All-day Kindergarten?

[deadheadbelle]

I would like some advice. My son will be starting kindergarten next year. He is currently in 3 days-per-week preschool. We decided to wait until he was 6 to start Kindergarten as he has a July birthday. I now have a problem. I was planning on sending DS to the school at our Parish. Unfortunately, I just found out that they will only be offering full-day kindergarten next year. I really only wanted him to go 1/2 day. There is another school at another Parish that is offering 1/2 day, so I'm trying to decide what to do.

My drive to our church is about 5 minutes (with traffic), the other one is about 15 minutes. The cost would be slightly less to go to the school outside my Parish as it is only 1/2 day, but I could afford either one.

So, how do you guys feel about all-day Kindergarten vs. 1/2 day?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[gr8tpanther]

DD12 went to all day K, DD10 went to 1/2 day K, I enjoyed the ALL day break! And DD10 would have prefered to go all day because she loved K so much. She cried when she had to leave her friends.

Wish she had that same attitude now! lol

 

[Trish5768]

I don't see a problem with all day kindergarten. You stated that your DS is in pre-school 3 days a week so he should be ready, but only you can determine that.

My DS went to Pre-K for 1/2 day and then a full day kindergarten and did fine. He also has a later birthday, so he turned 6 shortly after the school year started.

I know its a tough decision, and I probably did not help much. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[melanie18]

The public school is my area have full-day kindergarten from 9am to 3:30pm. My DD4 will start in September. At first I thought it was a bit much, but then I realized that she's in preschool 3 days a week from 9am to 4pm!

The neighboring township has full-day from 8am to 2:30pm. The 8am seems a bit early for kindergarteners!

 

[goofyshell]

Our school district switched to full-day the year my oldest (ds11) started kindergarten. I was mostly upset because I wasn't ready for him to be away from me that long. He did great with it though! I think a big part of it might be if your son still naps. My son hadn't napped in a long time but I know several kids that did and they were so exhausted by the time school was over.
You're the mom, go with your gut. Good luck.

 

[Karel]

For me, a lot of it is personal choice.

How much time do you want to spend with him - are you ready to have him out of the house all day, everyday or do you still want the extra time with him?

Can he handle being out for most of the day everyday? Does he still need a nap once in a while? Since he will be one of the older kids, an all day program might really work for him.

What is the full day schedule like? Do they do more academics in the morning, nap in the afternoon or do they do more enrichment type learning?

What are your goals for him in kindergarten? Do you want more academics or is more of a social experience for him, fostering his independence?

I personally like 1/2 day. I wanted that time with them, especially with my youngest.

 

[mickeyboat]

If all-day was offered around here, I would jump at the chance to send my kids. Our K'ers are in school for less than 3 hours. Just enough time to get there, get settled down, and leave again. I think all day will give them a lot more instructional time and get them used to the routine they will face next year.

Good luck with your decision.

Denae

 

[beattyfamily]

My DD was born in October so she'll be almost 6 when she goes into Kindergarten. I have a choice of half day which is free or full day which is $250 a month. There are more full days than the half day classes but I think I'll have my choice.

I am leaning more toward the 1/2 day because its free but mostly because I just don't think my DD is ready for all day Kindergarten. She is currently doing 2 1/2 hours a day, 4 times a week. If the full day were free AND her pre-school teacher recommended it for my DD, I'd consider it but since they are only young once and grow so fast, and it's only Kindergarten which always was 1/2 a day in the past, and since my older DD also did half day Kindergarten (there was no full day back then), I'm really leaning toward 1/2 day.

Don't know if I helped you but that's my story of our situation and what I'm thinking about what to do.

 

[Nancy]

Full day is good. I wish they would have had full day when mine were in school. They had to cram so much learning into the 1/2 day that the kids were doing too much. Full day is more relaxed and they get a bit more play time, which they never got in 1/2 day. To me 1/2 day K was not a good idea. I pushed and pushed the district to go to all day, their feeling was that the Mom's were looking at it as a babysitter....nope I was a SAH for much of the time and went to work at night when I did work. They fianlly saw the light after my kids were done with K. I went to all day K with no pre-K experience and I did just fine.

 

[scrappinMickey]

If you are waiting to start him in Kindergarten til he is 6, then he will be more than ready to go all day! If you were starting him at 5 when he's supposed to than maybe I might put him in the 1/2 day, due to his being the younger one in the class.

2 of my ds's were the older ones in their classes and they did great! The other 2 struggled a bit more (maturity/being the youngest)

Also, the older 2 were 1/2 day Kinder and the 2nd two all day!! I liked all day better!!

It's really just a matter of your child though, but at 6 he should be able to handle all day. HTH

 

[HisEllyNelly]

My DS went to half day...DD is going full day this year and she definitely gets more from it. When DS was in half days, by the time they got organised and settled there wasnt much time left to the day when you factor in recess and snack.
DD only went to preschool 2 half days a week last year and she LOVES her full day kindergarten class, although I do have to say, the first few weeks she came home and fell right to sleep. She is doing great now and I am so glad she has the chance to go all day.

