Candid Chat with Aruna Panjwani on Parenting
Aruna Panjwani, a grandmother from Mahim West, shares her experience with First Crayon (www.firstcrayon.com) of finding her grandchildren’s first school.
How did you decide at what age to send your grandchild to his first school?
We enrolled my grandchild in preschool when he was one and a half year old. We wanted him to start mingling with other children of his age and make new friends. We felt that from a young age, he will learn to play and enjoy the company of other young children.
What were your information sources during the preschool search process? Which source was the most valuable?
We did some research online. We also reached out to our neighbours for their suggestions and validations on our research. The conversations with our colony friends was valuable in making the final choice.
What were your 3 most important factors while choosing a preschool? Why?
Teacher-student ratio, activities and good ventilation were the three factors that we considered. A good teacher-student ratio will help my grandchild to get personal attention so that he learns and develops well. The activities offered by the preschool are important so that he develops well rounded skills. The classrooms should be open and well ventilated so that he can breathe properly and does not fall sick.
What is the one thing that you feel you did really well during your preschool search, and other mothers should learn from you?
We concentrated on preschools that had a small teacher-student ratio so that my grandchild would receive personal attention. I would advise all mothers to take this into consideration.
What changes do you see in your (grand)child after going to preschool?
My grandchild started to mix with other children and became a lot more social. His hand-eye co-ordination started to improve and we began to enjoy arranging things during his play times.
What is your most important tip for parents to prepare their child and themselves for the first day of preschool?
Have your child participate in play-dates with other young children before they start preschool. This way, they know what to expect and the preschool is not a complete surprise.
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