The Follow-Up: Kindergarten Readiness Is Not What You Think

The PedsDocTalk Podcast

Dr. Mona Amin

Medicine, Health & Fitness, Kids & Family, Parenting

5 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 21 July 2025

⏱️ 13 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

If the phrase “kindergarten readiness” sends you into a spiral of flashcards and phonics drills, this one’s for you. In this follow-up episode, I chat with Susie Allison (@busytoddler), former kindergarten teacher and mom of three, to reframe how we think about school prep. Spoiler: it’s not about who can write their name in cursive or recite the alphabet backwards. We talk about: Why academic checklists miss the bigger picture The real skills that help kids thrive in school (like asking for help and taking turns) Why earlier isn’t always better when it comes to reading How to raise kind, confident kids without burning yourself out trying to be their full-time teacher Whether your child is starting kindergarten soon or you’re just feeling the pressure to “keep up,” this episode is your permission slip to focus on what actually matters. 🎧 Download, follow, and share this episode with a friend who needs the reminder. 📌 Want the full episode? Head to pedsdoctalk.com for more! Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the follow-up.
0:03.8	Bight-size flashbacks of your favorite episodes from the Pete Stock Talk podcast,
0:08.0	in faster time it takes to de-escalate a tantrum with a strong-will two-year-old.
0:12.3	Yes, I've been there.
0:13.5	I'm Dr. Mona, pediatrician mom, and someone whose kid can't read yet but is starting kindergarten.
0:18.8	If that sentence makes you sweat a little,
0:26.2	you're in the right place. I wanted to revisit this episode because, yes, readiness matters and my son is starting kindergarten. But when we talk about readiness, we focus way too much on academic skills.
0:31.5	My son can't fully read yet and I'm not sweating it. Because comparison, that's what quietly
0:37.3	chips away at the joy of
0:38.6	watching our kids grow. We get so caught up in checklist, we forget what actually sets them up for
0:43.5	success. So today, I'm joined again by Susie Allison, former kindergarten teacher and creator
0:48.2	a busy toddler. We talk about what kindergarten readiness really means, why the pressure has gotten
0:54.0	out of control,
0:55.1	and what your child actually needs before they step into school.
0:58.8	Hint, it's not knowing how to write in cursive.
1:01.3	Before you spiral into a flashcard frenzy, take a deep breath and press play, and don't
1:06.3	forget to follow and subscribe.
1:07.8	It helps this show grow and reminds the world that raising kind,
1:11.5	capable humans matters more than memorizing the alphabet by age three. Also a good skill,
1:17.2	but let's also remember the big perspective. Let's get into it. When we're thinking about
1:25.1	kindergarten and what I hear from a lot of kindergarten users is they say, I can teach that. I can teach that really fast. I can teach your child their letters really fast. I can teach them that pattern of counting really fast. Here's what I can't teach them. It's a lot harder in a group of 20 kindergartners for me to teach your child how to win and lose graciously. It's a lot easier for me to teach your child what a shape looks like than it is for me to teach your child how to win and lose graciously. It's a lot easier for me to teach your child what a
1:45.8	shape looks like than it is for me to teach your child how to ask an adult questions.
	...

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