Pros and Cons of Full Day Kindergarten please

[bethy]

Of course first grade teachers and working parents like it, it's free daycare and makes the teachers jobs easier. That doesn't make it an utter necessity. Half way through first grade they are all doing about the same either way. I thought offering it as an option was a great idea and was ticked off when they took away the option part and I had no choice but to send my youngest all day.

We pump more money into schools than ever before, we start kids younger, and keep them there longer. We are even talking about taking away summer vacation and making them go all year long. Yet somehow, none of it is making things "better." We always hear about how our system is "failing" our children. Maybe it's because what they need to learn cannot come from a classroom. Letting kids be home, unscheduled, running around the neighborhood, interacting without constant adult supervision, making friends, solving their own problems, hanging with mom and dad or grandma and grandpa while learning from them, free time, free thinking... that's what kids don't get anymore.

I'm as guilty of this as anyone. My kids are so scheduled, it's crazy! Not everything about "the good old days" is better than what our kids have, but this part is. No amount of money or hours in the classroom can duplicate it.

 

[hereyago]

Kindergarten is definitely not the same as it was when I grew up..

I'm 43 and I remember kindergarten is being half day, because I would come home in time to watch soap operas with my mom.

and i remember finger painting and we did have a nap time-even just rest on our mats. it's a lot different now, my DD seemed to learn way more then I did, or rather I remember learning. Don't laugh but Kermit the frog taught me my ABC's.

 

[bethy]

My children got more than a measly 2 1/2 hours day With me Loved teaching them to read. Loved teaching them their math skills. Loved going to museums and science centers and nature walks. Loved them being with me

We are academically driven in this home. Full day kindergarten still did nothing for us.

I have no problem with full day. It was just not a good match for our family.

Amen, my children got more than a measly 2.5 hours, too. They got nearly 6 years of full days with me - the one who loves them most in this world - as their primary teacher. For our family that is what we wanted most. And our children certainly havent' suffered from it.

 

[The Pink Cupcake]

Amen, my children got more than a measly 2.5 hours, too. They got nearly 6 years of full days with me - the one who loves them most in this world - as their primary teacher. For our family that is what we wanted most. And our children certainly havent' suffered from it.

 

[trip]

In most states Kindergarten attendance isn't mandatory. And there is always homeschooling. You (in general not the OP) can always start in first grade.

 

[torinsmom]

Mine did just fine Again, it's what is being done at home. Some people stay home and do nothing. That is sad.

I would be mortified if a kindergarten teacher had to teach my child how to tie their shoe Although, that still means nothing. My best friend's son couldn't tie his shoes until second grade and is now a pediatric neurologist. I am sure his kindergarten teacher is still tsking her tounge over him not being able to tie his shoes, but life is ok for him now

I don't think a child not knowing how to tie shoes is a sign of low intelligence. It's just a skill to help a child be more independent. My son didn't know how until he was in 2nd grade either(delayed fine motor skills), but I bought him velcro and zipper shoes until he could do it on his own. I don't really begrudge kids for not knowing how to tie their shoes, but it irritates me that parents put tie shoes on their kids who can't tie and then complain if their child comes home with untied laces.

 

[tvguy]

My kids went full day, but that's pretty much the norm in private school.
But almost all the kids had been in full time daycare at the school since they were 2 or 3 years old, so being there all day had been their normal routine for several years before kindergarten.
I'll tell you, we spent 1/4 of take home pay on private school tuition for 13 years from K-12, and it is the best investment we have ever made. Our kids hit college and were amazed how far behind their classmates from public school were academically.

 

[Poohforyou]

You are the exception. I'm retired Air Force who now works in a daycare for fun. Most of these kids are there from sun up to sun down and the parents expect US to teach them things...they are too busy to be bothered.

Have parents actually said this to you or is this something you've determined on your own?

My DD was in daycare 3 days a week from about 8:30-4:30 since I did and still do work. She learned a lot there and was well cared for. Of course we expected her to be taught things. If all I wanted was a babysitter I would have hired one.

However just because DD was taught things at daycare doesn't mean DH and I didn't teach her a lot ourselves.

 

[torinsmom]

You are the exception. I'm retired Air Force who now works in a daycare for fun. Most of these kids are there from sun up to sun down and the parents expect US to teach them things...they are too busy to be bothered.

