After being in our lives for almost three years, our dear Disney Princess Phase recently passed away, just five weeks shy of my daughter’s 5th birthday.
“Mom, Princesses are for little kids. I am a BIG kid. I’m interested in things like crafts, baking, decorating and rock stars now.” It was then that I knew it was over.
I simply cannot believe my little preemie is about to enter her last year of preschool. Where did these past four years go?
She started school in Pre-K 2, going a few hours a week. The Pre-K 4 kids had always looked so big to me. It was so hard to believe my baby would one day seem so big. It is amazing how much she has grown.
Ava has spent the last six months assuring me that she will hate kindergarten. I’ve spent just as long trying to convince her otherwise.
“You’ll have a new playground!”
“I’ll get hurt.”
“You’ll meet new friends!”
“I hate new friends.”
“You’ll have so much fun.”
Sure, the umbilical cord was cut when your baby was born. Someone dramatically made that SNIP, severing the physical connection between you and your child. Perhaps it was epidural, perhaps the sheer exhaustion after giving birth, but that SNIP didn’t hurt a bit.
Lots of parents read aloud to their baby and toddler, but few take the next step: encouraging early writing. Did you know that babies can draw pictures (prewriting) and create narratives at between 2 and 3 years of age? A young child who is stimulated with targeted activities early and often can be writing and illustrating complex stories by age 4 or 5.
As the mother of a preschooler, you have almost certainly seen your child or one of his peers engage in a bit of aggression. From hair pulling to hitting, and even sometimes the occasional bite, aggressive behavior is far from uncommon in preschool children. However, while you should expect to see some small aggressive transgressions, you should hardly allow these events to occur with no consequence. It is during the preschool years that children learn the dos and don'ts of aggressive behavior that will get them through their childhood and adult years to come.
Target Age: Middle four-year old
Materials You Will Need: confetti, glitter, markers, sequins, paper
What To Do:
Parents can have a better idea of whether a child's behavior is normal if they know what to expect. Since not all children are predictable and easy going, what defines normal childhood behavior varies and depends on a child's age, developmental stage and own personality. Behavioral problems among preschoolers may involve long-lasting temper tantrums, disruptive behavior or both physical and verbal aggression.
Along with their ABCs and 1-2-3s, preschool students learn important lessons in proper classroom behavior. As this is the first classroom education experience for many preschool students, they have not yet developed their understanding of how to behave properly within a class and may, as a result, struggle to follow directions and behave properly. If your preschool-aged child seems to struggle with behavior, you can teach him proper behavior at home that will translate to the classroom setting.
If you have a picky preschooler or a voracious toddler, you are probably wondering if he is getting everything he needs every day. Children ages 2 to 5 can be fickle eaters and busy players, with little interest in getting their required nutrients each day. If you want to make sure your preschooler is eating enough of the right things each day, put together a meal plan.
