What changes can we expect with the start of Kindergarten?
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Anonymous
| Hi! My oldest daughter is starting Kindergarten this fall and I'm wondering what kinds of changes (I get the schedule things, but I mean more emotionally) in her we should be prepared for? She's been in Daycare since she was 4-months-old, so she's used to a school environment, but it seems like such a huge change, particuarly because she's been in the SAME Daycare Center for 5 years and only one other child will be at her school that will have 5 Kindergarten classes. I am also starting her in Sunday School and maybe Girlscouts. Is this just too much????? Any tips on transitions? Thanks! |
Anonymous
| Prepare for different bad behavior since she'll be around a whole new set of kids with new wacky behaviors for her to try out on you. |
Anonymous
| For my dd, it was too much to do anything except school for the first semester - except we did do swimming lessons one morning on the weekend. She couldn't really handle anything else. But each child is different. Later, we added in American Heritage Girls, swimming and also tried soccer in the Spring. But you might want to hold off and either not do sunday school or girls scouts. Or as I said, I'd recommend American Heritage Girls over Girls Scouts any day. |
Anonymous
| Prepare for extreme exhaustion- like you have never seen before. I would hold off on the other activities until her wee body and mind adjust to the new stresses. |
Anonymous
| I was expecting all of the above but my son was completely nonplussed by the whole thing. And he went from a morning-only program to a full-day immersion language school! So you may just have a smooth transition. A lot of people report exhaustion, and lousy behavior after school because they've been "keeping it in" all day. Good luck OP! |
Anonymous
This. Even a week of half day camp has worn my five year old out this summer, and he's used to full day day care. |
Anonymous
Why is kindergarten so exhausting? And what can we as parents do - I mean, do others find this outrageous that this is the case? Is it the curriculum? WTH? |
Anonymous
It's called structure and it is a lot better for them to learn this now than in first grade. Home school if it is too tough for your little darling. |
Anonymous
I'm with you. But so many people in DC want this. Oh, please, teachers, give our 5 year olds RIGOR. Make sure they're so exhausted that by the time they get home, they'll be too tired to talk to mom and dad. I don't mind, it's for his own good. After all, if he's not doing long division and writing in paragraphs before entering first grade, he'll NEVER get into that ivy, NEVER be able to get into that top tier law school, NEVER be able to spend his time posting on DCUM about how hard it is working for biglaw.... No thanks. Demand better for your kids, parents. I'ts NOT okay for a kindergartener to be so exhausted. I WILL homeschool if I can't find a better option. |
Anonymous
All the better to get her away from peers like the kid of someone like you, princess! |
Anonymous
| I don't think it's rigor, per se. Just different. |
Anonymous
| I'm wondering how my DD will react to K this year. She had been in an all day (9-2:30) pre-k program all year last year, so I'm hoping that it did it's job to prepare her for the full day K (as far as being at school for that many hours). |
Anonymous
Thanks for answering, though you didn't have to be sarcastic and bitchy. My kids are in daycare so they know structure. Just not sure why K would be so exhausting. Not sure why I'm an overprotective parent for not wanting my 5 year old to be exhausted. Just wondering why that would be and why public schools aren't toning it down some. It's not like our schools are pumping out high achievers, aren't we lagging behind? |
Anonymous
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My son starts this Fall also. From what I have heard from other parents whose children started last year, they are really truly exhausted. And these are parents whose kids go to our full day preschool (kids who are there from 9am to 5pm). From what the teachers at the preschool told me, its less about physical exhaustion and more about the energy it takes to pay attention all day long. Even though they are at preschool, I guess its a different level of paying attention. I really fear it, given my son is exhausted now. I also think it has to do with not giving them enough time to blow off steam and run around.
I also wonder what to expect it terms of the relationship with the teacher. Now, I see our teachers daily (at pick up), and we get daily letters. and e-mails when needed. At K, my son will ride the bus and then I pick up him at extended day. How do parents feel connected? Or does this just fall into the "its time to cut the apron strings" categories? I'm less concerned about knowing every little thing, and more concerned with knowing if my son is adusting OK, acting out, crying, getting picked on, etc. |
Anonymous
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Yes, they get tired. It is a full day of scheduled activity for them. Don't cram in lots of activities. Maybe one physical activity. I took my daughter to a session of Little Gym when she was in kindergarten.
When she got used to the routine, I sent her to a little art class run by a woman in the neighborhood. She was there with neighborhood kids, could take the bus there, etc. One afternoon a week after school. Just don't push and don't schedule too much!! |