As a kindergarten worker I am sometimes baffled how some parents think that a kindergarten is just a place where you leave your child for 5-8 hours and then come back. Kindergarten is not your garden-variety “child park” its a place for education and holistic growth of the children.
Its not a Child Park!
I have been working in a kindergarten for three years now and only recently started to realize that some parents think that kindergarten is a glorified child park. The same questions everyday when picking up their child; has he/she been eating, sleeping and playing.
Somehow year by year it started to look like some parents only think that we; eat, sleep and play everyday at the kindergarten. Do not get me wrong not all parents are like this but way too many are.
It is true that we play a lot in the kindergarten, but that is because playing carries out a lot of potential in holistic growth wise. You learn to negotiate with your friends, manage your anger, share toys and many other useful skills through out playing.
Still some parents are reluctant to ask the right questions. I guess for some if the child has eaten, slept and been playing that is enough.
Holistic growth is the aim
Even though we play, eat and sleep at the kindergarten the holistic growth of the children is the main point of the early childhood education.
Depending of the age of the child we do different types of tasks on a daily or weekly basis that sharpen the children’s fine motor skills, social interaction and much more. These are the things that parents should be asking about, in my opinion.
Taking initiative
Through out the last year I have been taking more initiative to really tell the parents what kind of growth I have been seen in their child. For example, when we do art crap and we use scissors I tell the parents that your child used the scissors really good for their age. If we do sports I might tell some parents that your child has very good running skills so track and field might be good hobby for him.
Overall you tell the parents where the child needs more practise and also where the child success. This is the important information that the parents need, at least in my opinion.
Suurin osa Showcasen blogeista on toteutettu osana Laurean opintojaksoja. Koko koulutustarjontaamme voi tutustua nettisivuillamme. Tarjoamme kymmenien tutkintoon johtavien koulutuksien lisäksi myös paljon täydennys- ja erikoistumiskoulutuksia sekä yksittäisiä opintojaksoja avoimen AMK:n kautta!
Important issues. As a parent myself and having experience from working in a daycare, I can relate to what you have written. Daycare for children is far more than sleeping, eating and playing, but sadly some parents do not think beyond that. It is relevant to raise awareness.
Thank you .
Thx for your comment Nuura, I am glad that you could relate to the blog post and share same thoughts. Like I said, I have been taking more initiative to actually talk about the process and growth of the children to the parents and in some cases it has changed the way that they see the kindergarten.