[jenstarns]

I need some advice. My daughter is going to kindergarten. We are very excited and went to meet her teacher. ( I was a day late for the open house Great first impression) Anyway so they go from 8-3:15 and have no nap or rest time! I think that is strange. My daughter doesn't take a nap anyway but I think it is going to be really hard on her that there is no rest time, the day is full from start to finish. WOW this really surprised me. Aren't we asking our kids to grow up a little fast? So if anyone has had to deal with the 1st day of school, or teachers who can tell me the thinking behind this. My daughter went to preschool M-T but only 9 till 11:30. I remember the days when kindergarten was only half a day!

[gothprincess]

I thought the same thing..all day kindergarten..WTF! But the kids adjust very fast. My son is now in 3rd grade and survived all day kindergarten, but some days he did need a little nap when he got home. In our school district they have 'center time', where they sit or lay quietly on the carpeted area while the teacher reads to them.

[mapgirl]

Both of mine had a nap time in kindergarten. I would think it would be hard for a little one to not nap sometime/some days. Heck, even up to 2nd grade if a child fell asleep (every now and then) it was OK.

I too remember only going half a day. I'm not sure when that changed. I guess it was easier on the parents if they had more than one in school.

[MaggieinATL]

No nap time at my daughter's kindergarten. The good news is it's a great way to get your child in an EARLY bedtime routine because they are beat around 7:30 after the big switch.

Cherish the moments-they go fast. Mine just started college. Kindergarten feels like yesterday.

[daiseered]

I went to kindergarten all day, didn't know there ever was 1/2 day kindergarten! That was about 21 years ago.

[Nursy Lori]

Originally Posted by daiseered

I went to kindergarten all day, didn't know there ever was 1/2 day kindergarten! That was about 21 years ago.

Yep, when I was in kindergarten 31 years ago, we only went a half day.

[jenstarns]

Thanks ladies for the comments. I hope my daughters adjust easily, I do look forward to her being ready to go to bed earlier. Bedtime is still a struggle with us many night. My DD has a hard time when she is sleepy she acts like a wild child bouncing ff the walls, or cries and throws a fit. I guess I will be needing prayers these 1st few week!!! I will need the patience to deal with DD cause I know she is going to be tired, and so am I!!

[crazycheylove]

My kiddos had nap time. One wasn't used to naps at all and I thought it would be a prob for him/her, but they would fall asleep every time. I think they would have been way crankier without the nap.

As a sub. teacher, I wouldn't ever want to miss nap time. I believe the kiddos need it to rejuvenate themselves!!!!!!

And I went to half day kindergarten as well...............over 20 years ago.

[Jsmom]

I thought the same thing as well. My son starts Kindergarten next week as well and the teachers said that they do not nap, however they do have some downtime in the afternoon and if one of the kids are tired/sleepy they can nap. I am actually happy that they do not have to take a nap, because as it is now my little one is not ready to go to bed at night. I think it's because he takes a nap at around 1pm at school, so when he gets home he's not tired and I have to fight with him every night to got to bed.

I'm sure I'll still have to fight w/ him to go to bed once he starts, but hopefully he'll give up a little easier now without his afternoon nap. We'll see

[SHess2004]

My daughter, who starts 1st grade on Monday, had half day kindergarten. Although her best friend, who is in private school, went to all day kindergarten. Her mom told me that the up side of all day school is that they did all of their homework while at school. There was never any work sent home. I don't know if that is normal but it is something to look into. The down side of all day kindergarten, she said, was that her daughter would come home, nap, then be up late. After a while the daughter started going to bed at 7:30 to 8pm.

It is an adjustment, like any change. Personally, I think 8 hours at school a day for a 5/6 year old is extreme. It's a huge change in their normal routine.

[jenstarns]

I do think that all day kindergarten is a little much., but I am thinking positive (trying to) on the upside I hope that she will be easier to get to bed. I think she needs to be asleep no later than 8pm but I seem to be in the minority here where I live and in the house I live in Husband doesn't realize how much sleep kids need and then he wonders why she starts acting wild later in the day!!!! Silly man.
Anyway I am glad to know that I am not the only one that thought all day and no rest or nap time was a little extreme. I think I lucked out on the teacher she got. Teacher made a point of telling me that it was going to be hard for most kids to adjust and that was going to be a hard few weeks. Glad to know she is ready for it, All teachers out there you have my admiration!!!

[kinderteacher]

Hi, I've been teaching preK or Kindergarten for the past 18 years...so hopefully I can ease your mind a llittle bit. Most of the time, the teacher has a rest time (just putting on classical or lullabye music with lights turned down and heads down) for about 30 minutes after lunch/recess, especially in the beginning of the year. Kindergarteners develop so fast, that by Jan/Feb, they barely need the rest time. Also, I know that my whole afternoon from about 1:30 to 3:15 is more unstructured....play time, jcenters, ending circle time, music, etc. You will be SO surprised at how your kdg rises to the occasion and adjusts so quickly!

Most schools really have to go to the full l day schedule for kdg in order to keep up with the state standards/curriculum. We have soooooo much to teach, and yes ... sometimes I think we are asking too much, but thank goodness it is the teachers who are in charge of implementing the curriculum and most of us are experts on what 5 and 6 year olds can handle, so we tailor our instruction to the needs of our class.....moving at a pace they can handle and making most all lessons hands-on with plenty of manipuolatives and as much fun as possible!

The reason I LIKE the full-day curriculum is that it allows us to cover FUN stuff, (plants, butterfly hatching, art projects, etc) . Otherwise, a half-day kdg. is all reading and math. Sorry this was so long, but I hope you feel better!

[Lady Shazerz]

It's still a half day here in Idaho. It's funny, the moms here WANT the full days...I enjoyed the half day but I was a SAHM at that time. Now that I'm working...it would probably be hard. But as the teacher above me said, kids are SO versatile...they don't show it at home but when someone else is setting the rules and the other kids are 'doing it' they really don't fight like they do at home.