K

full day v. half day . . . how the heck do you choose?

Me on Monday: oh, we should really do the spanish for her. it will be fun and she will be busy and i'll have more time with the younger two. (our school district offers half-day kindergarten with the option of doing spanish immersion in the mornings before afternoon kindergarten).

Me on Tuesday: no way. it will be too much for her and she will burn out. not to mention, she will have almost no time to just play and ride her bike and take a gymnastics class, etc. she can't go from preschool 3 mornings per week to 5 full days. . .and to not even be with the same kids all day but to have to jump from 'spanish class mode' to 'kinder mode' is a lot for a little kid.



any thoughts from btdt parents?

[Sheherezade]

Re: K

I had one kid in half day K and one that did full day. I prefered the full day. It was an easier schedule in his case because they did the same stuff that was done in half day but had more free time and recess. The schedule you describe does sound a little different. Still, hands down, full day (8:30 -2 ) was the winner for us over half day (9-12). Less stressful overall. With that in mind, though, the transition to a longer day is tiring for kids at any age. If they don't have that transition at K, you will still need to help them work through it at first grade. It's a big step at any time.

[Vanquisher]

Re: K

I loved full day. IMO it is very nice for this kids. It allows them to get settled into their day and to a routine without it being time to pick them back up again. They are also able to learn social manners (lunch) that they wouldn't otherwise be exposed to. It really is wonderful, even though it seems like a lot, the kids do really, really well.

[Flynn]

Re: K

Keep in mind we haven't DONE kindergarten yet -- I've just made my choice!

I chose half day for DD. It's totally her personality and she's way ahead of the game academically. The way it's set up where we live, the second half of the day is "enrichment" which means "inexpensive daycare" for working parents OR for kids who need constant stimulation. This is not my DD. She likes her fun time with friends but this is a girl who ASKS for quiet time around one everyday so she can "read" and draw in her room from 45 to 90 minutes unsupervised.

Now when DS #1 gets to Kindergarten we might make the choice for full day.

I think it depends on each individual child AND how the school structures the day. DD will be in a class that is ONLY half day so she won't be leaving while other kids are having lunch or recess.

That's my two cents.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: K

Would the immersion program continue into 1st grade? Or is it just a Kindergarten opportunity?

I think in your situation I may be tempted to go with the half day, even tho' I have really enjoyed the full day experience for my twins. I felt like for them the full day allowed for them to have a slower pace finishing all the tasks of the day, especially the artwork which under the half day (that Kate had) always seemed to get condensed, rushed through, or skipped altogether. But your class sounds like it's a regular 1/2 day KG program, with all the regular curriculum jammed into the 1/2 day, and then on top of that an immersion program.

I have a friend who has put her daughters into an immersion program for elem school. Kindergarten was really hard for both of the girls, and very very tiring. It was difficult to be learning a new language with all the other stuff going on (learning how to manage a school day, etc., etc.) Her kids were absolutely exhausted, and homework (yes, they do have homework in KG-- it's mostly stupid stuff, but it still 'needs to be done') was always a huge struggle for her...

Whatever you decide, you'll probably be pleased with that particular decision later on. Kids do adapt!

Re: K

I agree with Angie and Annie. I also asked DD's pre-k teacher what she thought (would full day be too much). It was more of an adjustment for a longer day but she also *loved* having lunch at school and the extra recess -- she is on the social side. The longer day also made DD2's naps easier to work around (until her naps started later in the day).

Does she change classrooms for the spanish? Change teachers? If it really seems like too much, can you drop the spanish in the am and stay in the same afternoon kinder class?

[GrayMatterWife]

Re: K

DS is in full-day nursery school now and will attend a full-day pre-K program this fall. No choice with my work schedule. But, I am pretty sure that, even if I didn't work, he'd go full-day, even if he went only a couple of days a week. It is hard on him on the days when I pick him up early (I used to think it was this huge treat--I'd get off work early, we'd go hang out at the park, grab ice cream, etc.). The fact of the matter is, they eat lunch at noon, then take a nap/do quiet time from 1:00 - 2:30 PM or so, then go outside until 4:00 PM, then have a snack and book time. All stuff he really loves and can do with his friends. When I pick him up much before 5:00 PM, he looks kind of disappointed and explains that he's still playing. More than once when I've come by at 3:00 or 4:00 to get him, he's asked me if I could come back and pick him "in a little bit later, Mom." It is really embarrassing to leave the school in the afternoon without your kid...only to come back in an hour.

