Parents suffer from headache when deciding what would be the ideal age for their children to start school. This is due to the absence of a compulsory age set for children to begin their schooling life. It may be confusing to determine the best age for your child to start preschool or kindergarten. Some parents begin sending their toddlers to school at the mere age of 3, which according to Stanford researchers, may be too early.
The Best Age to Start School in Malaysia
There really is no specific answer when deciding when is the best age for children to start school. The most important thing is to make sure that your child is ready to join preschool or kindergarten. Every individual is different in their own way and determining at what age is most suitable for the start of school vary for each child.
Now, what does it mean by whether or not your child is ready for schooling life? Here are a few skills your child should be equipped with before starting their new life in a place that is completely new and foreign to them.
Communication
One of the most vital skill that a child needs to at least have is the ability to communicate with children their own age and with adults who are not their own parents. Going to school would be the first time a child experiences spending time without the company of their parents. The child needs to be able to communicate with their peers and teachers whom they will be facing all of the time at school. This would also give the teachers or caretakers at the schools less difficulties when attempting to speak with the child.
Independence
Other than the ability to communicate effectively with the people around them, the child should also be able to perform simple tasks by themselves. For example, going to the bathroom without assistance, eating without being fed, brushing their own teeth and more. Sending your child to school knowing they are fully capable of performing these tasks without the help of teachers would also make you less worried.
The Will to Learn
Though this may not be a skill, it is equally important that your child is willing to attend school and show interest in learning. Things could be very difficult for both parents and teachers if a child is unwilling to go to school. It is never a pleasant experience when parents leave their child at school for the day only to receive calls from teachers saying that your child wants to go home.
In the end, the age of your child doesn’t really matter if they are not prepared to adapt to a new environment. What really matters is that your child is truly ready and is interested in learning and making new friends.
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