OT: Can't decide 1/2 day or full day kindy for my almost 6 yr old

[kldmom2000]

The cut-off here for kindergarten is August 31st (child has to be 5 on or before that date). My "baby" has a Sept. bday and obviously missed the cut-off last year. She went to preschool 2 afternoons per week for 2.5 hours each of those days. We have 9 elementary schools in our city. 6 of them have full time "Free" kindergarten paid for by the state (taxes) under Title I.... 3 of those schools (ours included) does not offer the "free" kindergarten. They have a voluntary tuition based full time kindergarten or your child can go 1/2 day at no charge. The fee is based on your income level and your famly size. We would be in the top tier of $260 PER MONTH if my DD goes full time. About 85% of the kindergarteners at our elementary school are full time. They have the 1/2 day kids merged with the full day kids in the same class. At lunch time, the 1/2 day kids go home and the full timers stay. The full timers don't really do much more than review what was taught in the morning, but they also get art/music/gym/library/computers, etc....in the afternoon.

Up until now, I was convinced she would be 1/2 day, but DH brought up a lot of concerns tonight. She will be one of the oldest ones in her class (She turns 6 only a couple of weeks after school begins). She knows how to do a lot of the homework our older DD brings home (She's going into THIRD grade) Her best friend moved to a different city in the state last year that offered full time kindy only. She is reading and has matured quite a bit and is only ONE MONTH older than our DD.

We feel that if we send her only 1/2 day, we might be holding her back from her full potential. As I stated, 85% of the kids go full time and I've spoken to the 1st grade teachers last year about this and they said they notice a HUGE difference between the kids that went 1/2 day as opposed to full day. When my older DD (the third grader) went into kindy, they just offered the fulltime kindy ($$$) for the first time that year. I elected to send her 1/2 day because she was still young-she has a late summer bday so she just got in under the gun. She struggled and struggled in 1st grade.... and even in 2nd grade w/ Math. I don't know if sending my younger child full time would be the wise choice since she is almost a full year older than my older DD was when she started kindergarten? And I should mention that she WANTS to go full time like her big sister does now.

The $260 a month (x 10 months =$2600) would be a big stretch. I'm just so on the fence about this and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts??

 

[holly7347]

I'm in a similar situation with my oldest. She is starting kindergarten this year and our district is 1/2. But you can pay $65 a week and turn it into a full day. The second 1/2 of the day isn't really run by the school but by the same program that does the after school and summer care programs, Children's Inc. she would stay at the same school get the extras you talked about like art, music, gym and they also really push the reading. I got a call from Children's Inc the other day asking if I had any questions and was interested in signing DD up. DH and I keep changing our mind on what to do.

At the end of her preschool year her teacher said she was a bit behind on letter recognition and a couple other minor things and suggested the extra program. But her preschool class was a very big class 26 kids and lots of them had developmental or other delays. So I honestly don't know if she was behind just because of the environment or if she would have still been behind in another preschool class.

I asked the Children's Inc director if I could sign her up later if her kindergarten teacher said she was behind. Then they started the guilt trip. Sure you can sign her up at any time but we start our reading program the second week of school. So basically if I sign her up after that she will be behind there too I told the director it first of all was alot of money to us. We are in the category of too much money for aid but too little money for all the extras. And even if money wasn't an issue time is an issue for me. I love taking my kids to the zoo, children's museum, parks etc and if she is in school all day I really won't see her much at all during the week because she wouldn't get off the bus until about 4pm and I leave for work at 5:15pm.

We are just going to wait and see if she needs the extra help a few weeks/months into the school year. We can find the money for it but it will mean dropping things like our Y membership and the swim and dance lessons she takes there. It is just sad to me that expect so much out of them so early now.

 

[bowlingchicaroo]

The $260 a month (x 10 months =$2600) would be a big stretch. I'm just so on the fence about this and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts??

that is crazy...you need to move to ohio...we are only going to be paying $70 for 10 months to send our dd~5 to all day kindergarten...

if i were you i most likely would send dd to all day kindergarten because she is going to be the oldest...and with her reading already that is a plus...not very many kids going into kindergarten are reading...i can say my dd is not...

 

[kldmom2000]

It is just sad to me that expect so much out of them so early now

EXACTLY!

We live in MA and the whole structure of the curriculum now is focused on the MCAS standardized tests.... teachers and administrators lose sleep over these tests (as do the children).....

I know the governor is proposing an 8.5 hour school day here and one school in our city is actually doing it for the '09-'10 school year as a test but it's supposed to be across the board eventually

If it were *my* choice, I'd keep her in 1/2 day... I love taking her to the zoo, children's museum, library, playground, etc... when I can but I don't want to make the transition to 1st grade difficult. I'm sure it won't be the same type of difficulty my older DD had being younger than most of her classmates... but she's still at a disadvantage since the majority of the kids are going full time.

Oh why does this have to be so difficult???

