Starting school in September and still struggling with a lot of things?

[Foxy800]

As title says really lo starts school in September and is struggling to do a lot of things still, should we be worried?

She has speech issues so know this will hold her back a bit. She is under a speech therapist for this though.

I wasnt too worried though as the only thing that nursery have said need addressing are her coodination and concentration which they and us (parents) are working on. So I wasnt too worried but now I have well wishing relatives saying she should be doing more drawings, shapes, colours, dressing herself etc.
Of course we encourage all of the things we feel she needs for school but dont want to push too much as she is at nursery 5 mornings a week and dont want to overpower her, besides when I try to do a lot of it at home she isnt interested. SHe does enjoy trying to get dressed and undressed and helps with this every day keenly.

SO I guess my question is should we be worried or just ignore well wishing relatives. (one even telling me she may need to go to a special school for a while, no problem with this is she does just not something I had even thought about as nursery never said anything on those lines) Just worried now she wont be able to cope when she starts school!!

[Foxy800]

Please feel free to move if you think it would be better somewehere else.

[mrz]

She has most of a year before she is due to begin school and in that time she will make all kinds of developmental leaps.
Ignore the relatives ...does she need to know everything before she even begins her school journey... of course not!
Help to develop those social skills of mixing and sharing and those useful skills of putting on her own coat and shoes and going to the toilet herself and the rest will follow.

[thecloudhopper]

Hi I would just like to say don't worry Im sure she will be ready for school by September.

The things I would consider important are if she can get herself dressed and undressed. This will be uselful for PE but not the end of the world if she does not.

Can she go to the toilet unsuported?
Can she put her coat on and off.

To me these are more important than knowing shapes etc.

[lljkk]

I think that she'll be fine, OP, your relatives have unhelpful expectations.

DS (June birthday) started school without ever having drawn anything, and with speech issues (he didn't even start SALT until May of reception yr). I don't know about shapes, I'm sure he didn't know many if any. Dressing self is something I don't really push until the 6 week holiday before school starts -- that is plenty of time. Anyway, up to Yr2 there are many children who will still ask for (and receive) some help with their clothes, the staff are ready for it.

And DS has been fine academically -- sometimes in top ability groups, even. He still now (Yr1) has some speech problems, but has improved a lot (his teacher was commenting on it other day). Emotionally he struggles with school, but that's another type of problem!

Toileting is the big one to tackle (again, coming summer is good time to work on that), and self-feeding (although dinner ladies at our school cut up meat for those who need it). Sitting quietly and still for short periods, taking turns, following instructions, working with others nicely? Those are things reception teachers need you to do, their job is to teach the rest.

[Foxy800]

Thank you so much for your replies. THis is exactly how I felt until relatives started their helpful comments!!!
She can take herself to the toilet. well sometimes but is capable of doing it by herself. She can put her coat on and take it off, just needs help to do it up. she can take trousers off and tries to put knickers and trousers on just gets in a bit of a muddle with it.

She enjoys drawing and writing as she would say it is even though it is just scribbles.

Will just have to try to ignore relatives who have obviously forgotten capablities of young children. As I say apart from above mentions by nursery they havent said they are concerned with anything else and we had a parent meeting before Christmas.

Again thank you for your replies.

[Foxy800]

We play games which involve turn taking etc, we have storytime every night( there for encouraging quiet time and sitting still, not there but sure will come. She follows instructions, well sometimes, same as all children really!!!LOL.

After reading all your replies am feeling alot more relaxed about it, although scared as she is my only child and she is growing up so fast!!!LOL

Again thank you very much.

[thegrammerpolicesic]

There is AGES before she starts in the grand scheme of things...about 20% of her life so far.

Totally ignore the relatives for now.

[Foxy800]

Thank you, that is what I intend to do from now on, LOL