Oh. Sorry. Didn't realize I was messing up your carefully orchestrated day, there.

But, at least he likes school. He's got a ton of little playmates and seems to really thrive on all the socialization. If I were a SAHM, we DEFINITELY would have had to have had more kids right after DS was born...for company and playing!!

[DCJenn]

Re: K

We're over analyzing this one to DEATH. Seriously, someone just come over and make the decision.

This year is fine- he'll be at crunchy school- it's a full day program and like the summer program, there is no nap- it makes him sooo tired at the end of the day. But, like Abigail, I have been told to go back to work, "I'm not DONE yet, mom."

The kindergarten here has the immersion program and my struggle with that is that I don't speak Spanish and neither does Rick- I have friends whose daughter is now in the 3rd grade of the immersion program and luckily the girls paternal grandmother is hispanic and can read and write in Spanish so she can help with the homework.

Otherwise, the elementary school isn't all that great- although on the plus side it's literally two streets away, it would take 5 minutes to get there, if we didn't get stopped at the two crosswalks.

OK, done with hijack. Just know that you're not alone. I comfort myself w/ the fact that we haven't appeared to have messed him up too much so far, and no matter what the prep school mavens tell us, it's still 'just kindergarten.'

Jenn

Re: K

[i]We're over analyzing this one to DEATH. Seriously, someone just come over and make the decision.[/

Thanks for making me feel better. I'm driving DH insane with the indecision. I wish that the spanish immersion was at the same school. I would have to drive her to the church where they do the spanish class at 8:30 and I think she would eat lunch with her spanish class. Then they walk her to a bus stop near the church where the bus picks her up to take her to kindergarten. (This is all fairly close and the bus is just for kindergarteners.) We would pick her up at the bus stop near our house at 3pm.

I really do wish that someone would make the decision for me. I just don't know what is best for her. Learning Spanish or dabbling in other activities? I've told DH that she will not be able to take many extracurricular activities b/c I don't want her to be at school all day and drive around town to rush in the door at 5:30 and start the bedtime routine. But maybe she is too young for soccer, etc. anyway?!

Yes, I enjoy torturing myself. Life is so much easier with kid #2 and kid #3. The decisions just don't seem as all important with them.

[MDPhDWife]

Re: K

Full day K is mandated here so we didn't have a choice. With that said, I would still do the full day anyway. DD loved it and I think being there the full day did give her more of an opportunity to socialize, not to mention the transistion to 1st grade was a breeze. FWIW, we also did soccer as well as it wasn't a big deal. She still looked forward to it every week. At that young age, there wasn't practice during the week, it was only a game every Saturday with practice 30 minutes before the game.

with your decision!

[Phoebe]

Re: K

I would say it would depend on the temprement of your daughter. I agonized over this decision last year. I was very happy with our decision not to do full-day. Over 90% of kids do full-day in our district and no one complained they didn't like it. It took some adjusting, the kids get tired, but from what I heard from moms, all the kids enjoyed themselves.

We were very happy with our choice not to do full-day (we had alternating day), but we had her in an enrichment program in the days she wasn't in school. She enjoyed the extra "down time". I am a little worried this year how she will transition to going every day. I also enjoyed having her home one more year. I had asked the preschool teacher and she thought she would have done fine in either program.

Good luck! Who knew kindergarten took so much thought process!

[houseelf]

Re: K

I have nothing to add regarding the kindergarten decision, but

Yes, I enjoy torturing myself. Life is so much easier with kid #2 and kid #3. The decisions just don't seem as all important with them.

hit home with me.

Kelly

[diggitydot]

Re: K

Two of our three stooges attended the mandatory full-day Kindergarten in AZ. Awesome experiences, all the way around.

Honestly, no matter which way program you chose, the kids will be fine. While Kindergarten helps lay the foundation for their future educational experiences, it isn't the end all, be all in the situation.

[Momo]

Re: K

Two of our three stooges attended the mandatory full-day Kindergarten in AZ. Awesome experiences, all the way around.

Honestly, no matter which way program you chose, the kids will be fine. While Kindergarten helps lay the foundation for their future educational experiences, it isn't the end all, be all in the situation.

Ok I'm totally confused. You and Pollyanna both mentioned mandatory full day :huh:
DS is going to a public school this year and there is the option for 1/2 day. He will be in full day, as I had him in a full-day pre-K Montessori last year.

[diggitydot]

Re: K

You and Pollyanna both mentioned mandatory full day

While we lived in AZ, each district had their own take on the situation. The district we lived within had mandatory full-day Kindergarten in all schools.