I pulled her out - any ideas as to what now?

[LimeSlice]

I would suggest a Montessori school. There are a few around Perth that qre quite good, and they begin from 3 years old.
Certainly they will be able to offer you help if nothing else as to what to do with her until next year, but will also prove I think to be a great option for her now....

Good luck

[Doodlebug]

A Montessori school sounds like a good idea. Maybe even a private 3yr old kindy where she can go 1 or 2 mornings a week only? There are a few of those around. (I'm assuming she was at kindy 2 full days?)

[Rouge]

I too would also suggest an alternative as if she wasn't coping emotionally, you may find she won't be school ready by next year. The most important part of Kinder is learning to interact with other children ie. saying no, making friends etc As well as learning to take instructions from strangers and the obvious one of separation from parents.

[Miss H]

if she wasn't coping emotionally, you may find she won't be school ready by next year.

Just curious as to why you think she won't cope next year if she is not coping this year?

She suffers terribly with separation anxiety as this was the first time that she has been away from us. She is a very sensitive child and is scared of alot of things including other children. I have been taking her to playgroups for the past year and dancing but she is still scared. She won't play with the other children at all. The three year old Kindys here involve me going with but I can't take my toddler with. I have no one to leave DD2 with so that is out and leaving DD1 is not an option at the moment. I am going to continue to take her to playgroup, dancing and include Kindy Gym this year. I am hoping that by next year she will be more emotionally ready as she will be 4 yrs 8 months by then. I just want things I can do at home to keep her occupied and interested and learning.

[AnyDream]

Have you considered introducing her to seperation in a more supported environment? I'm thinking along the lines of a morning or afternoon with a lovely gentle family day care lady. This is how all my kids learnt about separation, as I drove off each time I knew my DDs would get as many cuddles as they needed while they learnt to get on without me there. Just a thought...

Also, find out whether kindy has a mid-year intake... perhaps in 4 mths she might cope better than she has now.

Also, lots of good ideas on Playschool every morning. Story time at the library (they often do craft there) and you can pick up some books about going to school, kindy etc so get her more used to the idea. Also find out if there is a playgroup at the kindy you plan on sending her to (often they have a playgroup there on a Fri when kindy's not on) - you stay there with your kids, it will give her some interaction with other kiddies and also familiarity with the place.

HTH

[Jennifer13]

This is a bit out of left field, but do you have a trusted friend or family member with a child around the same age that you could 'swap' care with?

For two years, my DD went to a friend's house one day and we had my friend's child the next day. My DD is an only child and (while she did attend preschool and didn't have the separation issues you talked about) this was really helpful in terms of learning to share her space, toys and managing her emotions when another child was there. It also helped my friend and I - me for work, her for some time alone with her new baby. Obviously she'd already been around my friend and her child plenty previously, for morning tea and catch ups, etc.

Just an idea...

[Rouge]

The reason that we are told here in Vic (by Kinder teachers/School teachers etc) that the Kinder experience is valuable to children who don't cope emotionally in a Kinder environment is because they need that exposure so they can cope with school integration. For the reasons I mentioned in my post.

The biggest misconception about Kinder is that it is for academic progression. Academics are not important for starting school, as that is what is taught in the first year of school. Social skills are what is learnt mostly at Kinder, and what is needed to be "school ready". I know Perth doesn't do Kinder the same way we do here in the eastern states, so you might find that it won't be as important and I daresay there will be other children/parents in the same boat as you.