Should children know their address and phone number?

[carissanboys]

I was reading another thread and saw it mentioned about kids going to kindergarten and not knowing their address and phone number (and I guess this was looked at as a bad thing). We're currently homeschooling our oldest son for first grade. We're planning on putting him and his brother in public school in the Fall. They'll be in 2nd grade and kindergarten.

My question is how important is it that they know their address and phone number? I've never taught this information to my kids as I don't really see why they need to know it? My kids have never been anywhere unsupervised. But why should a 5 year old child know that info? Is the school going to expect him to? Maybe because we're military and move a lot. I don't know...I just don't see any reason for it. I just want to know if it's something I should be working on with both of them before they start school in the Fall.

Thanks!

 

[belle&beast]

My kids go to a preschool and learn their phone numbers and addresses in the 4-5 year old classroom, but begin phone number practice in the 3's. I also work in preschool and we start working on phone numbers in 3-4 year old room. It is an important safety skill. None of us ever plan on our children being unsupervised, but the reality is, they can wander away. Also it is important in an emergency situation along with teaching them to call 911. Plus, on a lighter note, my kids have been so proud when they learn them- it has been a fun thing for them.

 

[tbrenk]

I was reading another thread and saw it mentioned about kids going to kindergarten and not knowing their address and phone number (and I guess this was looked at as a bad thing). We're currently homeschooling our oldest son for first grade. We're planning on putting him and his brother in public school in the Fall. They'll be in 2nd grade and kindergarten.

My question is how important is it that they know their address and phone number? I've never taught this information to my kids as I don't really see why they need to know it? My kids have never been anywhere unsupervised. But why should a 5 year old child know that info? Is the school going to expect him to? Maybe because we're military and move a lot. I don't know...I just don't see any reason for it. I just want to know if it's something I should be working on with both of them before they start school in the Fall.

Thanks!

My son is in pre school and has learned it.

 

[rt2dz]

In our school district they need to know their address & phone number by the end of kindergarten (it is one of the requirements of moving on to first grade) and it is HIGHLY encouraged that they know it before starting; our district will recommend you hold off a year if it is a young 5 and they don't know that information.

There are a lot of reasons why. Two pop out to me as pretty important:

Even supervised children can get seperated from their parents. Not every child who gets lost is lost because a parent wasn't paying attention, but because things happen. It is better to be prepared unneccesarily than to look back and say, "well, I guess we should have...".

And what if something were to happen to you? Car accidents, sudden heart attacks without warning signs, etc. You'd better bet a first responder will ask that child for information. Yes, you have ID, but in a car accident it might be lost/ruined in some way. And they'll want to get that child to a family member/family friend as quickly as possible.

There are other reasons too. What if your child needs to call you while at school? Yes, the nurse can look it up, but I'd rather just know my child is sick 5-10 minutes sooner. Heck, that's all it takes me to drive up to school. It's just basic knowledge.

I guess what I don't understand (and I'm NOT being critical, I just truly don't see that side) on why you wouldn't want your child to know that stuff. I guess I'm of the school that my children are always supervised, so I know they aren't giving that information out to people they shouldn't.

 

[debster812]

My question is how important is it that they know their address and phone number? I've never taught this information to my kids as I don't really see why they need to know it? My kids have never been anywhere unsupervised.
Thanks!

I certainly don't think you'll be labeled as the 'worst mother ever' if your little ones don't know their address and phone number. That being said, our son is 9, and is still never anywhere unsupervised, and he has known his full name, address, and phone number since he was about 5.

What if you're out and heaven forbid, one of them goes missing. If they can tell the police who they are, and where they live, the reunion could happen much faster.

 

[Hannathy]

Our school has a knowledge a thon were the kids answer 100 questions based on the curriculum for their grade and you pledge money for each question they answer- this is our fund raiser for the year yeah no more gift wrap! What is your address? and phone number is the first and easiest questions asked to the kindergarteners. So yes they are expected to know it.

My kids knew it either before or shortly into preschool. Don't understand either why you wouldn't want them to know it and others have given good reasons to know it.

 

[Elmo888]

They definitely need to know their phone number and address. I'm trying now to teach DD6 our cell phone numbers, now! It is really a just in case situation. She isn't ever unsupervised, either, but a number of things could happen.

And the nurse situation that the other poster mentioned just happened last week! The nurse said that since my DD6 knew her phone number, she let her call me (she just needed cream for her leg). It wasn't a serious situation and wouldn't have called otherwise, but I was able to comfort DD6.

The other situation that could happen, and this was a concern when I was pregnant with DD2, is that the only adult supervising could become incapacitated, as the other poster mentioned.

Ask your kids if they know - you might be surprised. I didn't actually teach DD6, but she has known since before kindergarten (she is in the 1st grade now). Do you know how many times you repeat your phone number and address over the phone? It must be A LOT because DD6 just picked it up from this. I was surprised when she started reciting the numbers. (She was confused at first which was the phone number and which was the house number, but that was easy to clarify.)

Edited to add that our school district has a "what they need to know before kindergarten" packet, and it includes knowing address and phone number.

 

[meandtheguys2]

It is a part of the K test in Ohio. A gf found that out the hard way! She had just never thought to teach it to her preschooler. They almost didn't pass the test.

Telephone is easy to Twinkle, Twinkle music. I think we did our address to it too. Heck, I could teach the periodic table to Twinkle, twinkle...it is a lovely piece of music!

