How to Combat Separation Anxiety When Your Child Starts Pre-School
Common myths about pre-school education
Are you the parent of a young child? Perhaps you’re a Marsfield resident wondering “where is the best day-care near me?” If so, look no further than our excellent Marsfield daycare centre. Parents can rest assured that Imaginations Pre-School has everything their child needs to thrive, grow, and learn.
We understand that many parents have reservations about enrolling children in early years education. We empathise with this position and will do everything in our power to ensure your child feels welcome and safe in our care. We are also aware, however, that many parents choose to keep their kids at home due to unfounded misconceptions surrounding early years education. As such, we’ve debunked a few below to help you make informed decisions about your child’s growth and development.
Myth #1: Pre-school is a glorified form of babysitting
Pre-school is very different from a babysitting service. While it is certainly true that busy working parents use pre-school as a form of daycare while they’re at work, early childhood education offers structured learning experiences that most babysitters are not qualified to provide.
As well as watching children, pre-schools offer structured environments specially designed to stimulate young minds and help them develop vital social skills. Through guided play, kids enrolled in pre-school can develop the foundational skills needed to excel in traditional school subjects such as maths, English, and science.
Myth #2: Separating children from their parents at a young age will have negative consequences
Some people believe that frequently separating a young child from their parents (particularly the mother) will negatively impact their social development. This simply isn’t true and perpetuating such a myth can contribute to gender inequality in the workplace. Of course, it is perfectly natural for children (and parents!) to experience some separation anxiety at first. Fortunately, our trained educators are equipped with tried-and-tested strategies to keep kids calm and help them integrate seamlessly with other early learners. Trust us – your child will quickly become inseparable from their new friends!
Myth #3: Kids don’t learn anything at such a young age
Some people believe in mantras such as “kids should be kids” and push back against the idea that children should be placed in learning environments at a young age. What they fail to realise, however, is that young kids are learning all the time. Whether they’re trying new foods, testing out unfamiliar words, or learning how to interact with strangers, kids’ brains are like sponges ready to soak up all types of information.
The benefits of organised play include (but are not limited to):
- Development of emotional and social skills such as cooperation, self-regulation, and conflict resolution.
- Development of vital literacy skills such as comprehension and retention of new vocabulary.
- Improved motor skills
- Improved critical and problem-solving capacities
- Development of intellectual curiosities and creativity
- Increased resilience
- Learning of social codes and norms through role-play
Clearly, placing kids in a structured learning environment isn’t an exercise in futility. It is, in fact, a great way to help youngsters develop at an astounding rate. If you’d like your kid to feel confident and ready to make friends as soon as they enter school, you won’t do much better than enrolling them in pre-school.
Myth #4: Parents can emulate the preschool experience at home
Some parents believe that they can do the same job as a preschool teacher and help their children obtain all the social and intellectual necessary to prepare them for school. While it is certainly the case that children learn huge amounts from their families, preschool teachers are highly trained professionals capable of enhancing children’s social, physical, and cognitive development. They have the skills to immerse children in educational forms of play that simply cannot be emulated in the home.
Furthermore, while your child may be able to learn certain skills at home, pre-school gives them access to a friendly group of peers. Unless you have a large group of friends with kids of the same age, your child will not benefit from the same kind of social opportunities if they remain at home until school.
Myth #5: Pre-schools don’t have a structured curriculum
Some parents believe that pre-schools simply offer the same activities every day. This simply isn’t the case. Contemporary pre-schools offer kids a range of new activities on a rolling basis and are often open to trying new learning styles and techniques. Many instructors plan their lessons and work with kids to reach certain goals over the year.
Reach out to our Marsfield daycare centre today!
Still wondering “where is the best childcare near me?” If you’re based in Marsfield or surrounding areas, we’re ready and waiting to hear from you. Get in touch today to discuss your child’s needs and organise a visit.