The American Academy of Pediatrics has created a new online guide for parents who are worried their child will be forced to learn at home if he or she decides to start kindergarten.
The new curriculum, “Kids Are Here,” was created to address what many parents worry is a growing trend: students are moving into classrooms in droves.
According to the American Academy, the number of children enrolled in K-12 schools has doubled since 1990.
Since then, the rate of attendance has doubled and, according to the group, the U.S. ranks 13th in the world for kindergarten attendance.
But a growing number of parents say the rise in students moving into schools has made it hard for them to provide a balanced learning experience for their kids.
In a report published last month, the American Association of School Psychologists (AASP) said there are two primary reasons that parents worry their children will be required to learn more in classrooms.
One, the trend of parents requiring their children to study more in school, which can make learning difficult for some students, has been well documented.
And two, the rise of social media, which allows kids to see their peers and interact more directly with them, has created an environment in which they are learning on their own.
For parents, it’s a daunting challenge to provide their kids with an education that they can take back to school and enjoy.
“We have to create a plan and we have to have it ready, so we can go and start a school where there is no learning, and where we can teach them the things they need to know,” said Diane Schreiber, who runs the advocacy group Parents United for Education Reform, which is spearheading the effort to help parents prepare their kids for kindergarten.
This new curriculum is aimed at parents who may have concerns about their children’s ability to learn, said Stephanie Gartner, the founder and CEO of the Association for Newborn and Infant Programs (ANTIP).
The group is part of a growing movement that has been pushing parents to give their kids an education.
Gartners family has taught his son to play in a sandbox for several years, she said.
She has also been trying to get parents to share their concerns about the new curriculum on Facebook, and the parents who did share their stories have been supportive.
She said the new guidelines, which have been updated recently, are based on the best available research and are tailored to the specific situation.
Parents should look at what research says is necessary to make sure they’re giving their children the right learning experience and that they’re getting a balance of what is appropriate and what is not, she added.
“The new guidelines are not intended to be a substitute for a full curriculum,” she said, adding that parents need to be ready to take on this new challenge.
“Parents have the right to choose what they want their child to learn and we want to make this as safe as possible for their child,” Garteners parents said in a statement.
The guidelines were created with input from the American College of Pediatricians, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the National Association of State Teachers of Mathematics and Science, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Psychological Association.
More than 50 state and local organizations are working to educate parents on the importance of providing a balanced educational experience for all children.
“It’s important to understand the impact of these programs, and to help families prepare their children for kindergarten, including using the materials on this website,” the AAP said.
“While these programs may be new, they’re already helping to improve the learning experience by reducing the risk of anxiety, depression, and other learning difficulties.”
