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Adjusting to Kindergarten (me!)

NicoleWINicoleWI member
edited July 2014 in Stay at Home Moms

DD will have her own issues adjusting to 5K, but right now I'm thinking about me! I quit my job this spring and have been loving my first "summer vacation" in years. I love the freedom we have, and we've been able to do some short getaways, trips to the park, zoo, etc. I am finding that I am super sad already about DD starting 5K. It's full day. I hate the idea of having to get up early, get her there every day, be tied to the school schedule for the next 25 years or so. Ugh! Plus, I'm afraid her brother will be lost without her. They play together all the time.

How was it for your family adjusting? Any tips for getting a new routine down? I am always late and I will have a hard time getting DD to the bus or whatever on time! What was good/bad?

DD has some anxiety over this also (and about any new thing) but I swear I am nothing but positive about kindergarten in front of her.

edit: changed title to kindergarten from "5K". Apparently 5K is regional or something.

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Re: Adjusting to Kindergarten (me!)

  • KeeptruckinKeeptruckin member
    We didn't do the whole day kindergarten. Has your DD been in preschool? Honestly, there was not much of an adjustment as we went from preschool to kindergarten. I am sure september when she is in full days will be a bit more of a change. Of course, I only have one, but what I would do is focus on fun stuff for little brother and you to do. Enjoy the time you have one on one with him, plus if he naps, more free time for you!
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  • Spin313Spin313 member
    It's not as bad as you think it will be.

    The first week or so was rough. DS adored school, but DD would cry at drop off because she missed her brother (she never did this at his preschool). Soon enough, she was over it and happy to have me all to herself.
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  • NicoleWINicoleWI member
    She was in 3 yo preschool 2 mornings/week and 4 yo 3 mornings/week, so this is still a big change (from 3 mornings to 5 full days, plus the whole bus thing). Her little brother will be in preschool 2 mornings/week starting in fall, so at least he will have his own thing going on for some of the time.
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  • LoveBeingMamaLoveBeingMama member
    My younger son was a little sad the first few days of DS1's preschool. I could tell he missed him. I made sure to plan some fun outings for just the two of us those days. He got over it very quickly.
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  • trizzietrizzie member
    I have no advice - DS is going into 1st grade and I am still not adjusted.
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  • jnksmomjnksmom member
    It will not be that bad. DD missed DS a little at first but she went to prek 3 mornings a week so that helped. Also both of mine only did one year of preschool and it was 3 mornings a week. Kindergarten is full day and they adjusted fine. Good luck!
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  • mrsrobinsontobemrsrobinsontobe member
    Has she done pre-school? That should help with the adjustment, for both of you. And if any of her pre-school friends heading to the same kindergarten, all the better! Both my little ones entered kindergarten with tons of friends there already, so I also had a ton of built in mom friends to cry with on the first days!! Enjoy this one-on-one time with your little one, and delight in picking her up at the end of the day to hear about all her adventures!!
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  • mandymackmandymack member
    edited July 2014
    Totally normal to have anxiety over such a big change - we both cried Emily's first day of Kindergarten and she was only gone 8:20am-1:40pm! :)

    To answer your questions:
    How was it for your family adjusting?
    Having to set an alarm for the first time in 5 years was really hard. No more lazy mornings where we could wear PJs until Noon IF we wanted; no cereal in front of the TV and lunch in the backyard; and no spontaneous play dates/trips to the zoo. I felt a little like my "freedom" as a SAHM was gone a bit - very limited. Our days now revolve around packing lunches the night before, rushing to get up, get dressed, eat breakfast and get out the door, afternoon pick-ups, homework, enrichment classes, dinner, baths, and an actual bedtime. I'm not going to lie, it took about 3 weeks for us ALL to get into this routine but it did happen and now it's just part of life every August through June. :)

    Any tips for getting a new routine down? I am always late and I will have a hard time getting DD to the bus or whatever on time!
    Practice a week or even two before school starts! Go to bed at a time that gives your child 12 hours of sleep. Get up at the time you would need to be ontime to school. Create a daytime schedule much like what it will be like in school that way it won't be such a hard adjustment.

    What was good/bad?
    I had a newborn when Emily started Kindergarten so, in a way, it was a relief as I only had one kid at home that just needed me to keep him alive so I could be in PJs, nursing and napping and adjusting to have a baby again while Emily was off all day getting attention and making friends and having fun! It really was wonderful but I know that has a lot to do with the 5year age gap in my kids. With Preschool, it sounds like your son will be just fine. :)

    Good luck!

    eclaire 9.10.06  diggy 6.2.11

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  • CareBear0607CareBear0607 member
    DD was in full day kindergarten last year.  It took abut two weeks to adjust and get into a new routine.  But it went smoothly.  It felt "weird" with DD with DS and I, but DS and I found our own groove and new routine.

    The first day of school, DS cried as DD got on the bus and it drove away.  He was always so happy when she came home.  He would give her big hugs and kisses and ask her to play.  He liked having time with me all to himself though.

    I strongly suggest practicing your morning routine at least a week before school starts.  Put your DD to bed at a good time.   My DD needs 11 hours of sleep so I would put her to bed (lights out) by 8:00.  I would wake her up an hour before she had to be out the door.  I would wake her up at 7:00, but let her lay in bed until 7:10 to give her time to "wake up."  I wake up before her and make her lunch.  As she was waking up I would make her breakfast.  After that, she dd everything on her own--eat, get dressed, brush teeth, make bed, making sure she had everything for school, etc.  We had a checklist to make sure she got everything done.  After about a month she didn't need the checklist anymore.

    Also, have her practice eating lunch out of her lunchbox a week or two before school starts.  I would "pack" DD's lunch and hand it to her at home when it was lunch time.  She got lots of practice opening things on her own.  That will help save time at school.  I also "timed" her as she can tend to be a pokey eater.  I would say, "DD, if you were at school, you would only have 5 more minutes to eat.  Take some more bites, please." 

    You can always check in on the school aged board too.  It is slow, but lots of helpful ladies over there!
    DD~6 years old~born June 6, 2008 (1st grade)
    DS~4 years old~born November 6, 2010 (1st year of preschool)
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  • notkateanymorenotkateanymore member
    Ha! The lunch thing might sound silly to some, but it's a real issue for slow eaters. I used a lot of reusable bags and some ziploc to cut down on hard packages to open. I was also that asshole who did bento boxes.
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  • 2-Step2-Step member
    I'm a little sad about my DS heading to K next year too. I'm trying to focus on all the fun things he will get to do there and learn about. I plan to volunteer in his class. I'm excited for him to make longer term friends than he was able to in preschool and get to know some of the other moms in the area. I'm excited to go school shopping and see him participate in the Christmas program and other plays/activities at the school. I'm excited for him to gain some independence and learn how to do more things for himself and I'm excited for FREE daycare ( I work part time from home so I have been paying for daycare for a few years) :)

    These are the things I am trying to focus on so I don't cry every day until he goes! It is a new adventure for both of you and it will be great!
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  • littlelamb99littlelamb99 member
    My DD is going to K this fall too.

    I thought I'd never cry, never cry...until today.  I opened this post up this evening and had to write in it... :)

    I only have one child and she's been my side kick for the last 5 years or so....and I cannot believe she's starting REAL school (not just 3k and 4k).

    Eugh, I am going to be a wreck.  6 more weeks. 
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