Summer-birthday children due to start school September '08, am I the only one who needs a support group?

[flack]

Yes, yes, I know it's 8 months and I'm being a worry-wort. And at least DS (3.5yo) gets to start half-days.
But I still feel slightly hysterical at the thought.
DS isn't even speaking properly:
eg., "Dee wen' work!" (Daddy went to work)

He doesn't have down hardly any aspects of personal hygiene. No amount of sessions on Starfall seems likely to ever teach him to read letters (especially the first letter of his own name).

For that matter, he can't even say his own name clearly, yet.

He wants to go to big school, that's some comfort. He doesn't know what he's in for, but at least he's super keen to join in.

Just wondered who else is holding their head in hands and thinking "I can't imagine this going well..." Does anyone else need hand-holding like I do?

Flack didn't want yr post to go un-answered.

Please don't worry, lots of kids start with speech still delayed. Anyway he will catch up loads in the next 8mo. A pal's DS was 4 in the August, a year before he started school (ie at 3) he said about 6 words.

Now (he's in yr 1) he's totally fine, maybe not the clearest but much much better and certainly not the worst speaker (it's not a competition but YKWIM).

The hygiene thing - what do you mean? Is he stil in nappies because that could be more of a problem. But still - you have 8mo to crack that (because he does need to be toilet-independent).

for the rest, really don't worry about reading or writing or anything. I help in an FS2 class and even now some of them can't write their names. It's fine. Tecahers know to take it at the child's pace.

DD1 born June, 2003.

Starting school in August.

Ed psych and paed already assigned, first appointment 1 Feb., because she already has learning disabilities.

She's not potty trained yet.

She can say her own name clearly. She can recognise the first letter of her name.

That's about it!

Luckily, it's a small, rural school and they know she's coming. Got SALT and OT lined up, starting second week in Feb.

Ooh, I remember posts about your DD, Expat. So you're reasonably happy with her progress and the school's attitude?
Luckily DS does not have SN, but when he starts school he's obviously going to be so far behind compared to my older autumn birthday children.
In speech, DS leaves out a lot of connecting or minor words and sounds (I, to, with, for, my, etc.) Eg, he won't say "I don't" -- we get "No wan' coat!" instead.
He is toilet trained but not capable at bottom wiping. Couldn't get my other children to even try to do that until they were nearly 5, either.
Can't dress self yet...
Hasn't decided if he's left-or right handed (I read a reassuring thread about that on here, though).
Probably related to handed-ness, won't even try to use a pair of scissors. Even though he's mostly a "Me-do-it" kid, attending a Montessori nursery where he has ample opportunity to try scissors.
His idea of colouring something in is to scribble one colour over the entire page.
Does have good pencil grip, remarkably (either hand). I showed him ages ago and it just clicked. But most of his fine motor skills seem quite poor.
He is good on the computer too (maybe too capable, there ).
His usual mode of saying "Hello, I like you, let's play!" is to run up and push his friends over (actually, this gets taken quite well, they evidently speak the same language).

On MN you read about August babies who end up on the top table by Yr2, but I think I'll be relieved if DS has even moved on from walloping and farting games by then.

Come 'on, I can't be the only one feeling like I do... The only summer-born children we know starting school with DS are all girls, and they drip with sweetness, thoughtfulness and pliability. Meanwhile, my TankBoy rampages around the place...

flack - ds2 is a November birthday and right up to starting reception he was using both his right and left hand. Just recently his right dominance has come through. So don't worry about that.

Also, when ds2 started reception, there were 2 children that I know of in his class still having some problems with speech, and they were Sept/Jan birthdays.

I have ds3 starting this September - he'll be 4 on Aug 29th! Tbh I'm not too worried about him - he's the youngest of 3 boys and he's familiar with the school (he goes to the nursery now) so he'll be fine.

Don't worry about the academic stuff - reception is more about social skills and learning the ropes and rules of school. In any case, your ds may come on very suddenly with letters etc.

Ds2 only really showed an interest from last Easter (he started in Sept) and all of a sudden he seemed to know all the letters, could write his name and even started blending to read simple words - he did this all on his own and really shocked me.

Ds3 has all of a sudden started showing an interest in letters and can have a good crack at writing his name - again, this has really shocked me because I've not really done this stuff with him.

Even if your ds goes into reception knowing none of that stuff - I don't think it will matter at all.

flack - the other day ds3 came home from school nursery and said 'my name was in teh cloud today because I didn't tidy up, but I didn't want to' - made me rofl! I told the teacher he'd told me and she said nothing she said to him would get him to tidy up. She said 'his face was like 'do I look bovvered''!! ha ha! Hmmm, he is also a complete loon - charging round etc. He's not one to sit quietly and do something so it will be interesting to see how he gets on!

I can't worry about it though - what's the point really?

Hi Flack. dd will be 4 on 25 Aug and I have concerns, she seems so very young. She loves being babied and will happilly revert to baby talk if encouraged, I worry that she will be treated as the baby of the school and she will relish the role.

