Are we sending kids to school to young?

After reading the both artilces (Mommy I know you and Trouble with boys), it made me think, are we sending out kids to school to young? I found this short article and I enjoyed this article. Here is the link. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article6053413.ece



I don't know how others feel, but I do think that we are starting our kids, especially boys, in school to young. My only cousin's little boy started his pre-kindergarten school when he was just 4. According to her, it was not like pre-school that my children attended. He son did not take naps, he had all academic subjects, and was there from 8:30 in the morning to 2:30 the afternoon everyday. She told me that they are doing this so he is ready for school, so he has a edge on the other students, and so he can get into the better private school. It made me feel that is was doing an in service to my children by putting them in just pre-school where they did take naps, did work on some reading, writing, math, and social skills, but where allowed to be kids.



That was four years ago. She has confided with me that her son has had some issues at school. That they are working on focusing more at the task at hand, less fidgeting, less talking, and less movement. Her son is having the same problems that my son had in first and second grade. At times he still has these issues, but not to the same extent as he did in his earlier years of school. Does this make him or my son ADHD? I don't think so, I feel that it has to do with how mature they are.



Where does it stop? Pre-kindergarten at the age of 4 now, but where will it be in 10 year or even 5 years? Pre-pre-kindergarten at the age of 2, to get them ready for pre-kindergarten? Are we as a culture needing to get that extra step ahead of others that we stop letting our kids be kids? It is like my mom's quote to me when I was young and wanted something that someone else had; "we are not trying to keep up with the Jones."