Buggy or not?

Time to start preparing him for school, if he can run around a park he does not need a buggy. Is his mum trying to keep him a baby ?
He is going to have to manage school dinners so he will have to toughen up a bit and be a big boy, bye bye Tommy Tipee.

Does he " scooter" ? I think this is a good halfway between walking a distance and being in a buggy.I see he is still 3, but I agree he should probably not be pushed if he is in good health but some mums find it easier to "cope" with a child who is strapped in. You just don't have enough hands especially when there is shopping to carry too! Many children these days do not seem to know how to walk holding Mum's hand, how to stop at the kerb, look both ways etc. Their little legs do get tired of course. But funnily not when running round the park as you say!

I used to be friends with a reception year teacher and she said one of the biggest problems they faced was dealing with children who couldn't feed themselves properly, couldn't dress or undress themselves. A lot of the school day would be wasted teaching them how to put their coats on, how to change into PE gear and so on - and at mealtimes, having to teach them how to use a knife and fork. And inevitably, mopping up after them because they still ate and drank like toddlers.
These are all things that parents should be teaching little ones before they start school.
Sounds to me as if your GS is going to struggle at school if his mum doesn't start cutting the apron strings soon.

No I agree with the others he should be walking everywhere now, how will he learn the skills that Soutra mentions unless he is allowed to walk and hold hands?
I see Mums with much older kids in buggies running them to school , I do wonder whether they find that they can leave later and then hurry because the child doesn't slow them down walking. I do see quite a lot on scooters so maybe that's the suggestion you could make to your dil/DD not sure which you are talking about.

Having said all of that, I do worry about the current system of only one school year intake. Four years and 2 months is much too young to be starting school, in my opinion.

Two of my GSs were that age or less when they started school and they would have been outraged to have been packed into a buggy! Two GSs did use scooters to get to and from school, as long as they stopped at each lamp post, so that's a good suggestion, Soutra.

As a former reception teacher, I agree wholeheartedly with the comments from AshTree's friend. I also agree that many children start school far too young, but if a parent lets their child start that young, it is their responsibility to make sure the child has the basic skills, which must include the ability to use a cup without a lid! Legally, I think it is still the case that a child does not have to start school until the term after that in which they are five, so parents have the option of a delayed start. Of course, that has its own problems.

I think that a lot of the problems are caused because 4+ is too young to start primary. 5 or even 6 is a better age.

My GD will also start in August (aged 5yr 1month). She's had 2 years of morning preschool - part of the primary school. She'd be horrified if a buggy were suggested and apart from a lift at 9am has always walked.
There's only 15 months between her and big brother so she'll be in p1 with him next door in p2.
Having watched my GS thrive in p1, having started at 5yrs 4months, I say again that I feel so sorry for little ones who start so much younger.
On a selfish note, I'll have most of my days back (with some 3.15 pickups) so am , looking forward to getting back to the gym!
Over the last 2 years I've seen only one preschool 3 year-old use a buggy and am impressed by the road sense displayed by virtually all of these youngsters.

All mine couldnt wait to get to school at 4+, though I appreciate that that is not the same for everyones' children.

DGD started school at 4 years 2 days.
She would have been outraged, too, to have been plonked in a pushchair.

but if a parent lets their child start that young
Tresco if they don't start that young then they miss out on a whole year of schooling because they will have to go into Year 1 if they are held back a year. It is not a case of 'letting', it is the worry that they will be plonked straight into their appropriate year group having missed out on the more gentle play-based reception year.
However, I did see that a parent has won a victory last week over her CC to allow her 4 year old to start next year in reception at age 5.

At one time children were not allowed to join school nurseries at 3 without being toilet trained but apparently that rule has been abandoned now and nurseries have to take them.

Here are some interesting thoughts on starting school very young:
whatchildrenneedtobehappy.wordpress.com/2015/04/20/7-myths-about-the-advantages-of-starting-school-at-4-years-old/

DGS1 started school last September aged 4 4/12, his little brother, just 18 months younger won't start until 2 years later, aged 4 9/12, while little DGD will be 4 and perhaps 3 days as her birthday is 29 August. Something wrong somewhere, however ready they may be *intellectually, physically there can be huge differences in size, dexterity, strength and just stamina.

