The first day I left her there for a few minutes I sat in the car waiting. And next thing I saw the little hand appear up at the glass and I could hear her shouting at them `Let me out of here now!' "
Imelda Brophy survived her daughter Cara's first visit to her Montessori. With a fortnight of school gone by, the five-year-olds might be starting to settle at school, but it's time now for the pre-schoolers to wreak emotional havoc in the lives of Mammy and Daddy.
Increasingly parents recognise the value of pre-school for the children, and from around three years of age they head off with their little lunchboxes for a few hours of play. There is quite a range of settings to choose from - community playgroups, naionrai, Montessori - but whatever the setting, the emphasis is on child-centred, play-oriented early childhood development. In any good pre-school setting, there will be opportunities for children to develop emotionally, socially, physically, creatively, intellectually - and have a wonderful time doing it. Sloshing about with water and paint, squishing playdough, or tumbling down a slide decked out in superhero/heroine gear - play is the medium through which pre-school children learn.
From mathematical concepts to conflict resolution, your average three-year-old develops an understanding of the most complex issues through "messing around" at pre-school. Peggy Walker, the national adviser with IPPA (the Early Childhood Organisation), says: "In a good playgroup setting children learn skills which are of benefit to them for the rest of their lives.
"For example, the opportunity to develop imaginative skills in a playgroup comes back many years later when you find yourself faced with having to write an imaginative essay for your Leaving Cert. A good pre-school experience also helps children prepare for school. They develop relationships with children outside the family circle, often for the first time, and they develop a relationship with a significant other adult." But no matter how beneficial it is, nor how enchanting their day, leaving children into pre-school for the first time can be distressing. There may be tears, a lot of tears - and that includes the parents. Most children will take a couple of days to settle in. Some may run in for the first week and then, once the novelty has worn off, burst into tears as soon as they wake up in the morning. According to Walker, "the preschool setting should be designed to meet the needs of the children and the parents. If a child is upset, a parent should be allowed to stay with them until they settle. If they aren't settling in at all, it might be better to wait until next year when they are developmentally more ready. "But the most important thing is to talk to the playgroup leader. It may just be that something either at home or in the setting is putting the child off, and, with time, the child settles in."
Cara goes to her local Montessori school from 9 a.m. to 12 noon each day. "She'd been in a playgroup for a while last year but it didn't work out," her mother explains. "I have a good feeling about this though. I left her for an hour the first day and she was absolutely disgusted to see me when I came back for her - she loves it. I've been listening in on conversations between her and her sister Louie and she seems to be having a great time. "The woman who runs it is very gentle - she's not `in your face' with the kids. The stuff is all within their reach so they can take down whatever they want to play with and not have to feel dependent on any one. The kids work at their own pace and Cara seems to be very happy."
Deirdre Horgan's youngest daughter, Siuan Ni Dhochartaigh (31/2
years), is starting in a naionra (all-Irish playgroup) this week. "I don't expect her to have any problem with it," says Deirdre. "The first day is a sort of parent-and-child day, so I won't even be leaving her on her own. But she is well able to socialise at this stage so I think she should settle in fine. "She certainly knows she is starting at the naionra - she's been going around with her new schoolbag on her back all week! She never actually brings it up herself, but I've been mentioning it all summer and she is very excited about going."
Most naionrai are members of An Comhchoiste Reamhscolaiochta. Maire Ui Ainin is the senior executive officer. "Depending on the child, going to pre-school can be a very exciting journey. The first month really is a settling-in period - it is a big step for both the parents and the child.
But going to a naionra, in particular, if they haven't any Irish, is like opening a door into a magical world of discovery. It's like getting another window on the world. They have the opportunity of inheriting a rich tradition of poetry and music, a wider range of cultural choice. Even if they don't continue with Irish, learning another language at such an early age helps them develop a certain mental agility which will stick with them for the rest of their lives.
"They also pick up a very positive attitude to Irish. They are learning in a happy environment, where they are playing, and they are hardly even aware that they are learning a new language."