Not every family is that way. I babysit after school for a couple who are both doctors. Their 5 year old son is at school/camp from 7:30 until 4. At this time, I pick him up and we read/play until his parents get home around 6. That child is adored by his parents, and they spend every evening and all day on the weekends, doing things like building model train layouts, visiting local museums, going swimming, etc. He helps plan their trips, and they are often planned for things he wants to do, like visiting areas where dinosaur bones have been found, and riding on steam trains in different states. I have kids in my class whose parents don't work, and they sit in front of the tv all afternoon, evening and weekend. The amount of time a child spends at school does not have anything to do with how much a child is wanted or loved.

 

[MichelleVW]

Have parents actually said this to you or is this something you've determined on your own?

My DD was in daycare 3 days a week from about 8:30-4:30 since I did and still do work. She learned a lot there and was well cared for. Of course we expected her to be taught things. If all I wanted was a babysitter I would have hired one.

However just because DD was taught things at daycare doesn't mean DH and I didn't teach her a lot ourselves.

Yes, they have actually said that to us. It's unbelievable, but yes, they have. We have people that pick their babies up at 6, put them to bed at 6:30 and bring them back the next morning at 6:30 or 7 am. I'm in the infant room, and they expect us to teach them to crawl, walk, eat table food, because they are "too busy". We have one mother who looked at us in horror when we suggested that she feed her baby breakfast before she brought her in the morning and she said, "I don't have time!!! I have to feed Charlie (who is 3), I can't feed both of them!!!" What??? Seriously, it's unreal.

Not every family is that way. I babysit after school for a couple who are both doctors. Their 5 year old son is at school/camp from 7:30 until 4. At this time, I pick him up and we read/play until his parents get home around 6. That child is adored by his parents, and they spend every evening and all day on the weekends, doing things like building model train layouts, visiting local museums, going swimming, etc. He helps plan their trips, and they are often planned for things he wants to do, like visiting areas where dinosaur bones have been found, and riding on steam trains in different states. I have kids in my class whose parents don't work, and they sit in front of the tv all afternoon, evening and weekend. The amount of time a child spends at school does not have anything to do with how much a child is wanted or loved.

Trust me, we know which babies are loved and taken care of like that, but we also know who had kids to "keep up with the Jones". One of my favorite babies isn't picked up until 6:30 every night, but it's the soonest they can get there after work, but I also know they do a lot with their kids. We have so many parents that get off work at 4 and don't come until late and then brag that the kids go to bed early.

We have some awesome parents, but we also have some crappy ones. We have one little boy that wouldn't walk and I worked with him all day for a week and finally he was walking across the room. Then he spent 4 days with his parents who are big on keeping him in his crib for hours upon hours and guess what, No walking at all when he came back to school. I'm pretty positive that not much teaching happens at his house. I had to teach this kid to eat table food, use a sippy cup, roll over, crawl, walk, you name it, and his parents say all the time, "if it weren't for Michelle, Jack wouldn't know how to do anything."

Sorry, for the rant, but it's a sore subject with me.

 

[Jedana]

Both the girls did 1/2 day K.
Pros: Home for appointments, Less time for DD2 to struggle (LD)
Cons: arranging daycare when I was working; getting them picked up on time sometimes

DS did full day
Pros: No extra time w/daycare or arranging pickups with friends; more learning time
Cons: Had to miss school for appointments;

As far as actual learning, K didn't do much for any of the kids. DD1 knew how to read and count when she entered, and was ahead of the other kids in her class the whole time. DD2 didn't learn very much, she has a LD and we actually spent more time at home teaching her than she got in instruction time at school DS was in the Spanish immersion class, and spent K learning Spanish--he started reading at 3-1/2 and was doing simple addition and subtraction at 4.

 

[The Pink Cupcake]

I don't really begrudge kids for not knowing how to tie their shoes, but it irritates me that parents put tie shoes on their kids who can't tie and then complain if their child comes home with untied laces.

I agree with you here.

 

[The Pink Cupcake]

We have people that pick their babies up at 6, put them to bed at 6:30 and bring them back the next morning at 6:30 or 7 am.

So sad, but it happens to so many children.

