What is the right age for kids to be in school?

School has finally begun, at least in the Philippines, as the month of June sets in. How time flies so fast. Not only that children are back to rushing every morning for school, traffic and stuff but also for mothers like me to join in the bandwagon of back-to-school woes. I am not yet at that stage but next school year will be a life-changing set-up for us for like the next 19 years. Oh my! With the effect of K1-K12, it's gonna be a long journey for us kids! And a lot of saving to do, Honey! Let's do this...


Preparing as early as now, I have been researching as to what level should my soon-to-be 4 year old girl would first take. I've heard various stages of preparatory levels like play school, prep school, montessori and nursery. But what exactly each stage pertains to? Should my child undergo all that levels? This some kind of gave me a stress levels thinking that my girl must have been left behind. And that I should have submitted her to school as early as 2 years old. In the back of my mind, that is too early for her. I don't want her to be deprived of her free time by playing and discovering things outside the four corners of the wall. My kids pediatrician told me, age four is the right time for a kid to get into school so as the kid won't get tired of meeting the 'demands' of it if too early. I've heard from our neighbor that the school where her child is studying, there are actually kids enrolled as early as 1 year and 8 months. I don't know what level of preparatory level they were in. But I find it irrelevant and unnecessary. Schools are just benefiting from it, profit wise. Further research led me to this site that gave me a clearer view on what age should our child enter school and on what level.


According to the official gazette of DepEd (Department of Education) with the effect of K1-12 basic education system here in the Philippines, at age 3, a child can enter nursery (level 1). Four years olds should be at pre-kinder (level II) and five years olds at kindergarten level (level III). And at age 6, the child must be in Grade 1. I am wondering, is nursery a pre-requisite to enroll her to pre-kinder? What if I don't send her anymore to nursery school because she might be left behind, does it matter? OMG!! Any views from mothers of schooling kids? Help! Does age really matter today when sending kids to school? A friend told me that there are schools in Davao City that strictly implement the age requirement. Personally, I don't find it fair because a one year difference doesn't make a big difference really. Only that she'll be a year behind. Oh maybe there is! The yearly tuition fee hike. Hayyy! Here comes the school blues again... 


Anyhow, I'm proud that Mariella is able to identify things around her na. Only that she cannot speak yet fluently but I know she can understand. While my niece with the same age as her speaks clearly. I mean each child has different level of coping up with things and I believe whether at 3 or 4 years of age, he/she can enter nursery. I was told kasi in one of the schools I inquired for Mariella, if I will enroll her to nursery next year when she turns four, will that be okay. The girl told me she'll be left behind. But instead I'll enroll her straight to pre-kinder skipping nursery. Is that okay mommies? OMG again! I'm kind of anxious already. 


I want my kids to experience the complete school requirement because I was able to experience it. As far as I can remember, I entered nursery then pre-kinder in the same school. Then transferred kindergarten to a much bigger school. I hope Mariella will be accepted to nursery class by next year even if she's four years old by then. I hope schools will not only consider the age of the child for a certain level of education. But more so on the eligibility of their age to enter school. #schoolblues #schoolwoes #k1tok12 #anxiousmother