Recently, a news that "the kindergarten organized an activity and asked each parent to prepare 28 durians, and as a result, one parent directly asked for leave" sparked heated discussions. This once again set off people's reflection on the frequent organization of activities in kindergartens to "brush funds".
The hidden "brushing" problem behind kindergarten activities
In this era of consumerism, many kindergartens will frequently hold various special activities in order to enrich children's lives and enrich the teaching content. These activities take a variety of forms, including themed class meetings, sports days, cooking experiences, handicrafts, etc. However, behind these seemingly colorful activities, there is often a hidden demand for parents to "brush their funds".
For example, one mother shared an experience where her child's kindergarten held a "fruit platter competition" in which lots were drawn to determine what fruit each child needed to bring. The mother drew durian, and considering the high price of 28 durians, she directly chose to let her child take leave and not participate.
Another mother who drew strawberries expressed her opinion in the group that she would still cooperate with the activity, which invisibly put pressure on the first mother.
From this case, it can be seen that there is a certain economic pressure on some families to organize activities in kindergartens. But if they don't, they risk being marginalized and losing the opportunity to be part of the group. This has become a difficult problem for many parents to solve.
There are many similar cases. Some kindergartens organized "hot pot activities" and asked parents to bring their own ingredients, and as a result, some parents drew expensive seafood; Some kindergartens require children to wear "Mother's Day-themed costumes", and some mothers have to pay a high price to buy them.
These frequent activities and consumption, on the one hand, increase the burden of parenting on parents, and on the other hand, also intensify the comparison psychology between parents. This is undoubtedly an unbearable blow for families with average economic conditions.
The problem behind the high frequency of activity
Kindergarten activities that frequently require parents to "brush up" reflect these problems:
Differences in family economic conditions are ignored
Any group activity should take into account the differences of the participating groups. However, many kindergartens ignore the differences in children's family backgrounds when organizing activities, and blindly pursue the luxury and perfection of activities, which increases the unnecessary expenses of some families.
It increases the financial burden on parents
A large number of activities have virtually increased the cost of childcare for parents. According to the survey, the cost of participating in various interest classes and activities accounts for one-third of the current cost of childcare in cities. Frequent "capital brushing" is tantamount to adding insult to injury.
Trigger the comparative psychology of parents
This kind of activity is also easy to trigger the psychology of comparison between parents. Parents with poor conditions may feel a sense of camp and feel that their children will be marginalized. And parents with good conditions will also have a sense of superiority. This is not conducive to the solidarity between parents.
Weaken the essence of teaching and mislead
Too many radical activities weaken the essence of teaching, and it is easy to mislead children into believing that participating in various activities is the main purpose of kindergarten. But in fact, rich teaching content is more meaningful.
Parents should look at it rationally, and kindergartens need to reflect on self-examination
In the face of frequent "capital brushing" activities, parents and kindergartens need to reflect.
Parents, on the other hand, should look at these activities rationally and choose to participate according to their own circumstances. If you really can't afford it, you should also actively communicate with the kindergarten and don't have low self-esteem. It is necessary to believe that quality education should not be based on consumer competition.
In terms of kindergartens, it is necessary to reflect on self-examination and pay attention to the quality of teaching, rather than stimulating parents' desire to consume again and again. Specifically, you can start with the following points:
Adjust activity strategies and reasonably control the number of activities to avoid increasing the burden on parents. Pay attention to the design of activities, consider the affordability of different families, and give care to the disadvantaged groups.
Strengthen home communication, so that parents understand the necessity of the activity and form a positive interaction. Enrich daily teaching and enhance teachers' professional competence without over-reliance on external activities.
When parents and kindergartens can start from the "essence of education" and look at activity planning rationally, I believe that our education can return to its original heart and give children a healthy and happy growth environment.