Q: A little boy in my setting has parents who keep requesting that my staff sit down with him and practise writing his name. I feel that this is not the right thing to do, as he is only three and much prefers playing chasing games or playing in the sand. They say that other children of his age are writing and that I am negligent not to be teaching him. Please help.
A: It must be very upsetting to have this conflict and be accused of being negligent! I imagine that you are distressed by this disagreement, but you may also regard it as an 'attack' on your setting's philosophy and professional practice. However, the phrase 'parents are a child's first educators' is the truth. How parents and other family members feel about writing (and reading) will profoundly influence a child's attitudes.
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