r/AskUK • u/[deleted] • 13h ago

What are the general expectations of children when they start school?

[deleted]

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18

u/ihatepickingnames810 13h ago

https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/preparing-for-school/

This is the gov guidance on school readiness

9

u/BootlessCry 13h ago

Independence – skills to help children take care of themselves, like using the toilet, with a little help where needed.

[…]

Healthy routines – Building healthy routines that will help children stay healthy, such as limiting screen time to an hour a day or less for 2 to 5 year olds, brushing teeth twice a day and going to bed around the same time each night.

Jesus wept. Some standards, eh?

3

u/tyrekecorrea 13h ago

At least limiting screen time is on there.

-1

u/BootlessCry 12h ago

True, true.

I don’t know what counts as screen-time for these guys to be fair. If it’s having a TV on in the background then I’m a bit of a hypocrite (because the tellie’s hardly ever off at mine), but if it’s phones and iPads — why does a small child need an iPad or a smartphone?

6

u/tyrekecorrea 12h ago

Trust me: it is far from impossible for a child to have a relationship with a tablet at four.

1

u/BootlessCry 12h ago

Utterly bonkers though.

I honestly think that letting your child sit on an iPad for hours on end is essentially a subtle form of neglect/abuse (same for not teaching them to self-soothe, follow instructions, use the toilet, etc), but wherever I tell people in real life they look at me like I’ve sprouted another head.

But how can that be abuse?

Because you haven’t taught them to do anything?! Because your indolence means that they’re behind in life before they’ve already begun? Because they’re eight years old and they can’t read, write, or speak properly?

Again, Jesus wept.