Why Are Kids Starting School Too Young?

 

     In recent years, a lot of children or should I say babies have been herded off to school while still in their mother's milk. It is a heart-tugging sight to see a very young child who should be receiving care at home leaving home in the early hours of the morning with a school bag and lunch pack. Some of them cry so hard when being dropped off at school. It's not just because they are in an unfamiliar environment that they cry, but because they are torn away from what they long for the most - the love and care that can be found in a mother's arms. These kids are too young to go to school and somehow they can sense that and they are not happy about it. I could see the pained look on their mothers' faces as they turned away, some looked back to wave, some for one last hug, and some others scurried off. 

This was the sight that greeted me when I went school-hunting for my son in preparation for the new school year.  I wanted to see what a typical school day looked like otherwise, I would have visited during the holidays. So what is the youngest age to start school? How young is too young to go to school? Is starting school too early bad for the child? The simple truth is, answers to these questions depend on the age of the child and the kind of learning they are exposed to. 

What is the youngest age to start school?

There is no universally accepted age for a child to start school and there are a lot of factors that influence the decision of parents to send their kids to school early. Some parameters are used by schools to gauge the readiness of each child for school such as being toilet-trained and eating independently.  These parameters don't always come into play considering the competition among schools to get pupils to enrol.

Formal education is hoisted on children who should be playing and it is too much too soon. I'm not sure how many parents stop to ask themselves why they are sending their children off to school so soon or if the kids are ready for school.

Some schools have the facility to take care of children who are not old enough for formal education like creche, playgroup and preschooler classes. Schools that are not adequately equipped start these young kids off too early for formal learning. It is this set of schools we are worried about, they churn out children in adult clothing.

Why are kids starting school too young?

• Mothers have to work too. So many moms with very young children have to leave their babies at daycare or school. Those that do not have the money for professional care drop them off at schools before they are ready.
• Difficulty in getting the help you can trust. So many videos have surfaced on the net where children have been abused by hired help. This has given many parents cold feet in hiring a nanny and instead prefer to send their kids to school where they will be in the company of other people. It will also be more difficult for child abuse to slip through unnoticed.
• Ill-advised parents. A lot of parents are not aware of the effects of pushing their kids too hard and too soon. Some parents compete with others and want their children to achieve what others have at a much younger age.
• The demand to fast-track education. The world's economy has diversified especially in the area of technology. We now have coding and robotics classes for children.
• Some kids show aptitude in a particular area and their parents want them to pursue these gifts and talents early.

Consequences of kids starting school too young

• Children are moved from an informal play-based setting to the structured environment of formal learning. 
• They struggle to cope with studies, 'acceptable' behaviour for their classes and pressure from teachers to learn everything.
• Kids are forced to grow up before they are ready for it. They no longer play as they should and their early learning years are disrupted.
• They lack cognitive, physical, social and emotional maturity.
• Mental health issues.

Personal experience 

     I was a straight-A student through nursery and primary school until I got to secondary school. I was 9 at the time and because I was a bright student, my parents thought I should start secondary school and it was an all-girls boarding school. I was not prepared for the life of a boarder or even ready to leave home.

I could not pay attention in class anymore and I could not study like I used to. We were bullied by senior students, sent on errands which you dare not refuse, we were flogged and asked to do their morning duties in addition to our own and were threatened and screamed at the slightest infraction. I lived in constant fear and it seemed my brain had gone into hibernation mode. I lived in my head if there is such a thing. I knew what to say when asked a question but my mouth would refuse to form the words. I became timid, withdrawn and a shadow of myself. My parents did not understand it and neither did I, I was frustrated with who I had become!

Some of my classmates were not fazed by it at all. These were the girls who were termed 'stubborn.' Senior students tread carefully with them and even became their friends. These girls had courage, something I lacked. I found out that they were a year or two years older than I was and I did not think much of it until the time of writing this article.

Allowing your child to also mature emotionally before sending them off to school is more important than just their academic performance. They will not get bullied, they will be able to think for themselves, withstand peer pressure and have the courage to face what comes their way. The best I got from my boarding school experience was the ability to coexist with other people. 

I learnt a very important lesson, my children will not skip any step or class no matter how academically bright they are, there is something to be learnt at every stage in life and there is no need to hurry.