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half or full day JK?
Topic Started: Jun 27 2008, 02:23 PM (435 Views)
npl
Bala Buste
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DS did get placed in JK for September (technically too young by 2 weeks, but is ready for the programme). Now we have to decide whether to put him in till 1pm or 3pm. Not a financial issue (v. reasonable additional cost). I'm just not sure whether he is ready for a full day. I'm wondering if he will get tired, as he still naps on some days (and then won't sleep till late). Some school days he does fine, and most days when there isn't school he also doesn't nap (not today though, because he slept 2 hours!).
From our point of view, having him in school till 3pm would be good, because dh will be able to get more uninterrupted work time (and I might actually start doing some substitute teaching). On the other hand, if he is too tired, he won't benefit from the longer hours, and there is a good chance that he will fall asleep later in the afternoon, which will make bedtime even later! I'm guessing that he will give up his nap sometime this year (my others gave up daytime naps at around age 2!). Another factor is that almost all the kids do stay for the afternoon, which means limited play-date possibilities.
What do you think?
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ICan
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I would start with half day and if it works well and you think he will do well with full day keep him longer.

On an aside, why is he going into the JK if he is too young for it?
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realeez
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How old is he?
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zuncompany
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I would say half day with a full day option.
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npl
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He's 3 and a half. He misses the cut-off by 13 days, and the school he went to this year agreed to give him a trial in the Nursery class as I was having health problems and needed him to be in a 5-day programme in the same place as his siblings. But, once he was in the class, it was clear that it was the right placement for him, and he did well in the class. His teacher this year had no doubts that he should be promoted with his class, and the Nursery class in the new school would be a step backwards (he learned his abc and alef beis this year and is starting to try to read, eg, but the new school Nursery class is all play-based and doesn't do any reading readiness, etc). The plan is to watch him in JK and SK, and have him repeat a year before he gets to Grade 1 if he looks like he would benefit from it.
He is definitely quite mature, probably as a consequence of being the youngest of 3. I was really quite ambivalent about him being promoted, but in this specific case he'd do better doing JK twice than Nursery twice. Maturity level not withstanding, I'm still not sure whether he would benefit from the extra two hours.
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Zeesachaya
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Rebbetzin
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Does he still nap? Would you basically be taking him home early for him to nap with you or do they nap there? I'd say start a half day with an option to do full. Honestly, I think this is rather young (for my personal comfort level - not judging anybody else) to leave them in a full day unless it's a necessity for health or parent work/daycare needs.
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npl
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They don't nap at school - if he needs a nap, he'll just have to go through school tired. I'm a great believer in the idea that kids will nap if they need it and won't if they don't. And he does sometimes still need the nap. If he clearly didn't need the nap, then I think he would benefit from the afternoon. Of course, I never considered it with the other two (it was v. expensive and there was another sibling home to play with in the afternoon). I think the fact that so many of the kids do stay, and they make it so financially attractive, makes it more tempting to me. That plus the fact that dh is working from home and finding it harder to concentrate when he's home. I guess we managed with 2 home in the afternoon and with a little creative thinking we could manage from 1-3:30. If he does stay till 3pm it gives me an interesting juggling act with pickup at 3pm, back there for 3:45 to collect his sister and then straight to the other campus to collect his brother (wouldn't have to take him for the second trip unless dh was away).
My instinct with the other kids was that 1/2 day was enough at this age. Guess maybe we should stick with that instinct again, and just be more creative with the after-school routine (maybe sign up for a music class? arrange a regular playdate?)
Thanks guys!
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Estie
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Zeesachaya
Jun 27 2008, 04:16 PM
Does he still nap? Would you basically be taking him home early for him to nap with you or do they nap there? I'd say start a half day with an option to do full. Honestly, I think this is rather young (for my personal comfort level - not judging anybody else) to leave them in a full day unless it's a necessity for health or parent work/daycare needs.
I agree. I had a very hard time with my Sept daughter who really needed a nap and they didn't have one in school. After begging they did institute a rest period and she slept most days. I would either keep him only a 1/2 day (my daughter's school did not have that option) or beg and plead for a rest time for everyone.
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Estie
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npl
Jun 27 2008, 04:38 PM
My instinct with the other kids was that 1/2 day was enough at this age. Guess maybe we should stick with that instinct again, and just be more creative with the after-school routine (maybe sign up for a music class? arrange a regular playdate?)
Thanks guys!
I wouldn't sign up for anything, for that he can stay in school. I would put him in for quiet time. Then he gets his rest, doesn't disturb your DH and he's home.
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realeez
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My dd will be 3 in September and will be starting her first year of school and aside from her few hours of camp, she's not used to going out consistently. Two days of the week, I will be working from 12:50-1:50 and she finishes at 12:45. The school afternoon program goes until 3 pm but I don't think she's ready for it so those 2 days, she will go to a friend for that hour and change (and in exchange I'm helping her out with her son who is my son's age). It would be so much simpler to just leave her all day but honesty, I don't think she is ready for that... Oh well!
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hallie_ari_mom
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At 3.5 Hallie was in school until 1 and at 4.5 til 3. It worked well for her. Also, were were able to extend for like 2 days if we wanted to, so they can get used to a longer day slowly.
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realeez
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hallie_ari_mom
Jul 23 2008, 09:17 AM
At 3.5 Hallie was in school until 1 and at 4.5 til 3. It worked well for her. Also, were were able to extend for like 2 days if we wanted to, so they can get used to a longer day slowly.
I did the same with my second son but my first son didn't go til 3 until age 5. Last year we drove home a 3-year-old who stayed until 3 and he would fall asleep most days in the car and wake up in a grouchy mood. Every day he would announce that today he isn't going to fall asleep!
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npl
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Just seeing these more recent posts - thanks for sharing your experience, Estie!
We did decide to put him in only till 1pm (although dh wants me to find out if we can pro-rate the fee if we change our mind part-way through the year).
Realeez - I'm glad you managed to find a compromise situation for your dd. Sounds like the best of both worlds for her and you. If our kids are going to the same campus, at least there will be one other kid leaving after lunch (although they aren't in the same class, and I know of at least another kid who is leaving at 1pm).

HAM - you posted while I was trying to get this post to go through - always glad to hear that others decided that 3pm isn't necessary for JK (even if most people here do it, or double-programme with the public school in the afternoon).
Edited by npl, Jul 23 2008, 09:44 AM.
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realeez
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DD is actually going to BY next year!
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npl
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Oops - sorry! I guess I got the wrong end of the stick! Hope it works out well for her (and you!).
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