Is DS behind?

amyjoy18

DD did everything early, so when it comes to DS I have a hard time judging if he is normal or behind when it comes to certain things.  DD was also in a great daycare at the age of 3, where as DS is with daddy daycare and they work more on "life skills" (like building and fixing things, outside stuff).  He does go to preschool 1 day/week, but I'm starting to feel that is too infrequent to have much of an impact. 

So, what age to kids typically learn/know their letters?  DS turned 3 in November and he knows 2 letters and seems to have very little interest in learning any more.  I don't really have any other concerns.  He has a large vocabulary and has no problems with using sentences or telling short stories.

DD knew all of her letters by 2.5 and knew 20 sight words at 3.5.  I know this isn't typical, but I'm not sure what is typical, since she's my only barometer. 

MrsAmers

He's not behind at all. B was interested in learning her letters and sight words, so she did. My kids knew all of the letters and zero sight words by Kindergarten. And if they hadn't known their letters, they would have learned them in Kindergarten.

Read to him regularly and don't sweat it. He'll learn it when he's ready and interested. :-)

lala5507

MrsAmers said:

He's not behind at all. B was interested in learning her letters and sight words, so she did. My kids knew all of the letters and zero sight words by Kindergarten. And if they hadn't known their letters, they would have learned them in Kindergarten.

Read to him regularly and don't sweat it. He'll learn it when he's ready and interested. :-)

Exactly!

amyjoy18

MrsAmers said:

He's not behind at all. B was interested in learning her letters and sight words, so she did. My kids knew all of the letters and zero sight words by Kindergarten. And if they hadn't known their letters, they would have learned them in Kindergarten.

Read to him regularly and don't sweat it. He'll learn it when he's ready and interested. :-)

Thanks for the re-assurance!  I was thinking that was likely the case.  We read together nightly as a family in his room, but he prefers to use that time to play with his trucks on the floor while we read :-P.

DD is in Kindergarten this year, and because it's half-day, after the initial few weeks of school they jumped straight into sight words and addition (which was fine for DD, but would be really rough on a kid that didn't know their letters/numbers). 

Our district is moving to full day next year, so I'm wondering if it will be structured differently.

ryanthegirl

I often have the same concerns b/c G is currently not in a "center" type of daycare. He's in an in-home daycare. 

The ladies on this board have reassured me time and time again that there are no pre-requisites for pre-k or k and he'll learn what he needs to learn when he needs to know it. 

Good luck!

smynings_bride

I think he's fine.  I think it's more important that they learn social skills at that age so if you have concerns from that aspect I'd consider increasing the preschool or getting him in another activity but I would not increase school for learning letters/words.  That all evens out despite when they learn it.