When would you ask to have her moved up?

jlw2505

My 3 1/2 year old attends preschool full time at our daycare.  She is currently in the 3 year old room and I love one of the teachers and the other teacher, my DD loves which is all that matters - she is just too quiet for my taste but she does great with my DD so that is all that matters.  DD will turn 4 in March - the 4 year old room - I love one teacher and don't really care for the other (my older DD had all these teachers before).  I would love to move my DD up sooner rather than later as she is getting bored in the 3 year old room.  Her friends are starting to turn 4 and move up (best friend moved last week).  DD is pretty advanced educational compared to her peers (per her teachers) which is why she is getting bored in the room.  DD has started visiting the 4 year old room.  My main concern with moving her is the potty.  She is totally day trained but goes through phases where she has accidents.  The one teacher in the 4 year old room has zero patience for this (all kids are fully trained in this but of course, accidents happen at this age).  I was thinking of requesting that she be moved in Jan after the holidays and 3 months early and that she start visiting more often between now and then.  Does this seem like a good time line to you?

kmhunt11

That sounds like a good plan. DD has really risen to the more mature class she's in and never has accidents at school.  It's a multi-age classroom (3-5 yrs), and I think she gets that it's just not something you do.  I wish she got the point at home, too

Pesky

I'd talk to the director and teachers (current).  Realize that being the oldest in the class and having the opportunity to mentor the younger ones in the class can be a great learning experience and confidence booster.  Talk to the director about what the anticipated plan is first and then talk about your concerns with boredom, etc.

jlw2505

Pesky:

I'd talk to the director and teachers (current).  Realize that being the oldest in the class and having the opportunity to mentor the younger ones in the class can be a great learning experience and confidence booster.  Talk to the director about what the anticipated plan is first and then talk about your concerns with boredom, etc.

I already know the anticpated plan - the kids are moved up on their birthdays (or close to depending on space) unless otherwise requested.  Her teachers know she is bored, one of them is the one that suggested to me that we start having her visit the 4 year old room already.  She is very smart and her current teachers can only do so much to keep her busy and challenged while working with the other kids.  20 kids and 2 teachers at that age does not allow for a ton of one on one time and such.  Her teachers are great with her and DD loves helping out the younger kids and all but with her friends moving up and her wanting/needing more of a challenge and to keep learning, it is best to move her up.  She will be starting a formal PreK program through the public school in the fall so she will end up being in the 4 year old program from whenever we move her until mid August when we pull her out of daycare.  She moved from the toddler program to the preschool program a few months early for the same reason (that was totally driven by the director as they saw how bored she was).  She is a smart cookie and with a March b-day is right in the middle of her class age wise (9-1 start date) which is going to work out great for her once she starts PreK and Kindergarten but harder in her preschool when the moves are all based on birthdays.  She does way better when she has older kids around her.

franciscaz

It is a hard call, if she is bored in the 3 yo class that would make me want to do what you are thinking. If you plan on placing her in another pre-k program before kinder I would definitely request and early move.  But if she is staying in that pre-k till kinder I would keep her put until the end of the year.  That way she doesn't spend more than one year in the same class and than feel really bored.  

I don't know if I helped... One thing I would really consider also is speaking with the director and getting their feedback.   Find out what other families typically do.  Also find out if the PTing will be an issue.  If it is an issue and she might get reassigned back to the 3 yo room for an accident that would be hard on a kid so it might be better holding off.

jlw2505

franciscaz:

It is a hard call, if she is bored in the 3 yo class that would make me want to do what you are thinking. If you plan on placing her in another pre-k program before kinder I would definitely request and early move.  But if she is staying in that pre-k till kinder I would keep her put until the end of the year.  That way she doesn't spend more than one year in the same class and than feel really bored.  

I don't know if I helped... One thing I would really consider also is speaking with the director and getting their feedback.   Find out what other families typically do.  Also find out if the PTing will be an issue.  If it is an issue and she might get reassigned back to the 3 yo room for an accident that would be hard on a kid so it might be better holding off.

 

Actually this did help as it validates what I'm thinking and makes me think I am on the right path and right train of thought.  I have been at this daycare for 5 years (started when older DD was 12 weeks and she is now 5 and a few months) and I know how they work.  If I make the request, they will make it happen whenever they have space.  I really never had this issue with older DD as she struggled so I never moved her early as I knew she needed the time in each class.  This daycare preschool is nothing compared to the PreK DD will be going to (Older DD is in that program).  It is run by the school district and very much a year before kindergarten, get them used to the school and rules and all that while still giving a ton of time to be 4/5 year olds and play.  I love it and love the staff and I know younger DD is going to thrive when she gets there next fall.  The daycare preschool is very much a daycare run preschool and not as educationally focused which is totally fine for now as DD is only 3 1/2 and play and social stuff with some academic thrown is right for her age.  In the 4 year old room, they work more on the basics of letters, numbers, writing and all the stuff you need before you start kindergarten but everything is play based if that makes sense.  She will be in the 4 year old room (regardless of when she starts) until Mid August 2012 and she will start PreK in Sept 2012 so at this point, it is less than a year left at the daycare preschool regardless of what room.  The potty thing is the only thing holding me back - I know DD can do it as she is trained totally during the day, just has phases of not caring or not wanting to stop playing to go and I just know the one teacher is horrible when it comes to that stuff.  They would not send her back due to that but at this point, they won't send her full time to the new room as she needs to prove that she can be accident free pretty much all the time before they will make the move.

JennDave+1

I don't think I would move her up or at least see what the teachers say. She is 3 1/2 let her be 3 1/2 no need to rush things.

shellybird101

i would wait till closer to her birthday, maybe two, three months max.  I would talk to her teacher(director) and see if they argee that a move is needed for the child's well being.

susanmosley

I truly don't understand how a 3 1/2 year old is "bored" in a stimulating, play based environment.  I'm not trying to be snarky.  I just really don't get this and would love someone to explain it to me.  I'm all for moving kids up when they are of the appropriate chronological age.  I think it is possible to get pushed ahead too quickly, but rarely detrimental to move ahead at a slower pace.  If you move her soon, she will be with kids who are almost 5 - who would really not be anywhere near her in terms of developmental age.  When you aren't talking multi-age classrooms, putting a 3 1/2 year old with almost 5 year olds isn't the best plan, IMO.

KL777

I would say until she's old enough.  DS's school follows the traditional "move up" guideline which is a certain age by September 30th.  For example, DS is in K3 now but will turn 4 yrs old in January and will move up in September 2012 for Pre-Kindergarten (K4).