Ask:
I volunteer in my DD's classroom and frequently have friends over for playdates. I'm amazed sometimes at what some 5-yr olds CAN'T do. Maybe I expect too much of DD. Or maybe there should be an update to the classical developmental guidelines.
For instance, one developmental guideline I found on the internet says:
Developmental Milestones by the End of 5 Years
Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer, hops, swings, climbs
May be able to skip
Copies triangle and other geometric patterns
Draws person with body
Prints some letters
Dresses and undresses without assistance
Uses fork, spoon and (sometimes) a table knife
Usually cares for own toilet needs
Recalls part of a story
Speaks sentences of more than five words
Uses future tense
Tells longer stories
Says name and address
Can count 10 or more objects
Correctly names at least four colors
Better understands the concept of time
Knows about things used every day in the home (money, food, appliances)
Wants to please friends
Wants to be like her friends
More likely to agree to rules
Likes to sing, dance and act
Shows more independence and may even visit a next-door neighbor by herself
Able to distinguish fantasy from reality
Sometimes demanding, sometimes eagerly cooperative
How about these for MODERN developmental milestones?:
Able to open a individual serving bag of chips or fruit snacks
Able to remove a straw from a cellophane wrapper and insert it into a juice bag or box
Able to pour breakfast cereal from a small container into a bowl then pour milk from a small container into the same bowl without overflowing either item
Able to put clean and folded clothes away in their dresser drawers
Able to hang up a shirt or jacket on a hanger
Able to sort dirty laundry into proper color groups
Able to pre-treat spots or stains on laundry using a spray bottle
Able to clean-up their toys off the playroom floor and put them in their proper location
Able to straighten the sheets and blankets on their bed
Able to fold a small blanket or towel
Able to make a card or a small gift to give
Able to change channels on the TV using the proper remote control
Able to insert and remove a DVD or CD safely from a player or computer
Able to talk on a cellphone
Able to dial 9-1-1
Able to rollerskate (or start trying), use a two-wheeled scooter and a two-wheeled bicycle with training wheels
Able to bounce a ball (dribble), aim for a basket, catch a 'grounder', throw a baseball, hit from a 'T'
Able to hold their breath under water for 10 seconds or longer
Able to walk around the mall without being carried or using a stroller
Able to help carrying lighter grocery bags
Able to figure out the price of an item at the "dollar store"
Able to help wrap a gift
Able to recite a small prayer or bible verse from memory
Able to sing a song
Answer:
More ...
Able to enter 1 minute into the microwave oven keypad
Able to open a can with an electric can opener
Able to answer and disconnect from a wireless phone call (use the on / off button)
Able to leave a decent voicemail message
Able to locate letters of their own name on a QWERTY keyboard
Able to locate and use the Enter and Spacebar keys of a computer
Able to jump rope, throw and catch a Frisbee
Able to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and stand appropriately
Answer:
My 5 1/2 year old daughter can do almost all of these things on your list. However I don't like to characterize kids by what they can or can't do. I have realized with both of my kids & my dd friends that each child excels at a different speed & style.
Answer:
Parker is 5 1/2 and can do all of it....except the laundry pre-treater. He probably could do it, but there is no way I let my kids around cleaning supplies. I won't take any risks with them coming in contact with chemicals. Other than that, he can do it all. I like seeing what he should be able to do. I like to know that he is pretty much on track or exceeding expectations. What mother doesn't, right?
Answer:
I've worked in the classroom all year and the same kids are still asking me to stick their straw into their juice for them. Then what prompted my post this morning is I asked DD what she wanted for breakfast and she said she had already made it. Huh? I checked and she had! (She didn't use the stove, she got herself breakfast cereal and a banana.) Part of me feels really bad that the kid had to make her own breakfast and another part feels proud that she could.
I find the developmental milestones interesting when they list things like "can stack 4 blocks ontop of each other" when most kids I know are setting their clock radios, changing the channels on the TV, booting up computers so they can do their homework, and loading DVDs in and out of the player. Ya gotta wonder if some kids even own a set of blocks anymore.