What should a 4 year old know?

What should a 4 year old know? Or a 3 year old or a 5 year old? How much should my child know at his age? I am sure most of us have asked this question before.

Sometimes I read about how other 4 year olds are doing on the blogs and I start comparing (I know I shouldn't but...), I start comparing their progress with my 4 year old and start getting worried if he seems far behind in development.

I'm also worried because my 4 year old writes his alphabets in mirror image whenever I ask him to try using a workbook. I'm worried that he is lazy to learn. He usually says "I dunno" or "Dunwan" or "Lazy" etc during lesson times (He is not attending any playschool or kindergarden. I teach him together with his 5 year old sister at home) He also keeps on forgetting things we've told him over and over again. We try to tell him the name of certain sundry shops or bakery we often pass by but the next time we pass by the same shop he will say its a mall or smile sheepishly or giggle or shake his head and say "I dunno".

Sometimes I read too many stuff over the internet, then I get worried because I want to try to catch any developmental delays early etc etc.

Anyway, I was worried.......... until I read this wonderful article. What should a 4 year old know? I would like to recommend that all parents who have ever asked this question "How much should my child know at this age?" read it. Do read the links contain within too. They are useful as well. It basically stresses that Childhood should not be a race and that we, the parents have become overly competitive these days. We should just relax and cool off a bit and allow our little ones to be the children they are supposed to be.

Cheers! Have a nice day and remember to enjoy your little ones. They are only little once and they grow up so fast!