Getting Your Preschooler Ready for Kindergarten

Chapter 1: The Real Kindergarten Readiness (It’s Not About Reading)

Let’s start with a little honesty, just between us. When you hear the words “kindergarten readiness,” what comes to mind? For most parents, it’s a flash of a checklist: Can she sing the ABCs? Does he know his colors, his numbers, his shapes? Can she write her name? It’s the image of a small person sitting at a tiny desk, pencil in hand, looking up at a teacher with the quiet confidence of a child who has already mastered the basics. And if you’re like most parents I’ve sat with in my office, that image comes with a quiet knot in your stomach. Because you’ve seen the YouTube videos of four-year-olds reciting the periodic table, and you’ve heard the whispers at pickup about who’s already reading. And you can’t help but wonder: Is my child behind?

I want to give you permission to let that question go. Not because it’s a bad question, but because it’s the wrong one. After more than a decade working with families and watching thousands of children walk through the doors of their first classroom, I can tell you with absolute certainty: kindergarten teachers are not looking for little scholars. They are looking for children who can put on their own coat, ask for help when they need it, and pause for a moment before grabbing a toy from a friend. They are looking for children who can sit in a circle for five minutes