Kindergarten is Over and Grandma Can Exhale

For those of you who have been following this blog you know my frustration last year over trying to get my grandson into kindergarten as an early entry due to the fact that his birthday falls six days after the cutoff date. Well, he did get in for $500, the amount we had to pay a psychologist to have him tested. Was he ready for kindergarten? Academically, yes. Socially, yes. Emotionally, maybe not. Jarod spent about half the school year in play mode meaning he still had a daycare mentality. What I learned was he spent way too much time playing in daycare than he did preparing for kindergarten. The structure of the daycare environment he was in was much different than a classroom setting. He had a lot of free time and free reign to just play and have fun. That thought pattern continued into the school environment, which took its toll on the teacher's nerve from time to time. In hindsight, I still believe we did the right thing by getting him tested as an early entry, however, if I had it to do over again, I would've looked more discriminately at the daycare providers. Meanwhile, it's on to First Grade.

From Teenage Mom to Responsible Parent

Now that my daughter is back in college, I am wearing the primary caregiver hat for her son/my grandson.

It has been so amazing to see my once "I can't believe you got pregnant teenage daughter!" develop into a responsible, loving and nurturing mother.

Instead of using her summer to work full-time to save for college expenses, she chose to spend it preparing her four-year-old for a big test he would have to take as an "early entry" into kindergarten. (He missed the cutoff date by 6 days).

Everyday they went to the library--including Saturdays. She taught him to identify and spell more than 200 words, spell and write his name so it was legible, tell time and do math. Oh, did I tell you he had to learn to read?

Day in and day out, she challenged him and herself to accomplish the goal of scoring in the 98 percentile (what the state law REQUIRES in order to be admitted into kindergarten). It was frustrating at times---even for me and I was just an assistant teacher.

On Wednesday, August 31, my grandson will be a part of the 2011-2012 kindergarten class.

My daughter's hard work and tenacity paid BIG DIVIDENDS. Grandma is so proud!

When Your Best Isn't Good Enough

My four-year-old grandson is facing a dilemna that he is totally unaware of. Although he is READY for kindergarten, both emotionally and academically, he will not be permitted to attend next year because his birthdate falls past the cutoff date. The cutoff date is August 31---his birthday is September 6.

We were given three options:

1) Get tested for the Durham Public Schools Pre-Kindergarten Program
2) Get tested for early entrance in kindergarten
3) Return to daycare

On Wednesday, my grandson was tested by the Durham Public Schools Pre-K program. He scored in the 94 percentile. The tester told my daughter she was very impressed with his skills but was doubtful that he would be accepted because his score was TOO HIGH. He needed to score BELOW 60 percent. What in the %!#$%*!?! Are they serious?!

Option Two: In order to be tested for early entry into kindergarten, we must pay $500 to see if he will score in the 98 percentile. And if he doesn't pass, well, too bad--there's no refund.

Option Three: Return to daycare with two, three and four year olds. NOT A VIABLE OPTION!

My grandson proved this week that he deserves to be in kindergarten but because of some ridiclous North Carolina Board of Education Law, he may be held back because he will have to be on a first grade level in order to pass a test for kindergarten.

Sadly, the same system that is trying to promote academic excellence is also the same one that is holding kids back from being able to shine when they're ready.

So what happens when my grandson does finally enter kindergarten at 6 years old and is bored out of his mind because he already knows what 70 percent of his fellow classmates don't know? Will he then be considered a discipline problem?

How do you tell a child their best isn't good enough when you know in your heart, it really is?