School Readiness

As the new year school term begins, most new parents are into school scouting for their children even as young as 12-months. There are so many types of programme for children from as young as toddlers. Mostly these programme has been mushrooming fast into the market to fullfill the demand of these "kiasu" parents. However, what is exactly school readiness? Is it focusing on academic or on developmental?

Most of the enrichement programme or the toddler's programme for 2-years onwards are mainly focusing on the academic such as being advance in knowing how to write, read, or count especially in mental-arithematic. Is this the focus for being school readiness? As i read from a blogger who won nuffnag Asia Pasific Blog Award in Best Parenting Blog 2009 , I realised that "kaisu" parents are not only in Malaysia but everywhere even in Australia.

For myself, being a new parent and an early childhood educationlist, I am also in the run to look for a comprehensive toddler's programme. However, my objective is for Maximus to socialise and to enjoy himself. He needs not be to attend 5 days programme but at least 2-3 times programme in a week.

It's really very sad at times to see Maximus feeling loney at home and nothing to explore since most of the areas have been child-proof by me! However it's also not easy to look for such programme in consideration to the location and price. Other than that, I am really particular with the programme - it must strike the balance. There is this programme only using music which Maximus attended the trial class. I found that it's a very mundate programme which I won't waste my RM 70 every month for such programme since I can carry out at home.

Well, come to the worst senario if I can't find a suitable play-based programme for Maximus it's also an option to set up a play-date group among friends. This will also enable Maximus to play and socialised with others too.