Learn about the latest news in education and tips to help your kids thrive in elementary school. Delivered to your inbox every Tuesday. Primary Focus was founded by Natalie Parmenter, a former kindergarten teacher to guide parents through elementary school. We provide information that is often common knowledge to teachers but is not widely known among parents. Primary Focus is dedicated to enlightening parents on all things elementary school so their children can thrive.
๐ด Do kids still NAP in kindergarten?
"We clean up and now it's time to learn"We're Going to be Friends by The White Stripes (such a cute song for new students) Hey Reader! ๐ Welcome to my 7 new subscribers! Have you told a friend about this newsletter yet? Tell them to sign up here. I've been doing a livestream on the Peanut App for a little over a month now. One question keeps popping up during my Q&A with a teacher... Do kids still nap in kindergarten? Sorry to say...no, no they don't. Kindergarten is much more rigorous than it was when we were kids. Once upon a time, kids went to half day kindergarten and it looked a lot more like preschool. Now kids are reading, writing, and expected to complete a lot independently. That's why I'm hosting my class this summer: Prepare your Child for Kindergarten This course is for parents with children starting kindergarten this fall or within the next 2 years. Over 5 sessions I'll show you how to prepare them academically and socially so they will soar in school! Find out more details here...class starts June 12. You can attend live or catch the replay. If you enroll let me know, I'll give you a free 1:1 call to use now or later! Things I Love (contains affiliate links)๐ recommending again! Two weeks ago I recommended the Dragon Masters series and so many of your wrote in saying your child is obsessed. If you've been looking for a series for your child to get lost in, this is it!โ ๐ง life hack! Last weekend I went to visit my grandparents. On the plane, I fell asleep with my air pods in, and when I woke up one had fallen out. ๐ฐ Luckily I always use this hand strap on the plane, so my air pod was hanging around my neck and not lost forever. You can set 6 for $6.99!โ ๐งน brilliant: When I was visiting my grandparents, I bought them a new vacuum. I found one that is lightweight (8 pounds!) and so easy to use. As I cleaned their house, I realized it was so simple...*cough* a child could do it. If you've got a kiddo ready for the next level of chores, this vacuum is under $60. โ If you have any questions about the Preparing for Kindergarten course, please respond to this email, I'm here to help. Have a great week friends! |
Primary Focus Newsletter
Learn about the latest news in education and tips to help your kids thrive in elementary school. Delivered to your inbox every Tuesday. Primary Focus was founded by Natalie Parmenter, a former kindergarten teacher to guide parents through elementary school. We provide information that is often common knowledge to teachers but is not widely known among parents. Primary Focus is dedicated to enlightening parents on all things elementary school so their children can thrive.
"And with that the 2025 season comes to an end" This is the last newsletter of 2025. Thanks for being a part of the Primary Focus community ๐ฉท Happy New Year Reader! Primary Focus is dialed in to schools. All my videos, workshops, 1:1 calls, and content have to do with students Preschool - 5th grade talking directly with parents and caretakers. After watching closely the past year- here are my prediction for school trends in 2026...Let me know if you agree or disagree! WHAT'S IN FOR 2026 ใ...
"There's always gonna be another mountainI'm always gonna wanna make it move" The Climb by Miley Cyrus Hi Reader, I am a real sucker for Christmas books during the holiday season. Ever since I was a kid, I gobbled up every book I could find that described a family warming up by the fire. I've put together a list for readers of all ages to enjoy. A Personal Fav: "The Night Before Christmas" is a poem that's pivotal to describing American Christmas traditions and beliefs around Santa Clause. If...
"There's always gonna be another mountainI'm always gonna wanna make it move" The Climb by Miley Cyrus Hi Reader, Yesterday I was tutoring one of my fourth grade students, when she started to cry. To me it came out of nowhere, but to her it came from deep frustration. You see, we'd just had a HUGE win. Each week we start tutoring with 4 minutes of free writing time. She was really excited to write, so I quietly stopped the clock and she doubled her writing time to 8 minutes! She excitedly...