What is Kindergarten?
Kindergarten is a joyful and exciting year for children and their families. It is a year when a group of individual spirits come together for an adventure unlike anything else they have ever experienced. There are new physical terrains, new social interactions and expectations, new emotional responses, and new behavioral skills to be learned.
In addition to balancing these new norms, each child is asked to put aside some individuality to become part of a cohesive group and build a learning community. It is a lot to ask of a 5-6 year old!
Kindergarten is a year when all of this is sorted and squished about, massaged and nurtured. Each part–social, emotional, behavioral, and intellectual–pushes forward in fits and starts. In addition, a concentrated dose of academics is worked into the mix.
The growth trajectory is uneven and unique for each child, but typically always forward and higher. By the end of Kindergarten, most children, and the children as a group, are ready to take on the challenges and adventures of school life, one that still involves emotional, social, and behavioral growth, but with a new and greater expectation of intellectual exercise and personal independence.
The growth trajectory is also uneven and unique for each family. This is true for families experiencing Kindergarten for the first time, as well as for those who experiencing it again with a second or third child. It is important to honor each child’s experience as his or her own. We encourage you to connect with other families, share your experiences, and build a flotilla with your many separate boats.
Your journey begins. It will be an exciting one for sure. We are here to help you navigate when you need help. Just ask.