How Early Will You Send Your Kids To Kindergarten?

Yesterday while driving in the afternoon, I was listening to THR Ragaa as usual and it was Suresh's session at that time. The topic he was talking about was something that caught my attention very much. He asked, "Should Kids Go To Kindergarten Once They Are 2 Years Old"

I thought about calling in and weighing my opinion but couldn't get the line through thus I thought why not write it as a blog post and thus here am I doing it.

Throughout the show, those who managed to call in gave some very valid points for their decision whether is it to send or not to send kids of the age of 2 to kindergarten. Most of them were actual parents and some were talking about their childhood as well.

Well I am not a parent, but basing on what I have seen around before and imagined myself as a parent one day in the future, I personally felt kids at the age of 2 should not be sent to kindergarten just yet. Before I explain why I just summarize why people feel it is good to sent kids to kindergarten at such tender age

Most people feel that it is good to send kids to kindergarten as earlier as possible because they want their kids to start picking up education as early as possible as education is the key to a better future. They want their kids to have the competitive edge in knowledge as early as possible in order to excel in studies.

While some wants their children to start early so that they have a longer time to learn things and at the end of the day they can learn more and be smarter than the average. In a nutshell, they key point they raise is that they believe the earlier the child starts to go to kindergarten, they have a better chance of being intelligent.

Me on the other hand feel that no, kids should not be sent that early to kindergarten and I have my reasons why which I will lay it out in the following points

1. How much can a 2 year old learn in kindergarten?

In all honesty, how much can actually a 2 year old learn in a kindergarten? I feel that even if a kid starts kindergarten at the age of 4, it is good enough for the child to gain the fundamentals to education to prepare them for primary school. At the age between 2-4 there is too much of a learning gap among the kids.

That doesn't mean kids below the age of 4 should not be exposed to any sort of learning or education. This is where parents have to play a role. Parents needs to spend time with their kids and teach them things. Dear parents please please please take some time of your busy schedule and spend some time with your kids.

Play with them when you are at home and there is a lot parents can teach their kids while playing at home before even the kids start going to kindergarten. There is numerous of fun and interesting methods to teach kids with toys or songs. Parents got to do that instead of just giving your smartphone or tab and let them play some useless games or let them watch some crap videos on Youtube.

Parents are the first educators for a child and parents need to start doing that. Something sad I have noticed among young parent these days is that they think that, if I send my kids to school and tuition my part is done and I don't have to worry about their studies because I've done all those things.

What young parents fail to realize is that, school and tuition only is not enough. Parents need to put in an effort to their kids. Speak to them, guide them in their homework, check on their school work and so on. It sounds old school but it works. Parents have to stop being lazy and start acting like parents

2. Burnout Factor

My second concern about sending kids so young to kindergarten is that these kids might get burnout. I have seen kids who has five days of school, 5 days of tuition, 1 day of sports lesson and 1 day of music lessons all cramped into 7 days.

I understand you want to enhance their talents or skills, but please don't suffocate these children. For heaven's sake they are children. Especially for those below the age of 4, these is their chance to actually live a stress free life, because once they start school the stress is going to pile up for the rest of their life

I have seen kids get so burnout where they have to drag their legs to school, tuition or this additional class. They have it for 7 days a week and yes they are burnout at such tender age. Which is why I feel it is important not to send kids to kindergarten that young and even once they are in kindergarten, I don't think they need tuition because there is where parents have to step in and be their educators at home

There are a couple more reasons why I wouldn't send my kids to kindergarten below the age of 4, but those are minor reasons and these 2 are the main reasons.

Thanks for reading and share your thoughts too!