 

[Not so Dumbo]

I taught mine their phone number when they were 4 yo. I made a song out of it and it was easy for them to remember. They touched on it in Kidnergarten, but it definitely wasn't a critical issue. One thing you might want to include when you do teach them is to add the area code to the phone number. That way if they are ever kidnapped and taken out of state they can still contact you if given an opertunity.

 

[Tooblessed]

We taught ds dh's cell number after he got seperated from my stepdad at the mall. I don't see any reason for him to know the home number because if he got lost there probably wouldn't be anyone there to answer it anyways (I was at another store in the mall) so we chose to do the cell number, also dh always has his cell on him for work. DD is learning her address and phone number in preschool now, we are again using dh's cell number.

 

[carissanboys]

It's not that I'm against them learning it. Like I mentioned in my original post, we move a lot. So we've had many different phone numbers and addresses. I guess I just see it as asking a lot of a young child to remember and be responsible for. I don't see how knowing their address and phone number would help if we were at a mall or at a fair and they got lost? I could see if I also taught them our cell phone numbers, but my goodness! That's a lot of info for kids. Also, we lived in Australia for 3 years (just moved back in June) and my oldest went to preschool and part of kindergarten there and learning his phone number and address was never discussed.

"our district will recommend you hold off a year if it is a young 5 and they don't know that information."

That seems extremely ridiculous to me. My son will turn 5 in June and has been reading since he was 3. He reads at a 2nd grade level at this point. But because he doesn't know his phone number and address they'd suggest he not start school?

I didn't mean to offend anyone by saying that my children are never unsupervised. I only mentioned that because it was the only reason I could think of that would make learning the info important.

Anyway, I just wanted to know if it was something I needed to work on before they start school and you all have unanimously answered that for me! Thank you

 

[carissanboys]

We taught ds dh's cell number after he got seperated from my stepdad at the mall. I don't see any reason for him to know the home number because if he got lost there probably wouldn't be anyone there to answer it anyways (I was at another store in the mall) so we chose to do the cell number, also dh always has his cell on him for work. DD is learning her address and phone number in preschool now, we are again using dh's cell number.

I think that is what I'll do as well. My cell phone is always on at home and if I go out while they're in school, I'll have the cell phone. Learning 2 (or 3) different numbers seems like information overload.

 

[carissanboys]

One thing you might want to include when you do teach them is to add the area code to the phone number. That way if they are ever kidnapped and taken out of state they can still contact you if given an opertunity.

Maryland has more than one area code anyway so I'd really have to teach them the full number. Good point.

 

[carissanboys]

Telephone is easy to Twinkle, Twinkle music. I think we did our address to it too. Heck, I could teach the periodic table to Twinkle, twinkle...it is a lovely piece of music!

I'll have to remember that!

 

[carissanboys]

One more question...how much of their address do they need to know? Just the street address?

 

[penguin087]

One more question...how much of their address do they need to know? Just the street address?

In our district they have to know phone number including area code, entire address including city state and zip and their parents names to enter first grade.

 

[kparc]

Kindergarten assistant here. By the end of kindergarten, we have assessed the kids on the following skills in addition to the usual letters, letter sounds, & math skills.

State and write full name
state birthday
state address and phone number
zip coat
tie shoes
run
skip
gallop
jump
use scissors

It would be best thought to check with your school system to see whats expected. They might not be the same expectations everywhere. All I can definitively say is....Kindergarten is not what it was when I was a child.

 

[carissanboys]

Kindergarten assistant here. By the end of kindergarten, we have assessed the kids on the following skills in addition to the usual letters, letter sounds, & math skills.

State and write full name
state birthday
state address and phone number
zip coat
tie shoes
run
skip
gallop
jump
use scissors

It would be best thought to check with your school system to see whats expected. They might not be the same expectations everywhere. All I can definitively say is....Kindergarten is not what it was when I was a child.

Holy smokes! We have a lot of work to do before next Fall. My almost 7 year old doesn't know how to tie his shoes. He has a very self-defeatest attitude so teaching him has been difficult.

Thanks for the info.

 

[snowy76]

I don't see how knowing their address and phone number would help if we were at a mall or at a fair and they got lost?

Depending on the situation (like if there was no PA available), then the people who find them can do very little to track you down, other than stand around and wait for you to find them.

In our school last year, we also had instances of kids getting off the school bus at the wrong stop -- and having no idea of their address so that the driver could get them to the right place (mostly cases of kids who didn't often ride the bus and/or had different stops on different days). And since they didn't know their telephone numbers, the bus garage couldn't call the parents to track them down. In one case, the school office was closed by the time the garage decided to let us know (it's a private bus service so they don't keep personal records of the kids).

If the school doesn't insist on it, I guess it's your choice but it's pretty easy to teach, so why not?

 

[carissanboys]

If the school doesn't insist on it, I guess it's your choice but it's pretty easy to teach, so why not?

It sounds like all schools require it so I guess it's a non-issue at this point.

But to be honest, part of me doesn't want my kids to know our phone number because I hate the thought of them giving it out to friends and having upteen million phone calls a day from them!

We were at a McDonald's play area one day and there was this one boy that was playing with mine. He was a very friendly kid (my oldest has always been very outgoing and friendly, but this kid was even more so) and he was giving out his phone number to everyone (his father or grandfather was there with him). I wasn't comfortable with that at all. My oldest kept asking for me to write our number down to give to this boy. I had to say, "We have his number so we can call him." I realize as my kids get older, they will start calling one another on the phone. It hasn't happened yet though.