If your child goes/went to a 3's program

Nicole. · January 2012

Jake is currently in a two's program (nursery school). He goes 2x's a week from 9:15-11:30. He LOVES it and is really thriving there. It's already time to register for next year and I'm on the fence about whether to send him 3 or 5 days. Either way, it will be 3 hours a day (9-12).

Just wondering what other people typically do and if 5 days are too much. DH said it seems like a huge jump, but considering he'll be home for 3 months in the summer, I don't think it's going to matter.

DavezWife · January 2012

I'm a SAHM, and I've always just sent Ava ONCE a week, actually. We stay pretty busy on our own, and I just felt like it was a) a pain to bring her all the time for such a short duration and b) I would be bored with her gone daily, lol. (she's obviously an only child until this spring) For us, that works great.

This fall she'll be in the middle of being 4, and go to PMO once a week, and "pre-school" another 2 days a week. But I'll (hopefully) have a baby or two added to the mix.

laura1 · January 2012

I don't have a real answer for you, but we are in the same boat. My 2 kids both go to a Spanish Immersion school 2 days a week, but for longer days (7-11:30) since we use it as a part time daycare. DS will be 3 soon, and I want him to learn English, too, so I was thinking of doing both schools.

Unfortunately, for each school the minimum is 2 days a week, which would mean 4 days of school a week...2 days in Spanish for extended days, and 2 days in English for regular days. I am struggling trying to figure out if this is too much, not only in terms of time, but in terms of 2 different schools in 2 different languages. I worry he will be confused about where he is going all of the time! I think we will just stick with his spanish school one more year, then when he is 4, do the 4 days a week. But I am applying to English schools too in case I change my mind.

schmoodle · January 2012

Well, our situation is different because Toodle was in daycare until this September, but if we had a 5 day option I would have taken it for sure. Our park district only has 2 and 3 day programs for 2 and 3 year olds. We did the 3 day program because 2 didn't seem like enough to me, especially after he'd been in school 5 days a week for the past year and a half. Good luck whatever you decide!

dana316 · January 2012

We do three days a week, 9 am to 1pm, and it is perfect...especially since I had Parker.

When she gets home from school, she takes a long, long nap and then we play for an hour or so till Daddy gets home...so those days are pretty much drama/tantrum free because she isn't bored to death from hanging out with me and Parker all day long.

I wouldn't want to do 5 days...I would feel like she was gone all the time...

efooey · January 2012

we do 2 days 8-11. There are a few weeks when we do a 3rd day if they are having a field trip or something on a friday but usually it's tues, thurs.

Next year (4k) will most likely be 5 days. I'm not thrilled about it but I don't like the idea of switching schools every year.

Ali212 · January 2012

My daughter went to a 3s program. It was her first time in school since we didn't send her to daycare (had a FT nanny) and, b/c we had a nanny, didn't due MDO or anything. When she first started, she went 3x a week from 9-12. She loved it and we had a smooth transition. I had the option for 5x a week but, to me, it just felt like a lot of school for her, especially since we still had a FT nanny. I figured she had another ~18 years to be in school 5 days a week so why rush it?

We ended up moving 1/2way through her school year and her new school didn't have an option of less days per week. All the children attend 5x a week so we also did that. She had a really smooth transition and 5x a week was fine. I think you should do whatever feels right to you -- I don't think you can go wrong but you could always see if you could start him at 3x a week and then increase?

LIAngel · January 2012

The only option we have is Mon-Thursday from 9-1 for the K3 and K4 classes "since there is so much to learn".

JillRock96 · January 2012

Ava is in a 3s program this year, and it is two days a week. Next year she'll still be in a 3s program (her birthday isn't until November), but it will likely be three days a week. The 4s programs that I have seen are typically 4 or 5 days a week, to help them transition to kindergarten. 2 days works well for us, though I think 3 days would have been fine, too. She has never been to daycare (we've always had a babysitter/nanny), so this was her first experience being dropped off somewhere.

alchris · January 2012

I'm a fan of 3 mornings a week, personally. We tried 2 mornings a couple years ago and I added another morning mid-year. I had planned to move to 5 mornings for her final preschool year next year (she'll be 5 in November) but I decided to stick with 3 mornings yet again. I was tempted, but she'll have another 13 years to go 5 days.

itsmevkb · January 2012

Our son went from being watched by my sister to a public school K3 program that was Mon - Thurs for about two and a half hours a day. He loved it.

