The Right Decision.

Jake (the Peg) has started school. There was no crying from myself or him (I can’t vouch for his teacher), no party of Corey Worthington proportions and no excessive leg clinging.  The principal remarked how confident he seemed after he robustly wished us goodbye three times in a ‘why haven’t you left yet?” manner. Okay we might have taken a little longer getting out the door but there were bags and lunch boxes to be put away. The bruiser (Alfie) cried but that was because it all looked like so much fun and he realised that now it would only be the two of us all day long. Where’s the fun in that? I can’t wee on the garden or make him laugh quite as much as his brother does but I don’t constantly get in his face every two minutes so there are some positives.

We missed the Peg’s helpful ways and felt guilty eating ice cream without him but those first couple of weeks of ‘half’ days at school went ridiculously fast.  The bruiser didn’t get to have his nap most days and when he did he’d be rudely awaken by his frantic mother who didn’t want to show up at school late.

Initially there wasn’t much chat about school on the way home and when asked what he enjoyed the most the answer was always lunch! They do say not to push for too much information and that eventually they will tell you about their day. Sure enough we are now treated to songs in French, tales of who pushed who in the playground and various games that we’re expected to know the rules to which of course we don’t! Books are excitedly taken out of the school bag before we are barely through the door and often read in the entrance hallway.

Then last week the Peg was given an achievement award at his school assembly for making a terrific start to the school year. I thought he would be one of many but there were only five awards that day. Proud? Just a little bit.

All of this from the boy we nearly didn’t send to school this year because his kinder repeatedly advised us that he wasn’t ready. The Kinder were concerned about his poor concentration and his inability to sit still. He was unable to hold a pencil correctly and should have been able to draw beyond a scribble.

He was assessed by an early childhood worker who seemed to think he would benefit from being sent to a ‘special’ school in Frankston! She found it hard to believe that I hadn’t noticed he was different from other boys his age. All of his friends were demonstrating the same behaviour- concentrating and sitting still doesn’t come naturally to active four year olds.

The report from kinder practically suggested that the Peg had extreme developmental issues.  As a parent I knew that a gross exaggeration of his abilities had been made and that if anything he was just a little bit immature for his age. At this point his kinder seemed to think he would repeat kinder the following year and I feel they turned their attention to the children who in their opinion were ready for school. 

For half of last year we consulted occupational therapists, neurological chiropractors and took part in a school readiness program. The latter was excellent and showed me that he was indeed ready to attend school. He loved his school orientations and started to complain about going to kinder. It turns out he was bored and not developmentally challenged. When I advised the kinder of my final decision to send the Peg to school they still thought I was making the wrong decision. His teacher assured me that she had tried to be positive in her transition statement but I could tell she thought I had made the wrong decision.

I am lucky to live in a country that allows parents to hold their children back a year from school if they feel they are not ready. The Peg didn’t attend a sessional kinder where I could have helped out and seen how he coped with instructions and authority.  I was reliant on the information from those childhood professionals but thankfully I trusted my instincts when it came to making such a huge decision.

That award was an affirmation that those instincts were right. Think I might just have to send that kinder an email just in case they’re still concerned!

.