It has been confusing when parent’s ask me, “What is the date of entrance for kindergarten?”.

 There is a new law in the state of California that takes effect in 2012. The law states that children need to be 5 years old by November 2, 2012; then by October 2 in 2013 and finally 5 years old by September 2, 2014.

While this seems like a long time off, it has the potential to confuse parents who have not heard of this change, as well as prolong the time your child you be attending preschool.

Think about it this way, with the riogorous schedule of kindergarten, where we want children to be able to conform at a certain level, it can only help for your child to be older. Plus we are giving them another year of preschool, where they can grow, develop, and learn through play.

In Europe children are taught to read when they are seven, and they learn in two months. Here we teach children to read at five and many struggle for two years, until at seven, when their brains become developmentally ready to read and comprehend.

Let’s celebrate this new law in that makes sense. Finally instead of thinking about the tax dollars that will be lost, because that is one of the outcomes of this law, we are thinking about giving children more time to grow. Another year to be a princess or a pirate, to paint with your hands and experience in the magic of make believe. Thank you State of California.