Questions of Kindergarten: Full Day versus Half Day
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A post from LifeasMOM Contributor, JessieLeigh
About this time of year, notices start going home to the parents of 4 1/2 to 5 year olds; it’s time to start registering for kindergarten.
In my town this year, it’s a very hot topic. At story hour, birthday parties, and outside the pre-K classroom, mommies can be heard debating. Why? Odds are good that next year’s kindergarteners will be going full-day rather than half-day.
I’ve heard many arguments. There are lots of proponents for both sides. I’ve given it a lot of thought and I’ve decided I’m truly okay either way.
Here are some reasons to embrace your town’s kindergarten program, however they may do things:
Half-Day
Your child won’t be as overwhelmed and exhausted in the beginning. The majority of children entering kindergarten aren’t used to going to school every day of the week, much less all day. Some have never had any preschool experience outside the home. A half-day program may be an easier adjustment.
At least one of your child’s bus trips will be with other small children. It can be less intimidating to send your child off with a couple dozen five year olds than a bus full of “big kids.”
You won’t have to pack lunches or rely on what the school’s serving up. It can be easier to just feed your child at home and know exactly what he or she is eating.
You can still fit in some “daytime” outside activities, like story hour or tumbling class, etc.
If you’re a stay at home parent, you get more time with your child. I confess this is the biggest reason a part of me hopes our program remains half-day. I selfishly don’t want to let her go yet. The fact that I have another child who will be transitioning into full-day as he heads off to first grade doesn’t help matters…
Full Day
Your child will be on the same or similar schedule to any older children you may have. This can simplify bus rides or drop offs considerably.
You won’t need to arrange as much childcare if you work outside the home. Should this be the sole reason a town moves toward full-day programming? In my opinion, no. Still, it can’t be ignored that it is a real perk for many families.
You will have more “one on one”, “one on two”, etc. time with younger siblings. Later born children sometimes miss out on some of that!
Your child will be well adjusted to attending school full time before heading off to first grade. That transition has to happen at some point; your child will just do it a year sooner.
Your child will have more time to play with peers and socialize. This is the number one reason I can get behind full-day kindergarten. The expectations in public kindergarten have changed drastically since the days you and I attended. There are significant academic goals for our children. Added to that, you have teachers who are trying to get a whole group of young children (some of whom have had no group learning experience yet) into a routine. There is bound to be lost time. Sadly, free-play time is often what suffers. Having a full-day program offers more flexibility and opportunities for the children to play and socialize… two of the most important ways they learn at this age.
It remains to be seen whether my daughter will be going full day or half day next year. I am truly at peace either way.
How about where you live?
How does your town (or your home) do kindergarten?
— JessieLeigh is the mother of a former 24-week micropreemie and two full-term blessings as well. She is a determined advocate for the tiniest of babies, including the unborn, and a firm believer in faith and miracles. She shares about raising such a precious, tiny baby over at Parenting the Tiniest of Miracles.
My daughter goes to an all day Kindergarten and I love it!! She has a small snack before first recess. She knows what to do in the lunch room. She gets more one on one time because they are there long enough for the teacher to do that. She is advanced but is still challenged at her level. Other children are behind and are challenged at their level. Having more hours gives more opportunities to socialize, interact, get to know the ‘bigger kids’, have more time for their individual work, and she is way more prepared for first grade. I wouldn’t trade my all day Kindergarten and all she has learned this year!!!
This was very encouraging to read as i have put my five year old in kindergarten two weeks late determined that i would keep him home till it was mandatory he go but i realized it seemed that kindergarten was learning so much more and he didnt want to learn letters and writing from me but this transition has been the hardest for me as i want so badly to pick him up early and take him home i miss him so much, i feel like seven hours five days a week is so long so im trying to adjust he is the baby of our family, Joanna page
Thanks Jessica; you’re so awesome! I actually knew that; but they will put her right into 1st grade if we wait til next year. So it’s a tough decision. This has happened to two different friends who moved here from out of state and had not been to kindergarten. At this point I’m planning on starting her and if seems to be a problem homeschool her the rest of the year and hope she’s prepared for 1st grade.
Thanks again for the link. It’s been a few months since I read through it and I should again.
@Jessica Fisher,
We live in Manhattan. The New York state cutoff is 12/31. I think they don’t allow parents to hold children back for a variety of reasons: 1-the public schools are overcrowded, 2-many parents here go to extremes to give their kid a boost, 3-the whole system is so huge that I’m sure it complicates things when parents hold children back.
I’ve heard of rare cases where the chil starts kindergarten and then the parents, teacher and school administrators all agree to hold the child back.
@Kiasa, well, according to this brief from HSLDA, compulsory education in NY isn’t until 6. http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/New_York.pdf
If it really concerns you, I would read up on it and know your rights. The way I read this, your daughter doesn’t have to start until the fall that she will turn 6.
This is such a huge thing for me. I’ve been so worried about sending my daughter to kindergarten this fall. I kept thinking I was a way over protective mom. That may be true but it did dawn on me some o the other issues coming to play. The cut off date here is 12/31 and she has an October birthday. And were we live, we can’t hold her back (crazy, I know). If we don’t send her to kindergarten she will be stuck in 1st grade next year anyway. And it’s full-day! It’s just too much! She will be the only kid who has not been to school yet. Most kids are in daycare, preschool or have nannies as early as possible here.
@Kiasa, Wow, I’m so surprised that you aren’t given a choice of when to start K with an October baby… we have that 12/31 cut-off here, too, but parents still regularly hold those fall babies off a year. I don’t think you’re over-protective, but don’t worry yourself sick over it either… it is amazing how well many children adapt. 🙂
@Kiasa, are you sure? What state do you live in?
When my son started kindergarten 9 yrs ago, we only had the fullday option, however, he only had school Mondays, Wednesdays and every 2nd Friday. He had absolutely no issues with handling fulldays.
Wow, I’m surprised with all the budget cuts that your district wants to increase school time. I went whole day and we took a nap. I was fine. My district is the only whole day in the county so lots of people try to get into our program. I’d prefer half day just because my baby is still so little. I don’t see the need for him to be a big school kid already.
@Heather B, My town is huge, area wise, Heather and we have 3 elementary schools. Bussing for 2 classes a day at 3 schools costs a small fortune. The “powers that be” have concluded that it would cost less to hire more teachers than pay for those midday runs…