 

[kldmom2000]

that is crazy...you need to move to ohio...we are only going to be paying $70 for 10 months to send our dd~5 to all day kindergarten...

if i were you i most likely would send dd to all day kindergarten because she is going to be the oldest...and with her reading already that is a plus...not very many kids going into kindergarten are reading...i can say my dd is not...

Ooops. I reread my original post and I meant that her best friend who is a month older and just finished full time kindy is reading (she got in before the Aug. 31st deadline but is only 1 month older than my DD who missed the deadline).

My DD though can count by 2's, 5's, can read a few "sight" words, can write those same words, count money and differentiate between currency and values, etc... basically picking up the stuff that my 8 yr old does for homework when she listens in on me helping my older DD.

If we lived only a few blocks away, she'd go free... it's just based on which district your home is in that determines if your child goes free or if you have to pay. I AM thankful we are in our elementary school because I know we are fortunate to be in a better location overall in the city... but I don't think it is fair that we have to pay because of which street we live on and we pay the same taxes as everyone else in the city

Thanks for your advice!

 

[AlisonR80]

It sounds like full-day would be good for her and she wants to go...but that's a lot of $! I can't believe it's not free, that's just crazy. If you don't mind paying for it then I say go for it. I think she'll be fine in 1st grade even if she only does half-day now...sounds like she's advanced for kindergarten. Maybe you could get some work books or schedule other stuff for her to do at home if you think she needs more to develop her mind.
I kinda wish our state had an earlier cut-ff, it's Dec 1st. My 4 y.o. has a september b-day and we are sending him to kindergarten this fall. I'm very reluctant, my gut tells me he's not ready. He has behavior issues (possible ADHD) and some language and motor skill delays. Last year he was in a state pre-school program that is basically the same as head start and he began services with the OT and speech therapist and they will continue working with him in kindergarten. He is going to full day 4 day a week kindergarten, which will provide him with much-needed structure...but I still worry if he can handle it, as well as his teacher. Our district also has a grade between kind. and first so i imagine he'll be going to it after kindergarten.

 

[ldo]

my older DD had 1/2 day K and then did Reader Rabbit, etc. on the computer after school and did fine. My younger kids did 1/2 day, but in a private setting with 10 kids in the class and did fine.
Since she will get the same academics, it is really about how you fill the rest of her day. If it's the zoo, library, little math games, computer reading skills, gymnastics, then 1/2 day is perfectly fine--and she will probably learn more with one-on-one "home-schooling" after school. You can buy K and/or 1st grade workbooks and CDs at any bookstore, Costco, etc. I just got a MAth kit from Borders (for 2nd grade) that does time with a clock, money, cubes for space and analytical reasoning. WE have bought tons of preK and K CDs for $5 or so each online. I also print online worksheets for free and then make up my own based upon theirs--you can pretty much do your own enrichment program on your own for younger kids and gear it up or down, depending on your needs--really it's just your time that limits you.

 

[bethy]

my older DD had 1/2 day K and then did Reader Rabbit, etc. on the computer after school and did fine. My younger kids did 1/2 day, but in a private setting with 10 kids in the class and did fine.
Since she will get the same academics, it is really about how you fill the rest of her day. If it's the zoo, library, little math games, computer reading skills, gymnastics, then 1/2 day is perfectly fine--and she will probably learn more with one-on-one "home-schooling" after school. You can buy K and/or 1st grade workbooks and CDs at any bookstore, Costco, etc. I just got a MAth kit from Borders (for 2nd grade) that does time with a clock, money, cubes for space and analytical reasoning. WE have bought tons of preK and K CDs for $5 or so each online. I also print online worksheets for free and then make up my own based upon theirs--you can pretty much do your own enrichment program on your own for younger kids and gear it up or down, depending on your needs--really it's just your time that limits you.

I just went through almost the exact same scenario last year except our tuition for full day K was $320 per month. There was a waiting list for full day K and apparently no parents blinked an eye over the cost and so the district figures why pay it if the parents will pay it? I guess I can see their point.

Anyway, our DD's B-day is August 29 and the cut off is the 31st. We decided to wait a year and then sent her to 1/2 day K when she was 6. I did what the poster above outlined and supplemented outside of the school system. Honestly if your daughter is that far ahead academically then full day K isn't going to do that much more for her than half day Kindy would. Also because of that and because she's older then her transition to 1st grade the following year should be relatively smooth I would think. There probably won't be the difference academically that your teachers warned about.

The only slight hesitation I would have is the fact that she's in a combined class and that some of her classmates would stay on while she went home. Our classes at least were seperated. But I don't think that would sway my decision ultimately. School isn't the be-all, end-all IMHO.

 

[Just2DisneyKids]

I'm all for 1/2 day kindy! My just turned 6 year old just finished 1/2 day kindergarten in a district where we too could have paid for full day. We knew she would do fine with 1/2 day, and I selfishly wasn't ready to let her go all day. We did do story time at the library and other fun stuff in the afternoons too! Anyway, by Christmas time she was beginning to read on her own and now she reads really well, and overall has done great academically! I can't imagine she would know much more had she gone all day, and I enjoyed having her a bit more before full days of schools from here on out! My husband and I believe that educating our children is not solely the responsibility of the schools, so we are sure to do our part at home!

