[JillnChris]

I 100% agree that kids should be expected to behave at the social/emotional level they are at and I'm sure mommytoeli would agree also. I think the problem here is with the punishment being dished out. Just becuase you expect a 5 year old to be able to sit still does not mean you should make them walk the fence for 30 minutes. If her max time were 5 mintues I would not have a problem with this at all. But 30 minutes is way to long.
I kind feel sorry for her because I'm sure all the kids will be hating her in a couple of months if they end up having to walk for the whole recess.

Originally Posted by SKL

I don't know, reading these posts, I am getting the feeling we aren't expecting much from our 5-year-olds. This is a great diversion from a long history.

I begin to understand why it's getting so popular to hold kids back based on a lack of "readiness." If your kid isn't ready to accept being singled out for his misdeeds; isn't ready to make a connection between action and a later punishment; isn't ready to sit still; I don't know. I bet most of these kids could do it if we really expected it of them. But yeah, if we have a hissy about the fact that school teachers are expecting it, if we insist that it's too much to ask of them, they will prove us right, won't they?

Part of the big deal of kids going to KG is that they are graduating to a new level of maturity, including controlling themselves at a new level. It's not supposed to be a continuation of how our kids perform in preschool or at home. My thought is that we should show our kids our pride in them by letting them know we expect them to do well with all these new requirements. And parents need to understand that there will be a transition and it won't always be comfortable and that's OK. Just my personal opinion.