gets the same idea across.

Mrz you post things that are nothing to do with the thread. The thread started of so well. An then went completely of track I really don't think the teachers know when to stop.

Last week ou talked about not allowing bullying but as soon as you say something feenie and clam will back you up it's like you are a little gang.

Brings back horrible memories of my schooldays :(

You are entitled to you opinion eastnorth but if you read what I've posted you will find the bulk is about the importance and value of play which in my opinion is very relevant to this thread. Like most threads it took detours when people made comments and I and others responded.
If you believe that my behaviour is wrong perhaps you should report it to MINUTE for them to decide, but if you bother to actually read the thread you will see the OP is the only one making personal attacks.

I liked all the quotations on this thread - they were the best bit!

The quotations were brilliant and extremely relevant. They were also fun, and nothing like bullying. You can't bully someone by quoting Aristotle and monty python :o

Jalen your situation different TBH as your DS was struggling and needed to get better at mental maths, he wasn't a preschooler.

I think at four you should not have to worry about schoolwork. Maybe kumon for older kids works. I just wanted my own kids to be happy so never pushed them much anyway think all kids will learn if they want to.

Mrz I don't think you were exactly bullying but you don't really need when to stop.

Exotic fruits glad you enjoyed them but I still say those sayings could have put on anew thread not everyone wanted to hear them.

I don't think either OP or iyatoda come across as bad mummies, but rather over-anxious mummies who have absolutely no cause for their anxiety. Jalen's situation is different as she identified a problem, then used Kumon to address it.

cecily, yes I am anxious re. How this (parenthood) is all going to pan out. I do sometimes need reminding that mums can get it wrong. However, I feel this is the right way to go for dd at the moment. The minute it starts becoming a chore, I will stop. I am so aware of both sides of the argument ( that I am trying to address a problem where non exists). I don't have a black and white attitude to learning where counting tree leafs is fun and counting pics of tree leafs on worksheets is not.... I take every opportunity to teach and expand her mind. Let's see how things pan out in a month or so.

Leaves!!!

Another observation. There is a thread for a program called reading eggs in this section. I do not see mummies on their being slated for teaching the darlings how to read using an online program you have to pay for? I would have thought

1. Computer program's at 3.5 are a no no
2. Teaching them how to read before school?
3. You have to lay for the program

So why is that different to kumon for 10 mins a day?!

Omg, hate iPhone. There!!!

But, and I know you've had enough of explaining yourself, I simply cannot see how it is possible to think that counting leaf shapes on paper is as much fun as messing about with real leaves in the park. I honestly can't. Sorry, have been lurking prior to this (and mainly agreeing with the anti-Kumon contingent). Not to mention that messing about with real leaves in the park is teaching you all kinds of other things about texture, colour, variation, common features of leaves, things that are never true about a leaf etc - this is real and good science for a four year old. Why wouldn't you want to take advantage of that?

haberdashery my argument is why can't I do both?!

My dd loves writing and drawing. I am trying to tap into that.

Really good point haberdashery. We have a kumon place in our supermarket, but if you took a child round you can learn as you go e.gcn you pick out two green apples learning colours and numbers-with out them realising they are learning. Also a fun comic at the end if they are good. Also with colouring counting etc.

But then mega is trying it she is saying it might not work. No one brings the children up the same.

Well, of course you can do both. But you can do the counting and science all in one fell swoop at the park and leave time for other things - including just lying about on the sofa staring at the ceiling, which is actually equally important. DD often comes out with her most interesting questions or best jokes or good observations when she has apparently been lying about doing sod all. She actually does an extraordinary amount of lying about doing nothing but it doesn't seem to be doing her any harm, quite the reverse.

Also, of course all children are different and what suits one won't suit another and no two need the same exact parenting. But I do think that formal education for a child who has not even started school yet seems a bit over the top, to put it politely.

All children need time to be bored and chilling out that way they will learn to amuse themselves. I think a lost of parents fill every hour with an activity.

10 mins a day is not filling every hr. we have lots of protracted conversations about everything. Doing kumon does not mean that stops. I admit, I am in danger of boring him but do what? we will stop when thy happens. What I don understand is this thing about math. why is it okay to teach English for hrs ( I lesson of reading eggs can take 1 hr on the computer) where as 5 mins of counting on paper is bad?!

I didn't say you were filling every hour up mega I just said other parents I know. Don't agree with the reading eggs either.