From that he went to all day, all week, K4 which was a bit more of an adjustment as 7:35 to 3:15 is a long day for a four/five year-old.

nicolita14w · January 2012

James goes 4 days a week, but he's on an IEP (he has PDD-NOS). But he loves it so far.

I am also a teacher so he's home with me all summer.

LisaBRM · January 2012

We are in the same situation. She is currently in a two's program that is T/Th from 9-11:45. Next year, in the nearly three's program (they have a 3's and a nearly 3's for the kids born September-December, to keep them in line for when they can go to public school), we have a choice of M/W/F or M-F. She won't even be three yet and I really really feel like 3 days is enough, but, I asked other moms and I asked the school director. The director told me that she has very few kids that go 3 days. And, when I asked the other moms, they are all sending their kids for 5 days. So, even though I really think 3 days is enough, I'm going to do 5 days because I don't want her to be the only kid that isn't there all week. I'm less afraid that she'll miss out educationally (although I do think she'll miss some of the reinforcing) and more concerned that she'll miss out socially.

But, whenever I think about her going 5 days a week and losing our couple of lazy mornings together, I get really sad!

regenab · January 2012

My girls are in a 2 day a week program, T/R 9-12. They love it and I love the time to myself. I really wish we could have done the 3 day a week program, but since I have twins we just couldn't swing it financially with me being a SAHM. 5 days would be a bit much for my 3 year olds, but they could do 3 days. Next fall they do start doing 5 mornings a week for VPK (voluntary pre-kindergarten), but this a free program to all 4 year olds in the state of FL. Since they will be 4, I think they will be fine.

LisaandBryan · January 2012

My boys will be 3 in a few weeks. They currently go to "junior preschool" haha , one day week. Really just to get used to school and a break for me!!

In the fall they will go 3 days a week in the pm. 1230-330. For Pre-K the next year they will still probably only go 3 a week. If it wasn't so expensive I wouldn't do 4 a week but can't justity spending the money.

futrkingsley · January 2012

DS started Montesorri preschool when he was 2y3m and he went 3 days a week for 4 hours (8:30 to 12:30). The school does a minimum of 3 half day per week up to 5 full days. He's 3.5 now and goes 4 days -- 3 half days and one full day. The full day was a rough transition for him but no it is his best day at school. He's happy, he's tired at the end of the day (which is rare for him), he's learning a lot.

My plan is to have him go 5 days a week (mix of half and full days) in the fall so that he is ready to spend that amount of time at school for kindergarten.

CMM05 · January 2012

I think it depends on the child.

Some are ready for 5 days whenever and some need to wait until they are 4/5.

If he enjoys school and doesn't appear to be too worn out after the 2 days he is going now, then he can probably do the 5 days.

Around here.....everyone sends their kids for a minimum of 3 days. A lot of the schools around here don't even have a 2 day option anymore because they don't have enough people interested in only 2 days.

Both of my boys started nursery school at 2 as well and started right away with 3 days.

I do 3 days until pre-k and then I do 5 days, but that is more because of finances. Also, I work part-time and I like at least one day home with them when they are 2/3.

GL with your decision!

queenbone · January 2012

I'm another special snowflake. DS1 is in a 3s program at preschool, but he is actually 4 yrs old; we miss the cut off by one stinking day!

Anyway, this is his first real experience away from home/me so he goes 3 days a week for 3hrs each day. I also have him enrolled in a Nature preschool that meets 1 afternoon a week for 2.5 hrs. He would absolutely like to spend more time there and often asks if he can stay for "lunch bunch" with his friends that go into crafts/aftercare.

If there is no 4 day option I'd stick with 3 days a week. 5 half days still seems like a lot to me at that age.

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