This week, as all of your children head off to school, I've been thinking about this last year with Alex at home with me and I don't know why but I decided to check and see which elementary school he would be going to next year.
And that's when I saw it.
ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN!
I immediately had a panic attack and started crying (i'm still crying) because I can't imagine Alex going to school all day when he's only 5 and has never been away from me. I'm sure that he's going to be fine and that they help him do everything and show him where the lunch room is but I'm just freaking out!
I think I know why....when I was starting 2nd grade, my Mom followed my bus to school and then she drove away. I stood outside the school crying for quite a while because I didn't know where I was supposed to go. Finally...a teacher saw me standing outside and came out to get me and find out who the heck I was and where I belonged.
I feel terrible that I can't send Alex to preschool to prepare him for starting school, so I'm going to be preschooling him at home. I just hope that he picks up the other things quickly...like circle time and recess and stuff like that. I think I'll start making him raise his hand and ask me to go to the bathroom. Can someone that has had a child in all day kindergarten explain what their day is like? Do they have snacks and naps? What do they do all day? What about lunchtime...how do they handle that?
I need to find a way to get over this anxiety before he does start school...so that I don't traumatize the poor kid.
In other news...I discovered why my sleep aids haven't been working. I got the bottles mixed up and I've been taking stool softener. This might also explain why I lost two pounds last week.
I taught 1st grade - next door to 4K & 5K. I'll help you out!
ReplyDeleteThis might make you feel better - what they do (work) only takes about 3 hours. The rest is snacks, lunch, rest and maybe PE or Art class.
Most 5K classes are a lot of fun. Not too much sitting down. They usually have learning centers that they do (puzzles, playdough, something math based, science based, etc) each day. A lot of 5K classes begin with circle time and discuss the calendar and weather. The teacher will read books & maybe sing a song with the kids. You might find that you enjoy the homeschool side of things... if you can get him to listen to you (which would be HARD for PV).
Is it wrong I giggled about the stool softener? Because I did.
ReplyDeletealso Ativan, YAY!
LMAO at the stool softener! I heart you <3
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything that Katie said about school. I also taught first grade and I was across the hall from Kindergarten. The teachers understand that the children don't know about school yet. The first few weeks are educational but what they are really learning is the fundamentals of being a student. They learn how to walk in a line, how to have a buddy (for a buddy system type of thing), they learn how to sit for 15 min at a time at a desk, in a circle... They learn how to share in large group by doing learning stations. They learn how to stand in line, order their own food (TONS of help with this for each student so no worries), they learn to share their lunch space, socialize and clean up after themselves. They have fun and make friends all while learning and he will love it! I have never met a child who wasn't happy after the first 2 weeks no matter how rough it was on mommy/child in the beginning. I have told you before that Natalie started all day school last year including riding the bus home. That was a heart attack for me (she was 3) but she did so fantastic. He will thrive Connie and you will be so proud :)
Baby Girl gets to school at about 7:20, I drop her off and she walks to the cafeteria and then to her class (and there are tons of people helping). They have morning "routine" (which is getting their desk ready) then announcement, she has Language Arts from 7:50 - 9:20, then Work Centers for thirty minutes, then Science/Social Studies, then recess, then lunch for thirty minutes, then math for twenty minutes and then a rotation (PE, Art, Computer and Music), then more math, then snack time and then wrapping up the end of the day. She gets out at 2:20. Obviously I'm still at work so she rides the van to daycare with all her friends. I know it may sound weird, but I know that by about 2:30 she is at daycare and I relax because I know she is back to "normal" and with people that I know. I'm sure I'll get better as time progresses, but right now I stalk the school's website to see what she is doing during the day.
ReplyDeleteOh sweetie. Been there. The year Sierra was to start Kindergarten our school switched to all day/every day Kindergarten. Ugh. Sierra had *just* turned 5, and had never been away from home. I remember coming home from registration thinking "But, there's no bathroom in the classroom. She'll have to go to the bathroom, down the hall, all.by.herself." So . . . . I'm not going to lie, my anxiety contributed to me wanting to homeschool. But I had already wanted to from the get-go. I feel ya. BUT, I do know that teachers {Kindergarten teachers, especially} are clued in to the needs of 5 year olds. They are there to help and guide. Alex will be just fine.
