Is Three Too Early For Nursery?

Our family celebrated a milestone! My 3-year-old daughter, Amaria, graduated from nursery! I know it is not a big deal for some, but for us, it is truly a momentous occasion.

My little trooper had no problem being left at school. In fact, she runs happily inside and sometimes even forgets to wave goodbye because of excitement! There was a bit of hesitation with a dose of separation anxiety, but most probably on my part and not for my joyful little girl. 😀

She only turned 3 years old on April, a month before their Nursery graduation.

So here we are, with a three year old graduate and we are basking with pride with her independence and diligence. She was given the Sunshine Award during the graduation ceremony! She is, undoubtedly, a ray of sunshine wherever she goes.

A lot of people were asking me though, was it not too early to have sent my daughter to school at three years old?

The best age to send a child to school has always been a hot topic among relatives, friends and mommy groups. So, I did a lot of research before allowing my child to embark on this journey. Also considering that I was only 2 months postpartum with Mariana at the time. I know that any decision that we make when it comes to her education will shape her future and we have to be very careful and well-informed.

The government’s K-12 program only requires that a child finishes and passes kindergarten to be able to be accepted to grade one but a lot of parents like us opt to enroll our child to a few more years of playschool or preschool. It may be an additional expense but I believe that it is a worthy investment.

A French study shows that children before age three who attended a daycare or preschool program had better social skills development than those who did not. They even fared better in behavior than children who were left at home with stay-at-home parents or a nanny.

I strongly believe in the importance developing a child’s social skills. She will need this in dealing with people from all walks of life no matter what field she decides to pursue in the future. At school they learn empathy, manners & good behavior, friendship & teamwork, discipline, and expressing theirselves with proper communication.

And as early as now, I am proud to say that my Amaria has shown very high social skills, her teachers and her classmates’ moms told me so. She shares her baon and politely asks her classmates for some of their snacks too!

She appreciates her classmates’ accomplishments! Teacher Joji always tells me that Amaria claps her hands for her classmates and says, “Good job, James!” to whoever does what teacher asked them to do. She volunteers to do some work in the classroom or to be the first to do their classroom activity. And she performs well on school activities and events!

Most of a child’s self confidence and good self-esteem is trained and enhanced in school.

Early childhood education also help boosts a child’s language skills according to a study. Amaria has a special case of speaking early (she can say apple at 6 months old!) but her vocabulary has noticeably expanded and she has been conversing and expressing herself even fluidly for a 3-year-old! Most of the people we encounter thinks she is a small 5-year-old because of how she speaks and the words she use.

My daughter’s first foray to school was indeed an awesome experience not only for her but to our whole family as well. It was bittersweet letting her go to a world wherein I am not the sole source of comfort and information but I sure am mighty proud of how she managed it with a smile on her face and joy in her heart.

So, sending her at two years old wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Yes, it may be too early for some, but for my little one, it was just perfect.

Readiness depends on every child’s ability and capability. There are children who can pass a Nursery entrance exam regardless how young they are. There are older kids who seem to not be ready to be left behind by their guardian at school no matter how they much enjoy playing with other kids. Bottomline is, parents will know if their child is ready. Your kid will show interest and more often than not, they will even tell you directly that they want to go to school, just like mine did.

This year, since the education curriculum will not accept Grade 1 pupils below 6 years old, I decided to continue teaching Amaria at home and enroll her to play school near our house. She misses school and her classmates so bad! I wish they could stay classmates this year but her age wouldn’t permit it as her classmates are already 4 and 5 years old.

But given the experience and everything that came with it, we are so looking forward to more amazing years in school! Have you decided if your child will go to school this year? What do you think about enrolling them early? Or late? I would love to know!

Love,

Momma Nish