What pre-k school time shud we choose

[Neera]

There is an early morning session at about 8.30 (one session is for about 2 or or 2 hrs and 15 mins) and then another session at around 10.30. I am not sure which one I should go for. Dd is not a morning person and has never really been to a school/play school/daycare so I think the 10.30 might be an slightly easier way to help her transition to full time school??

I think this applies to public schools, don't know about pvt. school timings.

Thanks.

[MusicianDad]

If you think she'll do better in the 10:30 time slot, then go for that one. You know her best, so your instinct is most likely right.

[MamaKye]

My dd and I are night owls.  So when given the opportunity to select the afternoon Kindergarten class, I jumped on it.  Now I get to hang out with her and relax before and after school.  Also, I can be forgetful so if I didn't get to any of her papers sent home with her the day before, I get to it the next day before school.  Finally with them being so young, I don't feel the need to be so strict with schedule.  But that's me.  I'm very laid back.  If any of these factors apply to you, which time would suit the both of you better?

[hakeber]

Around here stores don't open until about 10am...so I'd definitely go for the later one so I could get errands done and have a relaxing cup of coffee with friends before picking up my LO...then pick her up just around lunch time...perfect!

I would never ever CHOOSE 8:30am...but then I hate rushing in the morning.

[Neera]

Thanks. The earlier time is 8.15 not 8.30 as I had mentioned earlier. I was just concerned about next year when she will be adjusting to the earlier time (as kindergarten onwards the school time will be 8.15) there will be other students in her class who will be used to the 8.15 time from their pre-k years. Just don't want her to have integrating issues, which is why I am leaning towards the earlier session, although I am a big believer in transitioning, especially someone like dd who takes her time to warm up to things.

[meemee]

we chose the 10:30 too. i think that's a great way to break into the school structure for night owls. 

when first came around i started our new schedule a couple of weeks before and while it had its moments we quickly adopted to the new schedule. of course i helped dd too by going for little treats in the morning. which we still do in 3rd grade and on those mornings dd can literally jump out of bed with sleepy eyes.

dd never went to bed before 11 to midnight for the first 5 years of her life. ever. now she goes back to that over the weekend and holidays. 

we had no real problems adjusting to school starting at 8. 

[Peony]

If she is a late sleeper then I'd do the 10:30 as well. It will get you used to doing the school routine, get that down, and then school it shouldn't be so rough to move it forward a couple hours. 

[Trac]

I faced the same decision a few years ago, and chose the earlier.  In hindsight, I wouldn't.  DS loves to sleep late, always has, and it is a struggle to get him up and out the door on time.  I listened to the "he has to get used to it sometime" arguement, but he has never gotten used to it, and all it did was add another year of stressful mornings!  If I had it to do over again, I'd take the later and be thankful for the extra time to ease into the day. 

[hakeber]

DS has been starting school at 7am since he was three and he's still not used to it...all it takes is a long weekend to get him out of his cycle. It's just one of those things...apparently everyone in Colombia, and Costa Rica like to get up at dawn...He is an Argentine at heart and hates to get up before 9 (that's when school started for us there) take advantage of the later start time while you can.

[LynnS6]

Why torture yourself for a year to get her ready for K in 2 years time? Relax at home, enjoy the freedom that not being in 'real school' provides and take the later slot! Dd actually did an afternoon preschool slot because she was soooo not a morning person. Kindergarten was hard on us all, but trying that transition at 4 would have been torture.

[Neera]

Thanks everyone for your help. I feel a lot better to hear from other moms who have kids that are not morning persons and go to bed late. Usually, it feels like I'm the odd one out. She will probably be more mature and probably more ready to wake up earlier at 5 1/2 than she might at 4 1/2 (which is when she will start pre-k).

[Neera]

when first came around i started our new schedule a couple of weeks before and while it had its moments we quickly adopted to the new schedule.

we had no real problems adjusting to school starting at 8. 

Hi,

Just wondering what you meant by "first" and "8?" Did you mean first grade and age 8?

[Neera]

Originally Posted by Trac 

I faced the same decision a few years ago, and chose the earlier.  In hindsight, I wouldn't.  DS loves to sleep late, always has, and it is a struggle to get him up and out the door on time.  I listened to the "he has to get used to it sometime" arguement, but he has never gotten used to it, and all it did was add another year of stressful mornings!  If I had it to do over again, I'd take the later and be thankful for the extra time to ease into the day. 

I've always wondered about that -  whether she will ever change and if I'd be just losing my sleep over it for an extra year.

[meemee]

Originally Posted by Neera 

Hi,

Just wondering what you meant by "first" and "8?" Did you mean first grade and age 8?

first grade at 8 am at age 6. if we were in any other state because of the cut off she would have started K at 6. 

however given a choice she'd rather choose school starting at 10 am and ending at 4 even in 3rd grade. we wake up quite a bit early because she also does not like being rushed. somedays we go to bed at 7 pm to read or sew or write in bed. for instance today we've been in bed since 6 pm because dd was having a hard day. even though fridays and saturdays are our midnight days, dd's been having a hard time lately because of mood swings. so i just held her and let her cry and snuggled and then sat up and read and joked and chatted. i went to bed earlier than her. she went off to hang out with our roommate and have dessert with him. 

so what i am saying is that dd has no choice but to be at school at 8. she gets up around 5:30 - 6 am since she has to leave the house by 7 am. 

it does not change that she is a night owl.