ReplyDeleteTo get Alex some "circle time" experience, why don't you check into the reading programs at the local library- make him sit up front on his own (without you) to get him used to having to sit quietly and listen to the "teacher". Also, find a great church that has awesome kids programming and he will have "class" every Sunday without Mommy!! There are tons of resources and opportunities out there for FREE to help give him that independence!!
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be great- keep reminding yourself of that - I found with Jack that he was very independent and didn't want mom's help with Kindergarten.
~Becca
Oh man, I'm glad you're getting all the expert advice from those who've been there. We're in opposite situation here, since Moochie's been in "school" all day for two years. (special ed 1/2 day + daycare) And I concur that 1st 2 wks of kindergarten seems to be for establishing routine. My only advice would be not to let Alex pick up on your anxiety. Love to you all, and your comment on my Oprah thing cracked me up completely.
ReplyDeleteI second the story time idea. I had no money for preschool for my oldest daughter, and I had to make do. We did story time with her sitting up front, Sunday school, quiet play time (play dough, coloring, etc) until a buzzer rang (about 15 minutes), board games (taking turns, etc). She was fine when K started. Alex will be too!
ReplyDeleteYou may want to look into a preschool co-op. No cost, everyone helps out. Your local consignment store or food co-op may know about some, also Craigslist.
I'm not sure they do nap time at kindergarten. I am sure you will have him ready to go - but I understand the stress. I can't believe you were taking stool softeners - what a bit OOPS!! Hang in there! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Connie...but I too laughed out loud when I read stool softener. You know I love you, right?
ReplyDeleteDon't under estimate Alex. I am sure he will do just fine with all day kinder. I too am worried about what the next year will bring. Next fall, Madaline, at the age of 4, will get on the school bus, and go to school for 1/2 day UPK and then the following year, full day Kinder. It all seems to be happening so fast. My only saving grace is that, Madaline has been in daycare since she was 6 weeks old - and her new daycare that she started at the end of April is more organized (circle time, learning time, nap time, play time, etc.).
Really - you can do it - It will all work itself out.
my dear. it. will. all. be. fine.
ReplyDeletepromise.
and don't make the poor kid start raising his hand at home. he'll start that soon enough ... it's funny to see how they learn that and start to use it at the dinner table. ;)
guess what?
kindergarten is for teaching him how to be a student AND academics.
he will not be behind.
most importantly?
teach him to be a good friend and let him practice playing. let him do art. let him explore the world around him and see letters vs. numbers vs. names. let him play with a keyboard and practice manners.
he will be more than ready.
plus? they are pretty experienced at getting preschoolers to become 1st graders.
i think I choked on my lunch about that stool softener part. I want to drive to you and hug you.
ReplyDeleteGood advice above.
I, too, LMAO at the stool softener.
ReplyDeleteYou have a lot of educators giving you info in these comments, so I'll just tell you what I know from last year when Grant went to all day K.
At our school all day means from 8 to 1:15. They can't sit still long, so they go from "station to station" pretty regularly and there are lots of activities. They get snacks, they get recess, they get lunch... they get lots of fun things that keep them occupied and interested. It wasn't about 'circle time' so much as it was learning to get along with other kids. The social aspect of preschool and the structure of the day is more important than some of the basics they try to teach.
You'll be fine.
It will all be ok. Our Kindergarten is all day too. At our school the K class is the only one to have a bathroom in the classroom. The first few weeks were spent learning the rules of the class and school more than anything else. The kids catch on pretty quick. Our school doesnt have naps in K but they do have more down time where they get to go outside and get a break. Our K teacher was great! He will be fine Mama!
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of 1/2 time kindergarten personally. I believe I know what district you are in and they have choice enrollment so you spend sometime shopping around for a school, just don't go with your neighborhood school site unseen! TRUST ME on that one.
ReplyDeleteMy comment would be the exact same as J.J.'s - I laughed so hard, I spit out my water at my laptop - not at you, but with you.
ReplyDeleteHope you can get some sleep now, and still stay regular.
You've gotten some wonderful advice from everyone, Alex will be just fine... You, however, will have a meltdown when he starts just like I did when my son started school. :-)