Full day Kindergarten, Good idea or not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know tons of SAHMs. More than FT working moms.

Yes, in your world. Come to my world-- Columbia Hts in the District. Over 80% of the moms at my school work FT.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it would stink to have a full day program go back to half day. Especially for the parents who were hoping to cut down a LOT on the daycare expense once their kids got to school. Half day Kindergarten is a nightmare logistically for non-SAH parents.

I'm not going to lie - full day Kindergarten would be much more wallet friendly for us. I work PT so that we can save for retirement and a few other things. If my daughter is able to go to full day Kindergarten, I would be able to increase my work hours and make more money for our family to be able to put away for the future. Sadly, we are stuck in a half-day district (when almost all the others in my town are full day), and it pretty much evens out for me to send my daughter to a full day private program than to pay afterschool care for the half-day program (and not be able to increase work hours).

My daughter rarely naps or slows down anyway. I think she will do just fine in a full day program and I agree that the idea of her being in the school environment rather than half and half is much more appealing.

[Anonymous]

We thought full day was great. Our daughter turned out great ...no worries to working moms/dads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that once a school switches they can't go back, but should schools even switch to full-day in the first place? A full day of school is very tiring for five year olds.

Not sure what exactly this is supposed to mean. How would it be any more tiring than simply being at home?

I just don't see the need for kids who are barely past toddlerhood to be in an all day school environment, and if the later part of the day is mainly self-directed play, what's the point at all? Why not just let them go home and play?

To do what? Is it better to set up a play-date with a few close friends? Maybe set up some art projects they could do together? Perhaps they could even play on the playground. Of course, this is exactly what they do in school / after-care.

This idea that "Oh, life is just so exhausting unless DC's on my lap" is just strange.

[Anonymous]

Being in a school environment can be more tiring than just being at home, because there are a lot more kids to interact with and more is expected of thr child -- having to follow the rules, pay attention, stand in lines, do "work" etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being in a school environment can be more tiring than just being at home, because there are a lot more kids to interact with and more is expected of thr child -- having to follow the rules, pay attention, stand in lines, do "work" etc.

As so many PPs have pointed out, this depends highly on the child. It's ridiculous to say "all-day is too long for 5-year-olds". Many children absolutely thrive in the much more social environment. I'd say most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being in a school environment can be more tiring than just being at home, because there are a lot more kids to interact with and more is expected of thr child -- having to follow the rules, pay attention, stand in lines, do "work" etc.

Mine is exhausted by full-day K. He falls asleep on the car ride home and has gone back to napping on the weekends. It is pretty overstimulating for many kids esp the boys who are all just dying to run around. Thank God for recess!

[Anonymous]

Wow! Kids really do vary. Mine gave up naps around 3 years old and has been in full day preschool (not daycare -- although I don't really think there's a difference because my kids have been in both and I've seen both) since then. If she went a half a day now, she would really be confused and lonely (she likes playing with her classmates). It doesn't make sense to send kids that have already been in full day preschool (I know my DD is not the only one) to half day kindergarten for a year, then back to full time school.

Half day kindergarten is a relic of a time when most kids didn't go to preschool. I remember half day kindergarten being the first time I was away from my mother. Now, kindergarten is so much more demanding than it was when we were kids (I'm in my 40's). If they only go half day, they don't have much time left over for the "extras" and art and music.

I suppose if your child can't handle full day K (or if you think s/he can't -- my DD's K teacher was telling me that a lot of this is parent anxiety not the kids), you could choose private or move to one of the few districts that still have half day K.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is way too tired. It's sad really, totally changed her personality. She used to love preschool, never missed a day now when she wakes up on Mon. morning she asks me "how many days until friday" What's the big rush? Most daycares still have the kids napping!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know tons of SAHMs. More than FT working moms.

Yes, in your world. Come to my world-- Columbia Hts in the District. Over 80% of the moms at my school work FT.

Sounds like you're not particularly fond of SAHM's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know tons of SAHMs. More than FT working moms.

Yes, in your world. Come to my world-- Columbia Hts in the District. Over 80% of the moms at my school work FT.

Sounds like you're not particularly fond of SAHM's.

PP again. My DS is in full-time K and is very tired but likes it. He has learned so much.

[Anonymous]

New poster. My child is in full-time K. I think it's a very very long day for her. I would prefer if it was a bit shorter. I think this sentiment is pretty common, at least in my neighborhood in NW DC.

I take her out of school on many Fridays so we can spend the afternoon together.

PP's comment about "learning so much" makes me laugh. Most schools will tell you that K is primarily about playing. Yes, my child knows how to read, etc., but mostly she is building social skills in K. Bright, well-socialized children definitely don't NEED a full-day K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New poster. My child is in full-time K. I think it's a very very long day for her. I would prefer if it was a bit shorter. I think this sentiment is pretty common, at least in my neighborhood in NW DC.

I take her out of school on many Fridays so we can spend the afternoon together.

PP's comment about "learning so much" makes me laugh. Most schools will tell you that K is primarily about playing. Yes, my child knows how to read, etc., but mostly she is building social skills in K. Bright, well-socialized children definitely don't NEED a full-day K.

PP here. I don't know why my comment makes you laugh. I don't think my son (or any child) needs a full day of K, but he's definitely learning a lot. He can't read yet, but he comes home every day talking about all of the things he has learned.

[Anonymous]

I'm one of the early PPs who is a fan of full day K (and yes I work, which is part of it.) I can see some truth in the arguments of all sides - yes a 9-3pm schedule can be exhausting for some kids (even kids who've been in FT care before, like mine) but I don't see that process of adjustment as an argument for going half days. Very few 5yos nap, so what's the point of sending them home at noon? And yes, K is primarily about play rather than hardcore academics (thankfully!), but there is a difference between playing at your home or with a playdate or two vs. "playing" at activities that usually have some learning dimension in a group setting of 25 other kids. Full day K was a great transition for my child - helped him adjust to the schedule, the rules of school as well as the experience of being in a large group, without having much academic burden imposed on top of that. That comes later. For all you full-day K haters, just wait till first grade, when the playing is pretty much gone. To go from a 3-hr glorified preschool to the standards of elementary school in the no-child-left-behind era would be so traumatic - full day K is a great interlude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know tons of SAHMs. More than FT working moms.

Yes, in your world. Come to my world-- Columbia Hts in the District. Over 80% of the moms at my school work FT.

Sounds like you're not particularly fond of SAHM's.

Nothing against SAHM's. Wonderful if you can do it and want to do it.

Above statement is just a fact. The financial ramifications of half day K would be disastrous for many low-income working moms.