Thoughts of kindergarden already.

PrairieMom wrote: I got a note in Ben's back pack that his preschool is going to have a kindergarten meeting and registration Dec 5th. If I want to sign him up it will be a $200. non-refundable fee.
ITS NOVEMBER! how am I supposed to know if he will be ready for kindergarten in 10 months? Good grief. I can't believe that we even have to think about this this early. Im still on the fence. He has a Mid may birthday, and will be 5 3/4 years when school starts, and his teacher says that academically he is very definitely ready. We just had his preschool conferences and he met his goals across the board, leaving me to wonder, what is he supposed to learn the rest of this year?

Anyway, I don't know if he is emotionally ready. Are there some guidelines listed somewhere? He has a TON of energy, and he has a hard time separating from us, esp. in strange places. Although, a lot can happen in a year.

I have a few options.

I can send him to private kindergarten, which is very expensive. I think about $200 a month, plus supplies, I THINK its all day every day.

I can send him to public school and if he has troubles I can hold him back a year.

I can send him to private kindergarten, then to public kindergarten the next year, just to be extra sure he is ready,

Or I could send him to private pre-k at his preschool, but really, he has already been in preschool for 3 years, can identify all letters, colors, shapes, numbers, and is already starting to spell stuff.

Everyone I talk to say they wish they would have held their boys back another year, I don't want to make a mistake. How do I know if he is ready or not?

Kaitlin'smom replied: sorry hun I dunno. I have to decided what we are going to do with Kaitlin and K next year, we have a few choises but I know I need to make a plan and soon.

It does sound like he will be ready for K next year. and you said he will be 5 3/4 years when school starts so he will be old enough and then some.

momofone replied: Maybe send him to the same school he would go to for 1st 2nd 3rd..... so he maintains the same friends because that helps motivate them to go.

PrairieMom replied:
I meant 5 1/4 I guess. I suck at math. But at any rate, He makes the cutoff. I just hate having to decide NOW. Plus, thre is no way I am the mother of a school ager.

PrairieMom replied:
That a good point. He's gonna have anxiety about it at some point, may as well be before he gets really strongly bonded to friends.

Kaitlin'smom replied:
I dont want to thinak about that either

MommyToAshley replied: I struggled with this last year as I had to register Ashley early and she barely made the cut-off. (She was in school for almost a month before she turned 5) The problem is that the private schools tend fill up early. Ashley's school went on a waiting list for Kinder by the end of December. If you want to send him to public school, then you have a bit more time... I think the registration for public school was around may or june? The only good thing about it is that you can tour the schools now while school is still in session and see the classrooms for yourself.

It sounds to me like Ben is ready. And, they really do grow a lot emotionally and socially in 10 months. If it were me, I would plan on sending him to Kinder. You still go for evaluation before school starts and get some feedback that way as well. But, it sounds like his preschool teacher feels he is going to be ready, and they usually know.

bawoodsmall replied: It sounds like he will be ready. How does he do know as far as drop off now? A year certainly can make a huge difference. Why the heck do you have to decide know? We have registration like in July here. Can you ask them if you have to sign up now? I do know the feeling of what the heck is my child going to learn the rest of the year. I hate to say it but I think I am sending my child to a daycare on crack. They are very nice but I dont know how much they are actually teaching her.

moped replied: Well if the teacher thinks he is more than ready then give him a shot - he might surprise you!

I bet he would do great in public school - then decide from there......

PrairieMom replied:
Our preschool has registration this early, and it fills up fast. Registration for preschool is in the beginning of January. Ben's preschool class filled up in one morning,so waiting to register is a non-option if we want him to go there.

He still has a really hard time separating from us in places that is us unfilmillar with. like Sunday school. He cires every week, and we have to peel him off us. , and he even refused to play soccer because we couldn't be on the field with him.

I know that he will have a hard time going to a new place with all new people. It would definitely be easier on him to go to the private school. He is at least used to that building.

momofone replied: I was nervous with my daughter starting school, the first day she was a little nervous
but the next day and there on she was happy.

luvmykids replied:
Holy cow, that is a great price for a private K if it is all day! The least expensive one I found was $340 per kid.

Anyway, if he's been in preschool for three years I would definitely be looking for something else for him. And it sounds contradictory but the separation issues might actually improve...a lot of the kids in the twins' class bawled and hung on to their parents for the first few days and were fine after that. I think my fear would be that another year of preschool would bore him, and then K would start with him not liking school, kwim?

It's scary stuff though, I torture myself over everything like this, send them or not, where to send them, etc...I analyze it to pieces but in the end I manage to go with my gut and so far haven't regretted it

bawoodsmall replied:
Trust me I can relate. Aiden is only 18 months but he cried every day for about uhh 14 months when I dropped him off. Does he cry continually after you leave or is it more for show? That is such a tough situation. So if you dont sign up know he may not be able to go right. I would prob sign him up and then if I decided he couldnt go be out the money. I have spent that much on junk before kwim.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Tara, I had the same struggles with sending Tanner. He has a late July birthday, he is one of the yongest in his class. However, he is at the top of his class academically. In the end, I realized I worried for nothing. He is doing really well, both academically and socially. He was SO ready for K I didn't even realize it. Every kid is different, so don't base it just on his birthday. I am VERY glad I DIDN'T wait another year to send him. He really needed to go and be challenged, and we found a school that was known for doing that and he is succeeding greatly. Maybe not challenged as much as I'd like, but he's still doing great.

I also wouldn't worry about the separation anxiety at this point. A 4 year old's anxiety is very different to that of a 5 year old. It's like day and night. Even if he has it now, doesn't mean he will be like that when he starts school. Tanner use to have AWEFUL anxiety at this age, but on the first day of K he barely even blinked at me.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
You also have to remember that Sunday school is once a week, not every day. It's not enough for him to get use to. It's not consistant. Same with playing sports, they are not consistant enough for them to get over their anxiety quickly. School will be much different, being that it's every day.

holley79 replied: I have no clue. Annika's Birthday is in Dec so because of when her birthday falls she will be turning 6 while in Kindergarden. She is starting pre- school Jan of 08 with the 2 year olds so she will be with children her own age. I have spoken with the director. Her husband is the director over the academy which is attached. They said if Annika advances through Pre- School and VPK then she can start school with the children her own age instead of starting later. We will see. If he's ready go for it.