Thinking of Putting My Oldest in Kindergarten in the fall...help!!

Hi, my son is in 2nd grade this year and I remember starting Kindergarten was such an exciting time! I cried...my baby was growing up! He goes to a public school that is great and we are very happy with it. He has learned SO much since starting school...he was immature in many ways (like any 5 year old - they all have their things I'm sure) and school really helped him. He became great at playing with other kids (without disagreements all the time or not wanting to share). He became more independent. He really grew up some once starting school. It is an all day Kindergarten and our son did go to a half day preschool M-W-F first. Yes, he was very tired when he would come home. But over time he got used to it. When he got home I would let him unwind and eat a snack. At first he would sometimes have a big melt down over something when he got home and I knew it was because he was working so hard all day long to be good...and he was now letting it all out. He stopped doing that pretty quickly though. He loved and still loves school, so that is good! I make him his lunch and 2 snacks every day and he takes his lunchbox in his backpack. I do order milk for him and he can pick it up in the cafeteria. He does not want the hot lunch otherwise I would be happy to get it for him. He LOVES being around the other kids bc he is a super social little guy. He has made some very good friends. For Kindergarten I drove my son - school starts at 8:20 and I would get him there by 8:05. The kids can play on the playground till the bell rings. I would pick him up every day outside his classroom. Starting in 1st grade he started riding the bus. I hope that helps!

get him into some sort of structured program now lol. so that he is prepared for it. I love all day kindergarten. they do so much more now than they did when I was a child. in kindergarten the only thing I remember is learning colors and playing in the centers. I don't' remember any "real" subject stuff til 1st grade. but the children I nanny for started all day kindergarten last year. the little boy learned to read before Christmas. It will be good for your son and you both. and your day will be smoother not having to get the other little ones out twice a day right in the middle of the day. have to say though I was never one of the moms who cried about my own kids going to school. i was more the mom who was doing the woohooooo some free time for me!!!! lol

To me, picking the school you want falls under the category of "it can't hurt to ask", but be prepared- it may simply come down to numbers and you may not have a choice. If the school is at capacity, no, you won't be able to get in. Only your district can give you that information...

I usually showed up 30 minutes early to pick up my kiddo at kindergarten. The lines were crazy long, so I showed up early with a good book and my son napped in the back. If he was awake, we used the time to read books together. It seemed like a waste of time to some of my friends, but it worked for me.

My kids did both with school lunches. We looked at the menu every day and if they didn't like what was served, we fixed a lunch. Our district is good when it comes to lunches, our kids have a full salad bar, fresh fruit and many choices, so again, check with your district about their food services.

I work in an elementary school, so I see the differences first hand between full day and half day. Some kids are put in full day (our district charges more for this) and it was a disaster for them, they were wiped out by the afternoon and couldn't keep up. Many schools are no longer offering half day programs. If he has never done a preschool or KDO, it may be too overwhelming for him and half day may be the better choice. Or, if he is mature and very social, he may be able to handle full day with no problem. Go with your instincts on that one...

Most major districts have pretty comprehensive websites. Maybe during naptime, you could have a look. I bet it would answer a lot of your questions. Good luck!

well, the 1st question would be: is he socially & academically ready for KG? This is your deciding factor...not his age, nor the circumstances at home. :) Most boys do better when age 6, over those young 5's. This especially holds true with children not accustomed to a preschool or daycare-type setting. Perhaps your district has a PreKG program which would help ready him. & personally, I love the full-day program for KG.

Next step would be: contact your school district. Your school will be based on your home address. Rarely is it a case of being allowed to "pick & choose"!

Once the school is set up, then it's time to request the KG screening checklist. By working from this list, you will be able to better prepare your child for the testing parameters. Some of the requirements may surprise you! After prepping kids for the past 20+ years, I just found out 2 days ago that our KG now uses a different ABC song.....the alphabet is now sung to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" - rather than the traditional ABC song. Just slap me silly....I thought I had this process nailed. :(

Thru all of the years when I did transportation for my sons, I found that it was a complete waste of time to get there early - especially when hauling babies! I found that by waiting until the bell, I was able to spend my time more productively + + no one was stressing in the backseat. I still waited in line, but it was short & manageable. Much better than sitting & waiting forever!

& as for lunch: we would just look at the menu each week & decide on our gameplan. This decision was revisited the night before, the basics were packed then...with just the fresh foods packed in the morning. We also made sure that all bags/supplies were stashed at the front door before bedtime...no last minute struggles the next morning!

If your child is properly prepared, then I believe you will find KG to be a BLAST! For me, it's the beginning of a lifetime of adventure in education!

You can inquire with the your PISD regarding intra-transfers. The information will listed on the website for rules, fees, etc. There are usually schools more popular and get requested more often... those are ones with the highest testing levels, etc... exemplary, etc. In Plano, the time to request an intra district transfer is January... spots fill fast. It is $50 non refundable fee. Of course, if you go to a school which is not in your boundary, you are responsible for transportation to and from school.

If your child has not been in any organized activities with other children his age, please get him in something now so it is not a shock to him. There are children to go to K and it is the first time away from mom.... some do extremely well, some still have spearation anxiety. As far as the academics, the children are tested early on to see what levels they start the year on and then are placed in groups all targeted at the same level. This way, the instructor can focus more heavily on some areas for children who need that extra help and they can do something more challenging for those above level at the time. Don't worry about his skill levels. They all even out....even the little Einstein's that some parents believe they have.. they learn at different levels and by the end of K, they are pretty much evened out on maturity level, social skills, education.

You have to plan your travel time depending on how far you are from the school. I sub teach and the children go directly to the gym to wait for the 7:30am bell and then are released to go to class. At 7:15, breakfast is served and they have an option to have breakfast. The car pool lines are worse if it is cold and rainy.

Afternoon pickup carpool line is more hectic. I see people lining up about 30 minutes before the bell at 2:45. You can either do it that way, wait in the car and pick up when it is your turn, or, park in the parking lot and go get your child, or come closer to 3pm (most all children are picked up by then and the line is very minimal). For parents who are late, the children go to the office and call them and wait in the library.

MUCH food is wasted at school both from being purchased at school and lunches brought from home. You'll get a menu with choices. A lot of children have their favorites and sometimes they buy, sometimes they bring lunch. The K's are served last at our school... too many choices, they seem to move slower through the line and it makes it easier on all the classes... It just gives them a little extra time plus with them being last (12:30) they are not as rushed to hurry up and eat. Rest assured... they do have snack and recess time before lunch.

Your child will be fine. It is hard to let them go but they long for some independence... Enjoy because the time flies!

sign him up for some kind of preschool NOW>. It will be a major shock to start school full day in the fall. Give him a chance to learn the rules of school in a 1/2 day relaxed preschool setting. Even 2 days 1/2 days will help.

for our school... there is a car line for drop off.. drive up.. a teacher opens the car door the kids hops out and mom drives off. quick and easy..
But for kindergardeners.. most moms park and walk their kids to school. Moms do not go in the school.. just wait outside till the classes go in.

Mix up the lunches.. eat the hot lunch on the days when he likes the choice.. pack a lunch on the days when they offer a yucky lunch. School lunches are pretty healthy these days.