 

[oogieboogie]

I like the all-day kindergarten. DS is in public school 1st grade right now, but last year he really enjoyed having so much time at school. He really wasn't satisfied with just 2.5 hours, 3 days a week at preschool.

He was so happy that he now got to bring his own lunch to school, eat lunch at school and have recess, which they never had in preschool.

DH was also happier since he now got to spend more time with DS2 who hadn't started preschool yet.

 

[SC Minnie]

Our public school started all day K about 8 years ago.

They had a nap time and snack time during the day. DD loved it. It was good to 'ease' her into all day school. She is also a July baby but went to K at 5-- I felt she was ready. She was so anxious to read and as doing so by Christmas of K.

In first grade they do not have naps and they have to go all day.

 

[Kimberle]

Our district only offers all day Kindergarten, which Brittany is in. She was MORE than ready. Kindergarten is a lot different than in "our day". No more learing how to tie your shoes and playing nicely together. That is all expected of a child in pre-school. My dd is leaning how to sound out and build words right now. She is also learning about sets, patterns, addition and subtraction. She has a whole list of words that she must be able to read before entering first grade.

What I would suggest, is you find out exactly what is expected of Kindergarteners in your district and what kids entering first grade are expected to know.

Good luck,

 

[liznboys]

My oldest will be starting K next year too, and just like you we held him back because his birthday is late Sept., and we wanted him to be one of the oldest in his class instead of the youngest. He goes to preschool 3 days/week right now as well. Now, his K will only be half day next year. But my 2nd ds (who has an early Oct. birthday and will turn 6 right at the beginning of K) will be going to full day K. (The public school they'll go to is starting all day K in fall 2006.) Anyway..... I was concerned at first about him going to all day K, but the thing that makes me feel much better about it is that he will be 6 right at the beginning of the year, whereas a lot of the other kids won't turn 6 until the spring or even after the school year is over! So, I think he will really be ready to go all day. I know that my oldest would do just fine going all day next fall if that were the case (I kinda wish he were actually...he LOVES school and gets bored at home!). If you had said that your son was on the younger side then I might have said to consider putting him in the half day school, but since your son will be 6 well before the start of the year, I would think he'll be ready to go. I know it isn't just the age that matters, but I think it's a big factor (since maturity and such often go along with it...)

Good luck in your decision!

 

[Mom2Ashli]

My DD 5 just started Kindergarten this year. Which by the way she just loves, she loves to learn. We didn't have a choice, all of our schools are full day. Which I think is wonderful, this is the beginning of their learning process and getting them ready for the real thing in first grade.

They have P.E. everyday, Art once a week, and Music one a week.

We have homework 4 nights a week. M-W is read a book and do a response to literature. And Thursday nights are normally special homework. This Thursday we are making Indian Headband for their Thanksgiving feast at school on Friday.

 

[cadburysmom]

My DS went from 4 day a week preschool to full day Kindergarten. We were given the option to pick him up after 1/2 day but he loved it so much that I decided to let him stay full day. Naptime after lunch was a highlight as the teacher read them a story as they fell asleep cuddled up to their own stuffed animal and towel. He was always refreshed and happy when I picked him up at 3pm which was a very good thing

Going to Kindergarten full-time was much harder on me than him as I missed having my little buddy around and wasn't quite sure what to do with all this new free time. But it was a good thing for him as he is an only child and really enjoyed socializing with other kids. It really depends on the child but as I remember, after the first week, all the children in my DS's class ended up staying full day and enjoyed every minute of it!

Good luck! I know it's a hard decision

 

[Pin Wizard]

I agree it's what you're comfortable with. Being a 6 year old, I would think he'd be in all day just fine. DS has been in day care forever and never had a problem. At 5 in kinder, he went a full day from 8:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. And then he stayed in after care until I was out of work...which he loved! At first he asked why I didn't pick him up right after school like some of the kids moms, but I pointed out that our neighborhood didn't have kids his age to play with, and this was his chance to play with school friends. Any time I did pick him up early after that talk, he was a bit upset I did! LOL!

Good luck!

P.S. I thought half day kinder was a thing of the past until I moved here in March. Our parish has only half day for kinder.

 

[Karel]

Originally posted by Pin Wizard

P.S. I thought half day kinder was a thing of the past until I moved here in March. Our parish has only half day for kinder.

Our public school only has half day K.

 

[Karel]

Originally posted by cadburysmom
My DS went from 4 day a week preschool to full day Kindergarten. We were given the option to pick him up after 1/2 day but he loved it so much that I decided to let him stay full day. Naptime after lunch was a highlight as the teacher read them a story as they fell asleep cuddled up to their own stuffed animal and towel. He was always refreshed and happy when I picked him up at 3pm which was a very good thing

See, I don't understand the naptime thing. If he's going to spend time in school napping, I'd rather have him home.