I feel like 5 days/week 8:45 to 2:45 is way too much?

[TripMom]

Last year I sent him until 12:45 - and kept him home at least 1 or 2 days/week. Granted - I of course paid for 5 days - but at 3 years old that seemed crazy.

DS started his second year today. 4 years old. Teacher is really wanting us to keep him in until 2:45 and send him every day of the week. That seems crazy to me?

What are other schools doing? What to other Mont parents think?

[Shonahsmom]

My 6 YO dd is in Montessori. It is also 8:45 to 2:45.

How I feel about it is pretty irrelevant, as it is a necessity to me for her to be somewhere from atleast 8:30 to 5:30 every day since I am a single mama and I WOH full time.

It is too much. I feel sad about it everyday.

[wednesday]

My 3yo attends a Montessori preschool from about 9 to 5 every day but he goes for so long because we need FT childcare. They are not actually doing "preschool" the full day. The schedule there is 9-12 or so actual preschool with Montessori materials; then lunch, naptime, and for the kids who stay for aftercare it is pretty much free play from 3-5. Parents can choose as little or as much of the schedule as works for them, starting from only 2 days of 9-12 all the way through all day 5 days/week.

I do wonder what exactly the kids are doing in programs that insist they be there until 2:45 every day...in my son's school almost half of that would just be naptime...why would you pay for your kid to nap somewhere else if you don't need to?

[Hayes]

crazy. I think it is way too much. My 4yo will be going 3 days a week 9-1. I kept my 5yo home this year as our only choice was an 8-3 school, 5 days a week, and she and I need more time together than that!

[flyingspaghettimama]

I think it's fairly normal to have the four year olds in extended day until 2:45. That said, I didn't go along with the plan myself until she was 5 1/2. I did feel like the day was too long otherwise, and she was picking up some unfortunate behaviors from the other children. I think the directress will understand if you tell her that you are interested in just half-day until he's five or so.

The benefit of afternoons was that the younger children leave, so there's more one-on-one time available to the older children.

[Lillianna]

What reason did the Directress give for having him stay until 2:45?

In my experience (most schools in my area) have 1st and 2nd year students stay for 3 hours in the am, then they stay til 3 in the 3rd year. There are also "after care" programs and all day options.

Maybe he is out of sync with the others in the class because they are learning new lessons and practicing together in the time he is not there, kwim? Some of these strange policies...schedule, uniforms...are school-specific ways of responding to needs in their community, not a Montessorism per se.

Does he want to stay?

[mightymoo]

My DD is 3 and I would feel all day would be too much. She is going from 12:45 to 3:45 every day. I know our school would not allow a part to send a child for half day to a full day classroom though. They offer half day mornings and afternoons and full day classrooms (and then before and after care if you need more time) From what I can gather though its probably a much bigger school? (I think they have 3 full day CH two morning CH and 1 afternoon as well as UE and LE) so there is no need to sign up for a full day and go half as they offer half days.

I know from what they said at orientation that they would want the child there for the entire program because of waht the PP mentioned, they miss out on the introduction of materials, etc. and I'm sure its harder on the teacher to make sure the child is keeping up with materials and interrupts the flow of the classroom. Our school is very big on not disturbing the classroom flow by doing things like arriving late, etc. Of course they allow pickups, etc on a on-off basis.

[BeckiCNM]

I only sent my 4 year old to mornings - 8:30-11:30. I thought he was too young to go all day, too. His school has an all day program, but the afternoon is mostly nap time/open work time/outside play. When I was in school, he did go to after-care 2 days a week. He actually begged to go more.

This year (5 3/4), he goes to all day, because they have the kindergarteners together in the afternoon.

Becki

[TripMom]

Originally Posted by Lillianna

What reason did the Directress give for having him stay until 2:45?

The school dropped the 1/2 day program for Childrens House this year. Its only full day at the hours I noted. You can of course pick them up earlier - but they discourage it - and you will pay for full day (no 1/2 day payment like last year).

He does want to stay. But 4 seems really young to be off to school FT 5 days/wk?

[southernmama]

I think it is way long. My just 4 year old started and LOVES it but I hate her being away all day and they will not make her nap or even encourage it - she is one who so needs a nap or she just can't hold it together later in the day. I am considering trying to pick her up after lunch if they will let me- although they strongly discourage it. I SAH with my 10 month old ds and miss Lucy terribly each day (except during baby's nap time ha ha!) we were always such a team and I feel like she is starting down the path to independence so quickly. Also, I feel like I am missing out on so much.

[Sali]

our school is 8:45-12:15 for 2,3 and 4 yo, full day (until 3) for 5+...those extra two hours do seem to be a bit much--ds is 6 now, but when he was 3 and 4, he was so spent by 12:15.

hth.

[britmama3]

My son has just started the final year in his 3 - 6 pre-primary classroom and now attends from 8.45 until 3.00. He is 5.75 yrs old. Last year he only attended until 11.30am.

I would rather he still attended mornings only, but it is compulsory for children in the final year to attend all day. So far he is coping fine and in fact enjoying being one of the leaders in the classroom, but I will continue to moniter the position and speak to the director if I feel the day is too much for him. It was certainly fine for his big brother - he of the boundless energy LOL!

[TranscendentalMom]

I think it depends on the child. My son goes to a half day Montessori school 3mornings a week 8:30-12:30. It is plenty of time for him. There's another Mont school in my town which have full day program (8:30-2:30) and a few of my friends have their kids in it and they do very well in it. She said all they really do is nap after lunch and then play outside until pick-up so the extra separation doesn't feel like that big a deal. She has a new baby at home so it works for their family.

It definitely seems like the more *orthodox* Montessori theory is that kids should be all day to experience the full benefit of the program. Its something I disagree with. I personally feel kids have the rest of their life to HAVE to go to school or work and its nice to have a few mornings (or afternoons) a week that you get to stay in your jammies late and putter around the house or yard. I could see if I had a kid that was highly social and got bored easily I would feel different but that's not our situation.