I am not saying I am in favour of starting school at that age, far from it; it's just that the LEA has always had the upper hand - start then or miss a year's schooling.

Woodstock perhaps she finds it easier and quicker, but if he sees that other children are walking and not in pushchairs then he may well decide he won't go to school in one either!

Sometimes I think I need a cup with a lid for my (not that I'm clumsy or anything ...)

Maturity as well, Soutra.
Even if they are clever they may still be very young and yes, stamina, to keep up with the school day. It is very tiring.

A couple of mine used to regularly fall asleep at end of the day story time. The teacher gave up trying to keep them awake through the whole story each day!

My youngest grandchild is also starting school this September, aged 4 years and 3 weeks. I will be collecting her and 6 year old brother from the bus which drops them about a mile and a half away.
Full-time school leaves reception children utterly exhausted to start with and there's no way my grandchild will manage that long walk home, I shall definitely have to take the buggy to meet her.
I too think summer-born 4 year olds are too young for school. Of course some will be unable to cope with dinner, changing for P.E. or even talking clearly.

A parent has the choice of when, or if, their child starts school if they really feel strongly about it. I taught my son at home until he was six. When he did start, he did nothing he had not already done for a whole year, I was so disappointed. He, on the other hand, was delighted because it was absolutely no effort for him and he treated school as mainly a social event.
I think children start school far too young in this country, I would prefer a more continental system, with greater emphasis on social and life skills for the under sevens.

The curriculum for reception children is, as I understand it, a continuation of the pre-school programme. In the primary school where I chaired the governors, our new building had a specially designed unit for our pre-school and reception classes. They had activities together and shared a section of the playground with their own equipment. It was in Y1 when they got down to the nitty gritty of the 3Rs.

Tresco I guess it was like a social event for him and that can be the downside of home schooling a counter balance to the advantages.

It is not the age a child starts school but the quality of provision that is provided that matters! My job has taken me into lots of pre-schools and Reception classes and I have seen excellence in both and disaster in both!! Some pre-school give kids work sheets and do formal work with under 4s and some Reception classes provide brilliant play based learning activities for children.

Re using a buggy I do think that children should be encouraged to walk or scoot/balance bike as much as possible as it is good physical development! However it is not a major problem..how many kids still use buggies by the end of Reception? They will all get there in the end!

If they have a long walk at the end of the school day it can be hard for tired litttle legs..may be a deal to walk to school and a buggy ride home for the first week or so! I bet if he realises he is the only one in a buggy he will soon ask to walk or run with his friends on the way home.

My DGS in California is five and only goes to school half days (the class is called pre kindergarten). In September he will be six and in kindergarten year and will still not be full time. He'll be almost seven before he is full time. I think the children in UK start full time too early, and parents who wish to defer are put under pressure not to.

In Scotland children have to be 5 before the end of February if they are to start school in the preceding August. That means that the youngest they can start school is 4 years 6 months. Additionally, if children are born in January or February you have the option to defer entry until the following school year. Deferred children aren't placed with their year group but start in primary 1 with the other new entrants. We don't have a reception year-2 years of nursery then primary 1-7.

Katek- that sounds so very sensible - I might kidnap my Gs and move to Scotland. Why isn't there such a ruling here in England? Concerning buggies and 4 year olds - I remember from when my children were young that at the age of 2/3 they wanted to walk everywhere and not get in the buggy at all - but by the age of 4 they had decided that a buggy was a very comfortable way to get from A to B with little or no effort on their part which afforded them more energy for play when they got to the fun place i.e. park, playgroup, etc. I often could be seen pushing a 5 year old in a buggy with his 2 year old sister happily walking alongside!!!! I'm not saying it's right but it worked for us!

There used to be a rule in England when my DC were young that children with birthdays in the summer term could not join in the previous September. They had to be 'rising 5' before they could start school.
DS is 'summer-born' and he and other chidren who had summer birthdays were not allowed to join the others in reception until after February half-term (half days) and full-time after Easter. They then moved up to Year 1 with the whole class.
Consequently he and other summer-born children missed out on one and a half terms of school. A note was made on their work but they still had to catch up at some point.

That sounds quite a long day for a little one, apricot. DGD is lucky because there is a village school not far away, she did start with all her friends and is doing well.