Worried about length of school day when DS starts kindergarten

[Anonymous]

Is there anyone else who would prefer a half day rather than a full day for kindergarten? DS currently attends pre-k each morning from 9am-11:30am...I'm extremely worried about how he will transition to a full day of school in September, from 9am-3:30pm. That seems like too much for a five year old!!

[Anonymous]

I would kill for full-day kindergarten, but then again, my kids were already used to a 'full' day of school at 4 and I could hardly believe any real learning could happen in a half of a day (especially half of a half-day, like Mondays in Fairfax).

Your child will most likely transition fine. Kindergarten teachers are used to dealing with all kinds of kids and I doubt he'll be the only one going from a half day program to a full day.

[Anonymous]

My DD's preschool teacher was also worried about it. Her son never adjusted to the lengthy day so after Thanksgiving, she picked him up from school after lunch. He missed his specials in the afternoon and the principal didn't like it but oh well. She was told the kids were going to have rest time every afternoon and that never happened. I don't like full day K either but when I looked at privates for half-day K, the few schools that did it just compacted the full-day program into 3 and a half hrs! But one of the proposed budget cuts is to eliminate the full-day K in FFX Co so we'll see.

[Anonymous]

I felt much the same with my oldest. I did go so far as to find a private half day K (very play based and nurturing). It was wonderful, but in retrospect it wasn't really a good idea. I juast pushed off the all day transition to first grade, which had none of the gentleness about the transition that K did. The school expected the kids to already be adjusted to it. They did none of the handholding of new first grade stduents that they did for the K students. Also many social circles were already formed in K and my kid, who is not a terrific social navigator in the best of circumstances, was definitely at a disadvantage for most of first grade. That first grade year was hard, hard, hard for us and in retrospect it woudl have been better to have that hard year in K.

Now I am a WOHM and my youngest goes all day in daycare from 8-5 most days, so the prospect of FCPS moving back to half day K is pretty dismaying to me LOL!!

Good luck, OP.

[Anonymous]

I think most of us worry about this with our first child. But, honestly, there are not massive amounts of kindergarteners failing out of kindergarten or having emotional breakdowns or other negative consequences from going full day. In fact, as one PP pointed out, many kids start out in full day daycare programs when they are quite small and do fine. And, as another PP pointed out, you can postpone the transition from kindergarten to first grade by putting your child in private school, but you lose the hand holding that kids get in kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

This is part of why so many people redshirt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think most of us worry about this with our first child. But, honestly, there are not massive amounts of kindergarteners failing out of kindergarten or having emotional breakdowns or other negative consequences from going full day. In fact, as one PP pointed out, many kids start out in full day daycare programs when they are quite small and do fine. And, as another PP pointed out, you can postpone the transition from kindergarten to first grade by putting your child in private school, but you lose the hand holding that kids get in kindergarten.

It's not about failing out of kindergarten, or having emotional breakdowns. It is about a developmentally appropriate environment. For many kindergartners, a full day of school, five days a week is not consistent with their developmental needs.

[Anonymous]

I agree PP but sadly, things aren't going to change soon. NCLB has raised standards everywhere even if it isn't appropriate for 5 year old kids. I'd love to see what happens if FFX Co slashes full-day K. Certain behaviors in students are indicative of stress and many kids show them in environments that are inappropriate-acting out, depression, defiance, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think most of us worry about this with our first child. But, honestly, there are not massive amounts of kindergarteners failing out of kindergarten or having emotional breakdowns or other negative consequences from going full day. In fact, as one PP pointed out, many kids start out in full day daycare programs when they are quite small and do fine. And, as another PP pointed out, you can postpone the transition from kindergarten to first grade by putting your child in private school, but you lose the hand holding that kids get in kindergarten.

It's not about failing out of kindergarten, or having emotional breakdowns. It is about a developmentally appropriate environment. For many kindergartners, a full day of school, five days a week is not consistent with their developmental needs.

Nor is being expected to read, and sit quietly all day; but alas this is what we are stuck with.

[Anonymous]

OP here...thanks so much for the valuable input. It helps to see the advantages of jumping in to a full day at K rather than postponing it a year (which I've considered because his current preschool actually has a very good K program). My DS is shy and anxious in new environments, but has come such a long way in preschool because he's been there for three years with all of the same kids--he has some very good buddies and loves going to school. Not one of his friends will be in his school next year and I just worry for him. I imagine enrolling him in public K in first grade with all new kids would be even worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think most of us worry about this with our first child. But, honestly, there are not massive amounts of kindergarteners failing out of kindergarten or having emotional breakdowns or other negative consequences from going full day.

Actually, on this forum in the fall, there have usually been a lot of parents of kindergarten kids asking, "Why is my 5 year old melting down at the end of each day all of a sudden?" I think full day K is a big deal for a lot of kids. Even those who have been in full day preschool for years; the switch to full day K is sometimes really rough the first few months, especially on the younger ones, and especially if there's no nap or rest period.

They do seem to adjust.

[Anonymous]

What is redshirting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is redshirting?

Delaying K entrance for a year for lack of maturity. Very common among parents of boys whose birthdays fall close to the cutoff date for K entry.

[Anonymous]

"For many kindergartners, a full day of school, five days a week is not consistent with their developmental needs."

Why?

[Anonymous]

My brother and I took naps after morning K back in the day. My son still has a rest time most afternoons and he is nearly 5 yrs old. Many K classrooms have gotten rid of rest time for more instruction time (more test prep!)