Attention getting

As a single mom, sometimes i get down on myself about how i do things. I don't have anyone to bounce ideas off of. I don't have anyone being objective or at least offering counter ideas to be my balance.

My daughter is very smart. She has great social skills. Her attention span is a little shorter than i would care for. But i am not sure if it is a problem or just that she isn't quite five yet. It's hard for me to know when --or if-- she is paying attention to me, unless i get right down into her face and look her in the eye. I try toi get her to repeat back to me things, if it is important. But still, I wonder.

I am hoping to get her into Junior Kindergarten in January. I worry she will not be able to keep attention long enough to get her skills up for kindergarten. She has a hard time holding a pencil--I know she knows *how* but, it's that she doesn't *want* to most of the time.

I wonder if other single parents have these kinds of worries? I don't have anyone to talk it over with, so I don't know how to judge if I am overreacting or what.

While doing it alone is hard, I wouldn't change anything. While doing it alone can feel lonely sometimes, I love being with my daughter and getting all her attention. Now if i can just figure out how to get her to hold a pencil for more than about ten seconds!