Any one not doing pre-K and waiting until Kinder for school?

lautrec

My DD was in daycare and they automatically put the kids in a pre-K program, so she went. I now SAH with DS and he goes 2 days a week to MDO.

I know it's a couple years off but my SIL is about to send her DS to pre-K (She also SAH) and he just seems so young to be going to school. I know it's very common and there is nothing wrong with it, but I am wondering if it's thebest decision for my family. My SIL says they "need" pre-K and has a whole laundry list of reasons. I am wondering if anyone else is keeping their DC in a part time program until Kinder, or did this with a child that is now in school?

Thanks!

KellyMichelle

My DS will be 5 this month.  He will be going to a Pre-K type program, but only 2 days a week from 9-2.  I don't want him in full time yet, I think that he has plenty of time to be in school all day everyday.  When he starts K next year he will only go 4 days a week from 9-2 though.

lilycat

What is expected from the Kindergarten you're likely to enter? Will he be prepared for those expectations by doing what he's doing?

Our son is in full-time daycare every day. He moves to a formal school's PK3 program this year; it feels like a huge step. It seemed crazy when we started the enrollment process last year.

Schoolwise, though, I know he's ready. He knows how to do school work and be in a school environment. 

As for what he learns at daycare: he has been learning from a more formal curriculum for over a year at daycare. They really picked up the pace about 6 mos. ago. (He's 3 1/2.)

They learned to write their names, write their letters, count to 20, recognize numbers, speak French, use computers, color in the lines, pedal. The children do these things with varying degrees of proficiency. Everyone has their strengths and they sometimes do better one week than the next. It is a primer.

When we applied for private schools, he was interviewed as part of that process in March. The administrators thought he was well prepared for the PK3, and even some PK4 work. That's the only gauge I have for how he compares to other 3-year-olds.

nanann

I personally think that my twice a week MDO program is enough prep for Kinder.  I didn't have the inclination or the finances to send her to an every-day program until it was necessary.  As it is, I'm freaking about sending her to Kinder in just over a week, but I think that's more about how much I'm going to miss her during the day and not necessarily her preparedness although she will be the youngest in her class.

charlotteL

DS is doing Pre-School but it is only 2 days a week for 3 hours each day.  Next year he will go 3 days a week, but it will still only be half day.  He loves going to much.  He has been asking for 2 weeks when he can go to school.

houstonkdw

Kohen turned 4 in May and goes to daycare.  They too start a pre-K program at the end of this month.  He will start Kinder this time next year.  I do think some sort of pre-K is important but you can teach your DD at home as well and MDO will help.  I feel they do need to be able to do some basic reading, counting and writing before entering Kinder (I mean basic). 

rayskit10

I'm in such a weird position. T was in daycare even though I don't work just by a freak change of enrollment on the part of his MDO. he loved it and it really gave me time to take care of a newborn and then offer M the same kind of interaction T had as an only for the 1st 2 years. Now that he about to start pre-K, i am really upset that the program we applied to is full day & year round. i don't want him going to school that much... BUT it's also Montessori so it's going to be different than a typical school environment and they are very flexible about things like time our of class because he is enrolled year round, e.g. i can take him out for a random week to travel because he will continue to have academics over the summer when the other pre-K class will be out... i also don't have to leave him all day. i think it's almost going to be a shock to his system when he starts Kinder and gets out so much earlier. LOL.

Anyway, I can totally understand your emotions about this. I have always been "thank god he is in 5 days" but the label of "pre-k" seems so big kid to me and i am emotional about it too. 

CallMeKel

As a degreed early childhood educator, I do not believe a child NEEDS a formal 5-day-a-week pre-K structure. I do think all kids need SOME type of PRE-school education, whether that be in a part-time or full-time setting.

Personally, I don't wish my child to be in a full-time, 5 day a week program (honestly because that's her destiny for the next 16+ yrs), as I WANT to spend that extra time during these early years with her (and have made sacrifices with work to accommodate this desire).

So for this final year before kinder (where did the time go?! totally bittersweet!) my child will be going 3 times a week, 4 hours a day. Works great for our family. She learned plenty last year (writing her name, letters, counting, recognizing many sight words, basic math) just by going 2 days a week for 4 hrs each day....so I feel that she is adequately prepared for the next step.

KKMMex

I don't think every child necessarily needs full-time pre-K.  I think decisions like that very much depend on your child's needs and your family's needs. 

You're definitely in the best position to make that call as his mom.  All kinds of factors come into play, including your child's temperment and personality, whether you're ready for him to be at school for all those hours, how many children you have, how close in age they are, family finances, et cetera. 

We have two daughters who are 21 months apart.  Our older daughter has always been intense, strong-willed, confident, very verbal and extremely outgoing.  She turned 4 in June and starts pre-K next week.  She's going 5 days a week from 8:30 to 2:30.  I know absolutely it's the best decision for her and the best decision for our family.  She's ready and we're ready.

Our younger daughter is in so many ways the opposite in temperment from her sister.  I can't say right now that she'll go to pre-K for as many days as big sister.  It may not be the right fit for her.  Since she's the last kiddo I don't know that I'll be ready to part with her five days a week for pre-K! 

Every situation is different but I do think that mom (and dad) know what's best.

lilycat

It occurred to me that the one part-time child in Lucas's class made it into PK3 at Awty without issue. She learns just as much as the others do by going only 3 days a week.

It sounds like part time works fine for everyone else too. I thought that would be the case.

Our jobs are not flexible for us to even consider part time. For me, I really would like to attain that flexibility to be home with my teenagers after school. I will need to keep a thumb on them. 

 

LisaK2b

Like KKMMex said...it depends a lot on the child and only the parent can decide.

For me, I'm satisfied with Emmy staying with MDO until she hits kindergarten.  (2 days a week from 9 til 2).  I think she will be well prepared for kindegarten in 2 years.   However, if I knew that she wasn't prepared by next year, I would enroll her into a pre-k school (everyday for 4 hours a day).