Preschool 4Yr Old

It sounds like she is challenging them and they would just as soon have her medicated to make their life easier.

I would look for a new daycare.

Sounds a lot like my 4 year old DD. 4 is too young to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. I know for certain that my child has it, but I won't even attempt to get her tested yet b/c doc says that they need to be 1st grade at least. Try working on her diet if you feel like her focus is off. Stay away from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives and make sure that she's well rested.

It sounds like they are SO structured that they expect all kids to talk, act, and play the same. That is a huge red flag, IMO.

I would find another pre-school.

I would get another pre-school. I am very much NOT a fan of highly structured preschools. Children learn by playing. That is what preschool is for.

Sounds like a normal 4-year-old! At my daughter's daycare, she was the only 4-year-old there who COULD behave and sit still in circle time. The rest were hyped up with no boundaries and constantly not listening (yuppy place with permissive parents) I would be wary of these people's opinion of your daughter if they think she's the ONLY one not able to live up to their structure. I doubt ALL the other kids are doing fine all the time.

Anyone suggesting ADD (WILDLY OVER-DIAGNOSED in our society and are they doctors?) to 4-year-olds at a daycare would get a piece of my mind or at least some serious scrutiny. Not saying you should deny any and all wrongdoing on your daughter's part if she's misbehaving too much; do listen to them, but don't give them more credit than they're due.

If I had heard this from my son's preschool program, some questions would run through my mind.

How long are the group instruction/circle times?
How are they being conducted? Are the kids allowed to participate, including gross motor body movement opportunities to get their wiggles out, or are they expected to sit quietly? A good circle time will offer times for both of these (activity/quiet), in part because preschool IS a prep for kindergarten and kindergarteners *do* need to have this skill.

As a preschool teacher myself, I'm not a huge fan of long-ongoing direct instruction, so when we had our 'gathering' times, I would alternate between group participation (constructing something, acting out something, music+movement, group discussion where everyone gets a chance to chime it) and storytelling/reading books or demonstrating new art projects/techniques, etc.

If it were me, I would want to go and observe (unobserved, if possible) what is happening at these circle times, as well as throughout the day. Are the kids allowed choices when it's not circle time, which include both small motor and gross motor activities throughout the day? Or are they all made to do the same, teacher-directed activity? While the Developmentally Appropriate Practice (handbook from NAEYC) suggests that children three and younger should not be forced to stay at circle time, this suggestion is not present for fours and fives. This is due to the realization that, in kindergarten, children will be expected to have the self-regulation skills to sit and listen to the teacher, and good preschools do try to work toward that expectation, thus providing kindergarten readiness.

I also wonder about your granddaugher not complying with teacher instruction. If I were the parent, I would ask for more specifics about this. Is she not following along through transition times and needing a little more guidance or flat-out misbehaving? Do understand that while some children need a little help with new routines (did they change the routine), they should also be able to comply with behavioral requests, to move with the group throughout the day, and to respect the teacher's directions primarily because they *are* the teacher. If it was a free-for-all at the preschool before, these issues may certainly have been overlooked. I know many children who do very well with other kids (on their terms, however) and have issues with following directions from adults and other authority figures.

My purpose in writing all of this is not to suggest that your granddaughter has ADD, but to give you a more balanced, big picture of the considerations of preschool teachers. From the information you have provided in your post, this is about all I can offer. From my experience, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle of what both 'sides' are seeing. Perhaps your granddaughter doesn't have ADD, but does need more help with being in the group and following them through the day, or more constructive discipline techniques are necessary at preschool and at home. Optimally, we want teachers and parents/guardians to work as a team for the child's benefit. What are the positive parts of feedback you are getting from the teachers? That's another big one. All people have both their strengths and room for improvement. A good, connected caregiver will be able to find those strengths and recognize them while also observing where the child needs more skill-building and growth. As a preschool teacher -- and as the mom of a former preschooler-- I try to recognize *both* of these qualities in kids.

Are the teachers Certified and experienced teachers? If so then listen to what they have to say.
Is this Daycare NAEYC accredited? Do they understand that play is a chid's work? If not, I wonder if this is the right place for your child.
IF she is ADD then she needs highly qualified certified teachers with experience. Does your public school have a program for 4 yr olds??
If they just dont understand 4 yr old then this is the wrong place for her.
As a Kindergarten teacher we really can tell which kids went to a good preschool and which kids went to a not so great daycare where they were put in time out a lot rather than taught.

You might discuss this with her pediatrician and also see if she has anything physical going on. Do as the pediatriian recommends as that is the professional to guide your grandchild's healthcare.

Beyond that, I'd take what they're suddenly telling you with a grain of salt, except that I would look at other childcare alternatives. Her school should not be attempting to diagnose her. If they have a concern, they should be suggesting that you talk to her doctor about specific behaviors (i.e. - symptoms). They are not doctors or mental health professionals, and it's likely that they are not even licensed teachers. Throwing out their own potential diagnosis oversteps their bounds. If they have decided in their minds to label your child (which is how this sounds), that probably isn't the best place for your child.

I would just find a different daycare or start Pre K at school is she is old enough in your state.

That is really silly for that person to say that to you. If your granddaughter had ADD you would have noticed it by now. Just bc she isn't doing what they want when they want, after they have come in cnad changed everything about the center, does not mean that something is wrong with her. The routine was drastically changed.

That comes from me and I have adhd and have know since young, my husband is add inattentive, and my 4 year old son is also adhd. I will not medicate him at this age. I take adderall and my husband did but no longer wants to.

If you feel in your heart that there is nothing wrong with her, not saying ADD is wrong, you know what I mean... then there probably isn't. Some children are more social than others. Some like to play by themselves mostly and imagine a whole new world.

Often a care giver will notice a behavior but decide to not mention it because they know the parents won't believe them or that it will make them mad for them to say that persons children aren't perfect.

If there had been an issue that was prominent they might have mentioned it. If they thought it would make you mad they might have thought it would get caught once she starts school too.

If you do the testing and it come back she has ADD then you have some options. If she has it her brain is firing all over the place and is not in sync. If meds are given it speeds the brain activity up and everything syncs up therefore she is able to focus and pay attention better.

If she doesn't have it then you have proof she and can turn in a copy of the report.

It takes time to learn to follow a more structured program. This is only good news for her. If she is having problems paying attention in circle time then she is going to show the same issues once she starts school.

If it's something as simple as she just hasn't learned how to do a more structured setting due to not have a structured child care classroom she might test low and might not do well once she starts school. Now is a good time to learn how to sit down and pay attention.

At the very least you need to encourage her to sit down, be quiet, pay attention, and mind the teacher.

At the most you could set up the testing and get the results so you can see if there is a need for intervention.

I agree with the others that she probably needs a less structured preschool. At my son's school,there was a lot of free time, during which 3 crafts were set up and toys could be taken out, followed up a 15-20 minute group time. Kids were expected to sit nicely and listen during group time, but they had almost an hour of free play (with structured opportunities if they wanted), so it wasn't like they had to follow the set schedule and rules all day long. Also, if she is much younger than the other kids, either in real or adjusted age, it may just be that she hasn't matured as much yet. I think another school may work better for her.

All that said, it can't hurt to discuss it with her pediatrician. Maybe you'll get some tools to try with her or maybe you'll be told she's perfectly fine and normal and the teacher is crazy. : )