Preppie Making Friends With Grade 3s - Am I Being Silly?
DD started in preps a few weeks ago. She's a completely outgoing, social butterfly kid - she'll talk to anyone and everyone but doesn't really do besties.
Anyhow, for the last week or so she has been inseparable from a Grade 3 girl. I probably wouldn't be concerned about this except that the older girl has brought her a present to school and bought her an icy pole from the canteen. I've had a word with both of them and said no more presents, friendship is not about that stuff.
Hopefully, that's knocked that stuff on the head but they are both super keen to do playdates. As much as you can tell from first impressions, I don't gel with the girl's mum even though the girl seems lovely.
I guess apart from the present thing, I'm just uncomfortable with the situation. It seems odd that a Grade 3er would want to hang out with a preppie.
I've asked DD if she plays with the other preppies at lunchtime and she says no, that she hangs with the older kids, "because they can lift me up," to the climbing wall. She's a complete climbing freak so I can see the appeal of hanging out with the older kids who are more physically adept.
Preppie Making Friends With Grade 3s - Am I Being Silly?
Dunno about that one - my second D's played with grade 2 people all the time. The teacher I spoke to about it said just make sure there is at least one other kid on your child's year playing ok. So your child, another preppie and then the older girl(s). That's just what the teacher at our school recommended, perhaps tour daughters teachers might be able to guide you a bit more? It's good to have an older buddy, as long a she has some playmates closer in age too I think.
I wouldn't do too much about it at the moment as she has only just started school and will eventually make some friends in her classes. I would definitely organise a playdate where you will be able to watch them play and then you will know if the way you are feeling is justified or not. Did your DD go to kindy? DS did and generally his best friends from there (and after school care) are kids that are a couple of years younger than him. With his best friends he has often wanted to give them one of his toys (and they to him as well so its not just one way) but as there are firm rules against present giving at kindy we haven't allowed it.
I was coming on here to post almost the exact same question. DS seems to have been adopted as a mascot for a group of Grade 4 boys. I'm really unsure about it too. And he was given money for the canteen - which he didn't know what to do with it, and then got upset. His teacher assured me they are a nice bunch of kids but I'm thinking long term when the cricket playing 5 year old is no longer a novelty for them, and he doesn't have any friends in prep because he never played with any of them Will be interested to hear what other people say - besides my DH who simply said "Tell him not to play with them" which totally doesn't work.
It's a tricky one. When my DS1 started prep he loved to hang out with the grade 6 boys. They'd let him play 2-square with them and would high-five him, etc. It was kind of cute! The novelty does wear off and he found friends his own age too.
Our school are now strict and have two areas at recess - one for prep to Grade 2 and one for Grades 3-6. DS1 is in Grade 3 and is so sad that he's not allowed to go see his little brother who started prep this year. The older kids were told that the preppies need to find friends their own age and that's why they're not allowed over there. I guess it makes sense, but it's a little sad that my boys can't say hello at lunch time.
Hopefully your DD will find some good friends closer in age as the year goes on.
Not sure - we have "buddies" at our school where preps are allocated a grade 4/5/6 kid to look after them. They often become great mates and it means that the kids play across all age groups. It also reduces the incidence of bullying behaviour by older kids to younger kids. If it is just a 1:1 thing then it may be a concern but if it's a group or something that is promoted by the school then I probably wouldn't worry.
Re: Preppie Making Friends With Grade 3s - Am I Being Silly?
Good to know, my ds might be like this. He is a social butterfly and loves older kids. I'll often find him following them around the playground and mimicking their actions. Where as he doesn't find kids his own age that interesting. But I think at the moment its more that older kids challenge him physically. He'll also often go up to unknown adults for attention and a chat lol.
Great advise already given, just wanted to add my experience.
DD1 is very very tall and was quite adept at climbing/monkey bars on the start of school last year. She seemed to (and still does) drift towards the kids most like her. At the start of school none of the transition kids (your prep) even came close to her shoulder lol. She has her class mates whom she adores, but it did take a few months for her to find her 'place'.
Preppie Making Friends With Grade 3s - Am I Being Silly?
Reply With Quote
Will be interested to hear what other people say - besides my DH who simply said "Tell him not to play with them" which totally doesn't work.
Bookmarks