So you’re a parent trying to determine what to do for your child’s early education. They’re not yet ready for grade school, but you still want to make sure that their daycare and kindergarten experiences are helpful and productive, right?
Did you know that there are a lot of myths on the internet about early childhood education? While many of these myths are well-intentioned, they’re still misinformation, and it’s important to be able to sift through them to find the truth.
Keep reading for our smart parents’ guide to myths and truths about early childhood education.
Early Learning Is a Waste of Time
There are many people who believe that early childhood education won’t be effective or worthwhile for children. They think that children won’t retain the information that they’re learning and that they’ll be back at square one when they reach grade school.
But is this true?
In reality, children are at their most malleable when they’re young. Consider how fast language acquisition happens when a child is in their first few years of life. Are you able to learn new languages that quickly as an adult?
Children may not remember specific activities that they did while they’re in the earliest points in their education, but those skills will stay with them. They’ll learn communication skills, motor skills, and other crucial skills that they’ll need to succeed later on.
It’s Basically Babysitting
So what’s the point of enrolling your child in early education if you could just have a babysitter or daycare attend to them? It’s more affordable and they use the same methods and activities, right?
This isn’t really true. A good preschool or day nursery is more than a daycare center. While they may seem simplistic to parents, they’re real schools with solid curriculums.
The teachers aren’t just caregivers. While there may be caregivers present, there will also be people who have gone to school for early childhood education.
In other words, while they are taking care of your child, they’re also teaching them.
It Takes Away Childhood Too Early
So if this isn’t a daycare, isn’t it too intense for young children? Shouldn’t children be able to play and interact with friends before they have to handle the stressors that come alongside academic life?
Not at all.
A good childhood education program can prepare children for “real” school with games and activities instead of serious lessons. They’ll learn reading skills through storytime and motor skills through toys like blocks.
They may get to go on nature walks or make slime to learn about science. These programs create smart kids without the intensity of grade school.
The Truth About Early Childhood Education: It Works
Early childhood education will help your child’s overall development and preparedness for “real” school. They’ll get to play games, interact with new friends, and learn new things in a safe environment.
All parents should consider the value of early childhood education.
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