Preschool competition?

Question

Do you find parents are competitive at your child's preschool? At show and tell, there are parents who send their kids with like 7 or 8 things to bring in. For Valentines day, some parents spent a lot on buying goodie bags for the kids to give out. If that's how it is in preschool, I'm afraid of what it's going to be like in later grades!

Answer 1

When I was in preschool, show and tell was like a competition also.

Answer 2

I am happy that you are actually thinking of the future of the children you are with.  I agree that you should limit the number of items at share to 1 or 2 at the most.  I love share time so much because it is a time for the child to tell a story about something that is unique and deeply personal.  I would also like to realize that with many parents they are worried about not doing enough.  So, you might look at this over bearing effort as a sign that they want to help. Don't over think this one.  You decide what is enough and the children and the parents will respect that.  I encourage you to keep the enthusiasm you are posting regarding your effort to find solutions......

Answer 3

As the teacher, you can set the rules.  One item per child.  When it comes to parties, children can pick a paper out of a basket that tells them what they are to bring, and you can let them make their own goodie bags out of brown or white lunch bags.  They will decorate themselves with whatever you provide and it will be a keepsake for the parents.  A letter home expressing how you want to work in partnership with the parents to make their child successful by following whatever criteria you see, does help.

Answer 4

I own a preschool and the rule for show and tell is - ONE item - we don't have time to show and tell 7 or 8 things and the children can not be expected to sit and listen to someone talk about that many things.  yes, we do have a lot of goodies for parties though - I always make it optional and there are always some families who choose not to bring anything.  we don't make a big deal out of what anyone brings - just to say thank you and that child passes it out. I mean, we don't say - wow that was the best thing we got today - never anything like that. We simply state what was brought, who brought it and we all say or sign thank you.  

We also send home family banners at thanksgiving time and shamrocks at this time of year that the child is supposed to do with their family. I only have one parent who actually does the project for her child. It's obvious that the child had nothing to do with it - kind of sad.  But it's only one parent so there's noone else to compete with her -the rest let their children have the experience.  I guess I'm lucky if you're experiencing competition at such an early age with your child. Just don't buy into it - let your child pick out what he/she wants to take in and let that be that.

Answer 5

Well honestly I am a preschool teacher and I have a hard enough time getting the parents to rememer its show and tell day, but the ones that do bring their things for show and tell have only brought one item or two small ones- no competition here.

Answer 6

I have a preschooler, and I notice that some parents are like that. But not so much with my older two kids who are in elementary.

I think that a lot of preschool parents are still working on letting the children go. So they overdo things at preschool.

Don't worry, it won't last long in grade school. It gets old after a while.