Begin as you mean to go on

how can you learn the routine if it changes after the first week day?

My school is also color coded the Ks. The walker had a red sticker, the bus a yellow sticker and after school a blue tape. This way the teachers knew how to line up and dismiss the kids.

It's not just about you, but also the teachers learning who goes where.

If you need to pick them up, pick them up at aftercare so the teachers learn where the kid should go.

I would let them start the first day just so they get into the routine of where to go, what to do, who the caregivers are, etc. But I would pick them up earlier than you normally would, like after they come in from playing or after snack. It will also give you a little time to observe and maybe even talk to the caregivers. At least let them stay a half hour and that way the child knows who will be there and maybe make a friend or two.

I've signed my kids up for 3 days per week of aftercare and was planning on skipping it entirely the first week of kindergarten. We're walkers to the elementary school but DC will have to take a bus to aftercare and I'm worried it's all just too much that first week.

We are of the "begin as you mean to go on" school, but also "put on your own oxygen mask first." So which would be better for you? We go out before the first day of school, which means I get to work later than usual and need the extra time from extended day.

My kids are usually wiped out the first few weeks of school, especially kindergarten, so I would pick them us as soon as possible from extended day. But the first week, they went every day, just to get into the drill and see which of their classmates were in extended day, too.

My son only needs aftercare Wednesday through Friday, and when he started kindergarten, his first day was a Tuesday, so we got him right after school. That was nice for the first day and we always go out to dinner in the first day of school as a little celebration. He had no problem doing aftercare the next day and thereafter, but he had also been used to day care.

So I see no harm in picking him up the first day of school and starting aftercare the next.

Start as you mean to go on.

Would it be better to have DC start after care on the first day of kindergarten, or should I wait? If you think I should wait, how long? 1 day or a few days? Thanks!