Full day kindergarten?

**Cricket1** · 03-20-2007, 10:10 PM

I understand that most of the country now has full day kindergarten in public schools. The town I live in is currently half day with the possibility of going full day next year. A lot of people in town are divided on this issue and I'm just wondering what's going on where you live.

**sunshine** · 03-20-2007, 10:14 PM

My oldest son is 22 years old -- they switched to all day kindergarten the year before he started school.

Now we have all day kindergarten as well as all day preschool--- what nonsense. Kids still needs naps, and time to be kids. . . but many working parents seem to be more concerned with not having to pay a babysitter/daycare, than what is in the kids best interest.

**Lady_V** · 03-20-2007, 10:29 PM

The town I am in has half-day kindergarten with a time-flip the end of January.
Other than the 'flip' which causes havok on the working parents, I think the half day works well... Majority of the kids in my town go to preschool, but even that is only 3 hours 3 or 4 days a week... and the kids need time to adjust to a more structured "big kid school'

**SHOPGIRL** · 03-20-2007, 11:04 PM

I'm a huge supporter of full day kindergarten. The school district I'm in doesn't offer it yet, but I hope that when my girls are old enough, it's available.

**Michelle68** · 03-20-2007, 11:21 PM

We've had all day kindergarten here for years. It's okay, but I see the kids that young really get tuckered out by the end of the day. Some of the poor little things end up falling asleep on the bus on the way home. They used to give the kindergarten kids a 15 minute naptime, but they don't even give them that now, according to my 5th grade son.

--Michelle

**Neeley** · 03-20-2007, 11:24 PM

The school system here has been full day for as long as I can remember. Most private schools are as well. DD was in a full day K-4 program at a private school. I loved her K-4 teacher and that program. She was the best thing to happen to DD's education. She gave DD a solid foundation and love for learning. DD then went to a kindergarten in the magnet program that was full day as well. She loved both schools. There was a nice balance of structured lesson time, nap time and play time. DS was also enrolled in a full day kindergarten program. He liked it. I would not say he loved it though. But he would not have loved a half day program either.

The counties around ours all only offer the full day program as well.

**Mamaof2rugrats** · 03-21-2007, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by sunshine

Now we have all day kindergarten as well as all day preschool--- what nonsense. Kids still needs naps, and time to be kids. . . but many working parents seem to be more concerned with not having to pay a babysitter/daycare, than what is in the kids best interest.

ITA.We have all day preschool and all day Kindergarten and my kids will go to neither(homeschoolers here).
I disagree with that much time at such a young age spent away from the parents and I don't believe that gives kids enough time to be kids.

**PB&J** · 03-21-2007, 01:02 AM

Full day has been here for a long time now. All my kiddos had full day. They all had a short rest period in the middle of the day, usually about 30-45 minutes. I would rather mine go to full day than half day.

**AmyBoz** · 03-21-2007, 06:23 AM

Our area has always had full-day kindergarten. It makes sense to me, as it is school, and school is a full-day. They have two recesses and a rest time and plenty of time to be kids, all the while, learning the foundations for what they will need in school. It helps them to really learn how to be in school before first grade when there things start to count. Half-day just isn't the same. By the time they get in and get settled down, you have little time to do anything with them.

And, yes, I'm a working parent, but I prefer full-day for the reasons above...not because I selfishly don't want to have to worry about daycare or a sitter. It's because I believe it is what's in the best interests of my children.

**YankeeMom** · 03-21-2007, 08:00 AM

Our schools have full day Kindergarden as well. My youngest went half day for pre-k and before that for preschool he went for 2 hours every other day. I think it's the hardest on the kids who go straight from no school to a full day of kindergarden.

My youngest is in kindergarden. I can't even remember the last time he needed a nap. Probably when it was about 3. Now the only time he naps is when he's sick.

They do get 'quiet' time in kindergarden, where they all lay down with their blankets and rest.

**mulligan** · 03-21-2007, 08:21 AM

Our kindergarten is full-day. And they have plenty of playtime and a good resty time in the afternoon. At first I didn't like the idea, as I had only known of half-day, but it's grown on me.

And if you have more than one kid in the school, it really is easier. I make two trips to school, not three or more, and I have the time during the entire school day to take classes, etc.

**northernmom2boys** · 03-21-2007, 09:07 AM

My kids are both in french catholic school board and they both went full days.It was tuff at first but they still get to have naps during the day and the teacher would say if they went beyond nap time she would let them sleep.They did fall into bed when they got home lol

**geckoace** · 03-21-2007, 11:11 AM

I went to all day kindergarten, im my city it has been mandatory for at least 30 years. the surrounding countiess are just starting to swtich over. As a child who did it i really don't think it had any negative side effects (that im aware of) alot of the county people are really upset but i think kids are more adaptable than we give them credit for. my son is 3 in the fall he will attend all day preschool but only 2 days a week and they give them a nap period around 1ish everyday and plenty of recess.

**Michelle** · 03-21-2007, 11:41 AM

The town I live in has 1/2 day kindergarten in all schools (4) except for the one my girls attend.

**yankeegal** · 03-21-2007, 11:52 AM

Our community as well is deciding whether or not to change to full day. I disagree with it. My children went 1/2 day and not every day either. They were fully prepared for a full day of school when they were old enough to handle a full day( 1st grade) They weren't behind the other kids in reading/school-quite the contrary and weren't socially immature either (Both myths in the full-day argument in my opinion) But I also think that it should be every parent's own decision. I would probably homeschool if someone tried to force full day.