 

[mjkacmom]

I had to teach this kid to eat table food, use a sippy cup, roll over, crawl, walk, you name it, and his parents say all the time, "if it weren't for Michelle, Jack wouldn't know how to do anything."

Sorry, for the rant, but it's a sore subject with me.

You do realize that most of these things are developmental milestones, and aren't taught, right? I had one walk at 9 months, one walk at 15 months, and I didn't teach either one of them to walk.

 

[MichelleVW]

You do realize that most of these things are developmental milestones, and aren't taught, right? I had one walk at 9 months, one walk at 15 months, and I didn't teach either one of them to walk.

Yes I do realize that....thanks.

You do realize that without any parent encouragement or involvement that developmental milestones can be delayed right?

 

[Poohforyou]

There are crappy parents out there. Both ones that work outside the home and rely on childcare and ones that stay home with their children.

Fortunately the majority of parents provide their children the best care they can whether they do it themselves or enlist others to help.

 

[Family Fun Mom]

LONG before I was in kindergarten, we were expected to learn those things at HOME, before we started kindergarten, that hasn't changed.



You are quoting me and I NEVER said that it was easier on the TEACHERS, it is easier on the KIDS. They were used to being in school all day so THAT adjustment for the KIDS was easier and they were able to move along in 1st grade easier. It isn't about the teachers, it actually created MORE work for the teachers because they had to revamp their curriculum because the kids were farther along.

Well, that's how I read it. I don't really care. I still don't think it's as great as everyone else does. It certainly wasn't any easier for MY son. He really struggled, not with the curriculum, but with being gone for that many hours a day. In first grade he was the same as his brother and sister were at that age so I saw absolutely no benefit to all day Kindergarten.

 

[HelenePA]

Yes I do realize that....thanks.

You do realize that without any parent encouragement or involvement that developmental milestones can be delayed right?

and you do realize that even with all the parent encouragement in the world some times they just aren't ready til they are ready.. my first dd didn't walk til she was 18 months old not for the lack of me trying she never crawled either. I was a stay at home mom the whole time. My 2nd dd walked at 9.5 months.. after that I lost track of who walked when. I'm pretty both boys walked around 10.5 months. Honestly what's the rush? the less time they are walking the less trouble they get into at that age...


Our Pre-K is full day as is our K. My son went as a pretty new 4 yr old 2 years ago... the first month was awful. I really thought about taking him out but he loved it so we hung in there... So glad we did... He grad. from K this year. I know k changed between when I went in 81 (half day) to when my brother went in 84 (full day) I'm really surprised there are still places where its still half day! My 2 yr old will be going as an almost 5 yr old to prek which should make things easier on us. He's very excited to go he has his own backpack he wears to the bus stop each morning I on the other hand can wait a few more years!

 

[MichelleVW]

and you do realize that even with all the parent encouragement in the world some times they just aren't ready til they are ready.. my first dd didn't walk til she was 18 months old not for the lack of me trying she never crawled either. I was a stay at home mom the whole time. My 2nd dd walked at 9.5 months.. after that I lost track of who walked when. I'm pretty both boys walked around 10.5 months. Honestly what's the rush? the less time they are walking the less trouble they get into at that age...

Once again....not stupid.....yes I know these things...and back on topic....I'm all for All Day Kindergarten!

 

[princessmom29]

You do realize that most of these things are developmental milestones, and aren't taught, right? I had one walk at 9 months, one walk at 15 months, and I didn't teach either one of them to walk.

Couldn't disagee more. Children need to have these behaviors modeled and/or encouraged to achieve these milestones. I think it is equal balance nature and nurture as to when they achieve them. Yes, some kids just aren't ready for some things, but some are just not encouraged to do certian things, or refuse to do them. I walked at 10 months. At a year my sister still wouldn't walk. She had all the makeres that she was ready, but just wouldn't do it. My mom couldn't figure it out until we left the room and watched what she was doing. She would get up and walk when no one was there to carry her, but the minute someone walked into the room, her butt hit the floor and she screamed to be picked up. We were carrying her rather than asking her to walk. Why should she walk when someone would pick her up and take her where she wanted to go?? Some kids do need to be pushed to do things for themselves.


As to K, we have had full day and nothing else in public schools since my mother was a child in the 50's. I think they need that extra time to develop all the skills needed fro first grade.