My 3 year old straight up refuses to learn her abc’s. I probably sound crazy but she starts school in September and as a December baby I desperately want her to be prepared. I’ve tried flash cards, books, games. She wants nothing to do with it. I’m considering putting her in kumon. Anybody have advice? I made the mistake of getting a bit frustrated with the flash cards so I’m trying to come back from that.
@tomato777 I live in Canada and she starts junior kindergarten. It seems like in the states kids start later. The check list is terrifying. Like basic math (more or less), zippers, noticing patterns, holding a pencil correctly, putting a story in chronological order….It’s kinda overwhelming because she’s so little.
greekdebate
New member
@jonlv Don't worry too much. I'm in Canada too - my kid is in JK and doesn't really know the complete alphabet yet. (She can sing the song, but not identify all the letters out of order). She's doing great in her class (And is a smart kid, but one of the youngest in the class). That sounds like more of a list for finishing JK - they work on things like that, but our school it is very play based. I would drop the letters for now and just read for fun. You really don't want to push them too hard and take the fun out of learning.
@greekdebate Thank you! I’m a bit of a worrier and the list just freaked me out lol
@jonlv Hi, also in Canada (BC) and have a daughter currently in preschool and a son who will start preschool in Sept. Neither of them consistently know their ABC’s. Both of them love the number eleventeen and use it as many times as possible when counting past 10. I give zero fucks! I refuse to make school or learning a stressful thing at this age, they’re incredibly smart capable kids and the most important thing they’re going to learn in preschool is how to be a friend and play nicely with other kids. For what it’s worth my daughter is also a December baby and she won’t be going to preschool until the September she’s 5.
evangbessawa
New member
@jonlv I’m in Canada and there isn’t JK here… unless you mean preschool which isn’t mandatory, and per my friends neither preschool nor actual 5yo kindergarten require knowledge of ABC’s off the start. So I agree that that may be an end game thing.
I’d work more on being able to dress herself for weather. Putting on shoes/boots and coats/hat/mittens. The rest you can tackle with games, songs, etc
I’d work more on being able to dress herself for weather. Putting on shoes/boots and coats/hat/mittens. The rest you can tackle with games, songs, etc
@evangbessawa Depends on the province. Yes. JK is a thing in some places. It’s being established where I live to take some of the pressure off the daycares. I’m not sure I see the sell though because it’s higher ratio and shorter hours.
Agreed that this sounds like learning goals for junior k rather than what they should know from the outset.
Agreed that this sounds like learning goals for junior k rather than what they should know from the outset.
brokenwithout
New member
@brokenwithout Not if you need to pay for before and after care 
brokenwithout
New member
churchbuilder
New member
@tomato777 Yeah that seems a bit intense! I would think school would help teach that
katrina2017
New member
@katrina2017 I second a puzzle! My daughter doesn’t know the abc’s in order or anything but we have a letter puzzle and she is starting to learn letters that way just from me saying whatever letter she happens to pick up. And it has different colors so you can teach colors too!
katrina2017
New member
jesseessej
New member
@jonlv Waaaaay to early to be learning reading and writing. I know the US is obsessed with early learning but basically all studies show that there is no difference in children who learn reading and writing early vs those who start later in terms of academic achievement. But curtailing their active and social play time is not good for their development. Think about it, 3 year olds can’t even speak properly yet. Dump the ABCs and focus of physical play, imaginative play, and art.