She also has a big brother who is currently in reception and is as different from him as it is possible to be, I am concerned that the school will assume that she is brash and overconfident (as her brother is) and leave her to fend for herself.

Having said all that, I wouldn't worry too much if ds is happy with the idea. There are quite a few children in ds's reception class who talk as you describe and it does not appear to be an issue for either the school or their peers.

i too have a summer 2004 baby due to start school in september and he seems far too young. he also really doesn't want to go, which doesn't help.

his speech is fine, but like your ds he can't really go to the loo by himself, can't get himself dressed or undressed etc. he also really doesn't like the thought of being away from his mummy and little sister - it is a battle to get him to nursery 3 mornings a week!

i am terrified!

Oh good, there are a few of us! I will bump this back up in a few months, if naught else. Maybe we will all be able to report some progress by then, which will be reassuring in itself.

my ds1 is the youngest in the reception class and so the whole school .

I was SO worried about him coping even though he did attend nursery two days a week.

I started in the summer with "preparing" him. For example it suddenly dawned on me that he has never had to undo any food item ever because it is just "done" for him, so he choose a lunch box and all summer we went for picnics so that un zipping and unwrapping his food became second nature to him. It also meant i could see what packerging he could cope with and what he couldnt.

I dont use clingfilm because he cant undo it so i use food bags and use a sticker to seal the bag.

We also practised dressing in preparation of P.E. (I leave the buttons of his polo shirt undone on those days so he can get his tops off - jumper over the top so no-one notices!).

I was VERY concerned as he was still using a nappy for number twos , but he would be histerical if we tried to get him to go on the loo - but we had no accidents and now he goes on the loo very happily.

The school are very aware he is the youngest but he doesnt get any leaway that i am aware of behaviour wise.

2boys2 - i'm hijacking the thread a bit to ask about the poos in nappies thing (although i do also sympathise completely with the fear about sending summer born ds to school in Sept, so much so that I'm thinking of deferring for a while.. If I do send him I'd like to solve this one if i can.) But anyway back to the poos....
My ds, 3 & 8 months, will still only do poos in a nappy & refuses to try toilet or in a potty. Strangely, a poo was the first thing he did do in a potty, about twice AGES ago, but now he won't & says he is scared to. So how did you change your ds's mind, or did it happen by itself? (Sorry about the hijack )

it was SO strange. I just decided to give it one last shot really. He was 4.3yrs and so had started school. Ds1 loves looking at himself in the mirror and has a full lenght one in his room so i intended to get the potty out and sit him in front of the mirror so he could sing to himself (i have a popidol wannabe ). But he started shouting "i dont use a potty they are for babies i do poos on the toilet". He then looked so shocked as he realised he had put his foot in it BIG TIME. So i got his seat out that sits on the loo (it has handles on that he holds onto as it makes him feel more secure) and with ALOT of encouragement he went - and has done ever since.

I cant beleive the difference 4 months has made. He would hold it for 3days and would be running around screaming manically because he wouldnt sit on the loo and now its as if he never had an "issue" with it. I really wish i hadnt tried to force him to go but i was so concerned about school - and it led to a very miserable summer for us both.

He has a sticker chart stuck on the loo door that he can see when sitting on the loo and that encouraged him to go the second time round of trying. Nothing worked the first time - not even the promise of a vist to cadburys world and see all the chocolate!!!

Let me know how u get on

I will. He did decide he would "try" on the potty 2 days ago, on the promise of a treat. However, he kept sitting on potty for 20 seconds at most then jumping up saying "i don't need a poo!" or "i can't do it" As soon as we put night time nappy on of course he did it! I think because he knows now I'll ask him to try the potty next time, again today he waited till bed time and did it in that nappy - he's too clever for me . I think you are right about not forcing the issue though, I guess I'll have to be patient.

That was exactly how my son was.

He just couldnt relax enough to go.

I used to sit on the floor in front of him (on the loo) with his head resting on my shoulder, his feet were on his little stool so they werent dangling and i used to get him to lean forward slightly as that would then force him to open his bowels as he couldnt hold it in.

I found if he sat up stright on the loo he could clench his bottom togther and hold on and then jump up saying he couldnt go.

Sorry that all sounded abit graphic .

am frantic with worry. dd has severe cerebral palsy and can't speak so she can't tell us if its crap or not.
School don't mind her still being in nappies but what if other kids or mums call her names cos she is in a wheelchair?

hi my son has a (very) end of august birthday and went to school this school year when he had just turned 4. I too worried so much about how he would get on but he has been absolutely fine he seems very happy, and has started to read which I am totally gob smacked by.
If you want to help you ds to prepare it is the practical stuff like dressing, putting shoes on, opening lunch boxes, going to the loo, etc. I wouldn't worry too much about letters, writing etc the reception teachers are used to having lots of different levels of achievement on the academic side. Also if he has a friend or two who will start at the same time that will be a help.