Opinion: Really, $1,000 prep for ‘rigors of kindergarten’?

To the editor: Parents who are quick to spend a $1,000 for a week of summer school that prepares their children “for the rigors of kindergarten,” must have an endless supply of money. (“Boot camp for kids,” Aug. 16)

What happens when their kids turn 6 (the stressful sixes) or 10 (the trying tens)?

There go those trips to Hawaii.

David Tulanian, Los Angeles

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To the editor: The skills picked up by 3 1/2- to 5-year-olds in highly structured summer boot camps will no doubt assist them in adhering to rigorous anti-anxiety medication-taking routines that will probably and unfortunately kick in somewhere in their teen years.

Parents can’t be blamed for wanting to prep their children for academic success, but, in the meantime, what have we done to childhood? The preschool years experienced by the creative and innovative inventors of everything on which we rely today most certainly did not include summer boot camp.

Diana Jason, Costa Mesa

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To the editor: Unless a child hasn’t attended preschool, paying $1,000 for a week of kindergarten prep is unnecessary.

Most good preschools provide those same activities every week, for much less money.

Lilia Martonak, Gardena

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