I think you should save your $$$, and keep doing what you've been doing helping your daughter learn some at home and enjoy the time!

 

[bethy]

I'm all for 1/2 day kindy! My just turned 6 year old just finished 1/2 day kindergarten in a district where we too could have paid for full day. We knew she would do fine with 1/2 day, and I selfishly wasn't ready to let her go all day. We did do story time at the library and other fun stuff in the afternoons too! Anyway, by Christmas time she was beginning to read on her own and now she reads really well, and overall has done great academically! I can't imagine she would know much more had she gone all day, and I enjoyed having her a bit more before full days of schools from here on out! My husband and I believe that educating our children is not solely the responsibility of the schools, so we are sure to do our part at home!

I think you should save your $$$, and keep doing what you've been doing helping your daughter learn some at home and enjoy the time!

I totally agree that the extra time with your child is worth it's weight in gold. You are and always will be her greatest and most influential teacher. Enjoy this last year with special quality time with her at home. Soon enough, she'll be gone most of the day every day. For the next 12 years and beyond, in fact!

(For the record, we would have opted for 1/2 day Kindy even if the full day option had been free to us.)

 

[gr8leg8]

This might sound like parental blasphey,
but...

My older sister was in the "smartest kid in the room" club.

In the tradition of "If that is how she gets her attention, then I will do something/anything else"
I was a lousy student - great kid - lousy student.

I learned everything I needed to be a good grown up in kindergarten. Play nice with others, take turns, say please and thank you.

Intelligence is genetic. This shocked me, but it's true.
The capacity to learn is inherited. A love of learning will carry any human to greater happiness in life.

Sounds like your family values education. Not just book learning, but personal growth, the arts, and social adventures.
If she is already looking forward to school, that is a great sign. Maybe chat with her about what she is looking forward too. Being with friends, the activities, the big girl status.

I hope your family has a magical year doing whatever you chose is best for you.

 

[The Disney Bunch]

$260 is a good price for full day - I pay $600 & that is the norm in our area.

 

[PollyannaMom]

It is just sad to me that expect so much out of them so early now.

I agree with this too!

 

[mjkacmom]

If it were me, I'd do full day, but we only have the 1/2 day option. I payed $350 per child for preschool, which was only 2 1/2 hours a day, so it would still be a savings. My twins know about 10 sight words, but really aren't reading yet, and all of my others were reading at this point. I guess it just needs to click!

I like the idea of full day - with 1/2, they cram everything in, with not a lot of playtime.

 

[mommytoone]

From where I am it's $1900 for full time Kindy for the year. I choose not to do it, for obvious reasons. My DD is in a gifted program now. She was reading at a 3rd grade level in Kindy and was very bored going only 2.5hrs, I could not imagine all day. When she came home from school we had lunch then played for a little bit and then I taught her things. We read, did math and went to places that she did or would not have gotten to go had she been at school all day. She passed her admissions test to the gifted program at 99.9 percent. Now she is going in 2nd grade and LOVES going to school. She is reading at a 6th grade level and can do addition off the top of her head and subtraction. Learning all about science and history, computers, computer programs, and life lessons that are not taught in regular classes. She loves to learn, and you can see it in her face when she tells you what she did in school.

So, IMO, I would save the money and enrich her at home. She will have one on one with just you and her. The quality of time you get to spend together will increase, and she will be more eager to learn. You can teach her things that she is ready to learn, but might not learn in Kindy because the other children are not at her level. This is what happend to my DD, she read books to the class so the teacher could do work, and she taught the some stuff too. She helped read Valentines cards and tie all the others shoes. She was the teachers helper, and she loved that, but was just so bored.

You have to do what works for you and your famly, and I am sure whatever you choose will be the right decision. Good Luck

 

[powellrj]

Do you think she will have a hard time adjusting to going from a 1/2 day to a full day of school? If you don't think she will have a problem with the adjustment from a 1/2 day to a full day, 1/2 day should be fine, but if she has never gone to a full day program, you may think about sending her just to get her use to going all day. I know many time kids that have never had to go all day have a hard time getting use to the routine.

 

[haley123]

Do the half day. Generally the other half of the day of full day kindergarten is spent napping and playing. So it really isn't worth it at all.

 

[holden]

I'm glad we only have 1/2 day where we live. Kgtn. is the last chance little one have to enjoy some of the "school day" by playing, exploring, etc. She has 12 years of full day schooling ahead of her. I don't think kids who only go 1/2 day will be at a disadvantage later on. As a high school teacher, I never said to a parent "Oh, so he/she only went to 1/2 day kindergarten? That expains a lot." LOL

Obviously, you have to do what's best for your child. For us, 1/2 will be just fine.

 

[mom_of_3_70737]

Are the schools that you are all talking about Public Schools?

 

[holden]

Yes, they only offer 1/2 day kgtn. at our public school. I think you can pay extra for "extended care" for parents who are not home during the work day, but I don't know if the kids stay at the school or are sent to a day care.