(Xposted in Working Moms)
Our dc goes to age 5. Its in the downtown core, and there are no schools anywhere nearby that it is affiliated with for a schoolage program. Here we have an option whether to start kids in JK in the year they turn 4 or SK in the year they turn 5. Kindergarden is 5 half days, a little over 2 hours.
We really like our dc, and DD (age 4) is doing just fine there. We were pretty firm in our decision to keep her there instead of going to JK. I don't think a big transition to a new dc and school is a good idea this year for her. She is working through some pretty challenging emotional and social milestones, and I feel better about her doing that in a familiar setting, with a much smaller teacher:student ratio. In her class right now, its 1:8, usually fewer since the preschool room is never full. It would be more like 1:20 in kindergarden.
All the other parents in the centre are freaking out (IMO) about sending their kids to JK, thinking that their kids are going to learn how to read and do calculus in 2 hours a day, and that if they stay at the dc, they will just be "playing" and will be left behind, or worse yet "not get ahead". I just now found out that the ONE peer DD's age who we thought was staying at the centre next year is going to be leaving. I wasn't crazy about this kid, but the two of them do get along pretty well, and she is very gregarious, would probably draw out my DD a bit. There will be no other kids in the room as old as my DD. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that there will be any new kids come into the centre her age.
Its already been breaking my heart that DD's best friend will be leaving to go to JK. I don't know when, but it will be in the next few months. Even the teachers at the centre are blown away by how these two bonded right from the infant room. They say they usually see kids drift in and out of friendships, but not these 2. DD also considers his toddler brother one of her best friends, which I love. I haven't discussed any of this with DD yet, but I know that she's aware that lots of kids will be leaving to go to school in the fall.
Part of me is still confident that this is the best setting for DD next year, but now I'm worried that she will not get the interaction and attention that she needs at this age. Registration for fall 2006 is a done deal. Of course we can get her in at the school in our neighborhood, but we were hoping to look around a bit next year and choose out of 3 or 4 school, possibly out of district.
Part of me is wondering if we should just take a big leap and do JK. Maybe another option is to keep her in a dc, but one where she would go FT next year, then go to SK the following year.
Of course I think all the other parents are making a bad decision. But I am also worried that I'm making a lousy choice myself. The peer pressure is driving me nuts! WWYD?
Our dc goes to age 5. Its in the downtown core, and there are no schools anywhere nearby that it is affiliated with for a schoolage program. Here we have an option whether to start kids in JK in the year they turn 4 or SK in the year they turn 5. Kindergarden is 5 half days, a little over 2 hours.
We really like our dc, and DD (age 4) is doing just fine there. We were pretty firm in our decision to keep her there instead of going to JK. I don't think a big transition to a new dc and school is a good idea this year for her. She is working through some pretty challenging emotional and social milestones, and I feel better about her doing that in a familiar setting, with a much smaller teacher:student ratio. In her class right now, its 1:8, usually fewer since the preschool room is never full. It would be more like 1:20 in kindergarden.
All the other parents in the centre are freaking out (IMO) about sending their kids to JK, thinking that their kids are going to learn how to read and do calculus in 2 hours a day, and that if they stay at the dc, they will just be "playing" and will be left behind, or worse yet "not get ahead". I just now found out that the ONE peer DD's age who we thought was staying at the centre next year is going to be leaving. I wasn't crazy about this kid, but the two of them do get along pretty well, and she is very gregarious, would probably draw out my DD a bit. There will be no other kids in the room as old as my DD. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that there will be any new kids come into the centre her age.
Its already been breaking my heart that DD's best friend will be leaving to go to JK. I don't know when, but it will be in the next few months. Even the teachers at the centre are blown away by how these two bonded right from the infant room. They say they usually see kids drift in and out of friendships, but not these 2. DD also considers his toddler brother one of her best friends, which I love. I haven't discussed any of this with DD yet, but I know that she's aware that lots of kids will be leaving to go to school in the fall.
Part of me is still confident that this is the best setting for DD next year, but now I'm worried that she will not get the interaction and attention that she needs at this age. Registration for fall 2006 is a done deal. Of course we can get her in at the school in our neighborhood, but we were hoping to look around a bit next year and choose out of 3 or 4 school, possibly out of district.
Part of me is wondering if we should just take a big leap and do JK. Maybe another option is to keep her in a dc, but one where she would go FT next year, then go to SK the following year.
Of course I think all the other parents are making a bad decision. But I am also worried that I'm making a lousy choice myself. The peer pressure is driving me nuts! WWYD?
