2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

My DD is currently in a 2 day a week program for older 2s/young 3s. Her
program has asked us to do a survey on which options we'd prefer for next
fall. The options a
2 day a week, 9:00-2:30, including a nap time (this is what she's on now,
although I usually pick her up before nap since she doesn't nap much
anymore)
3 day a week 9:00-12:30, no nap
5 day a week 9:00-12:30
5 day a week 9:00-2:30

I'm honestly torn. I love having her home on the days I'm not teaching, but
she is loving preschool this year, loving her friends, and I think would
really like to do more. Would there be anything strongly favoring a shorter
or longer schedule for preschoolers?

She has a November birthday, which misses the October cutoff for schools
here but is in the window where many private schools accept students and a
waiver is possible for the public schools. Academically, she's already
higher on many skills than a lot of the entering students I had in the
public district, and socially she does well with older children and is very
independent and self sufficient, so at least right now, I'm seriously
considering entering her in kindergarten at almost 5 vs waiting until almost
6.

Suggestions from those who have BTDT?

Donna Metler wrote:
My DD is currently in a 2 day a week program for older 2s/young 3s. Her
program has asked us to do a survey on which options we'd prefer for next
fall. The options a
2 day a week, 9:00-2:30, including a nap time (this is what she's on now,
although I usually pick her up before nap since she doesn't nap much
anymore)
3 day a week 9:00-12:30, no nap
5 day a week 9:00-12:30
5 day a week 9:00-2:30

I'm honestly torn. I love having her home on the days I'm not teaching, but
she is loving preschool this year, loving her friends, and I think would
really like to do more. Would there be anything strongly favoring a shorter
or longer schedule for preschoolers?

She has a November birthday, which misses the October cutoff for schools
here but is in the window where many private schools accept students and a
waiver is possible for the public schools. Academically, she's already
higher on many skills than a lot of the entering students I had in the
public district, and socially she does well with older children and is very
independent and self sufficient, so at least right now, I'm seriously
considering entering her in kindergarten at almost 5 vs waiting until almost
6.

Suggestions from those who have BTDT?

Personally, I think the 2-day a week schedule is the
*worst*. They never really get into a good groove because it's
too long between school days. I think 3 days a week is a good
minimum, but of course scheduling makes that challenging. If
you use a room 3 days a week, then you have 2 days left over to
use ;-) The way our school works it out at one site is that
they have 2 2yo rooms and 3 3/4yo rooms. The 2yo rooms are
used for Mon/Thu and Tue/Fri classes, and then one of the
3-day 3yo classes moves to one of the 2yo rooms on Wednesday
so that they can pick up a 3rd day.
Anyway, the way it goes at our school is that 2yos
go for 2 days, 3yos for 3 days, and 4yos for 4 days. Everyone
goes for 3 hours (the 2s from 9-noon and the 3/4s from 9:15
to 12:15). I think the length of the school day is about
right, and I don't know why I'd want to pay a teacher to
watch my child nap if I didn't need the time.
For my first two, 3-4 days per week at 3 and 4
years old was just fine. For DD, she probably would have
liked more days per week. Right now she's going 4 days/week
at 4 years old, and she's ok with that, but could easily
go 5 days/week.
So, of your options, I would pick at least the
3-day option, and maybe the 5-day no nap option for next
year.

Best wishes,
Ericka

On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:46:42 -0500, Donna Metler wrote:

My DD is currently in a 2 day a week program for older 2s/young 3s. Her
program has asked us to do a survey on which options we'd prefer for next
fall. The options a
2 day a week, 9:00-2:30, including a nap time (this is what she's on now,
although I usually pick her up before nap since she doesn't nap much
anymore)
3 day a week 9:00-12:30, no nap
5 day a week 9:00-12:30
5 day a week 9:00-2:30

I'm honestly torn. I love having her home on the days I'm not teaching, but
she is loving preschool this year, loving her friends, and I think would
really like to do more. Would there be anything strongly favoring a shorter
or longer schedule for preschoolers?

She has a November birthday, which misses the October cutoff for schools
here but is in the window where many private schools accept students and a
waiver is possible for the public schools. Academically, she's already
higher on many skills than a lot of the entering students I had in the
public district, and socially she does well with older children and is very
independent and self sufficient, so at least right now, I'm seriously
considering entering her in kindergarten at almost 5 vs waiting until almost
6.

Suggestions from those who have BTDT?

I'm with Ericka, I think 2 days a week is a bad idea.

If she can nap at home, there's no reason to let her nap there, because it
looks like they don't have much time for anything else afterwards, so
you're paying extra for just naptime.

My kids have done the 2, 3 and 5 day route and we all like 5 day best
because of the routine. My kids like to know where they're going each day
and they like school.

Donna Metler wrote:
My DD is currently in a 2 day a week program for older 2s/young 3s. Her
program has asked us to do a survey on which options we'd prefer for next
fall. The options a
2 day a week, 9:00-2:30, including a nap time (this is what she's on now,
although I usually pick her up before nap since she doesn't nap much
anymore)
3 day a week 9:00-12:30, no nap
5 day a week 9:00-12:30
5 day a week 9:00-2:30

I'm honestly torn. I love having her home on the days I'm not teaching, but
she is loving preschool this year, loving her friends, and I think would
really like to do more. Would there be anything strongly favoring a shorter
or longer schedule for preschoolers?

She has a November birthday, which misses the October cutoff for schools
here but is in the window where many private schools accept students and a
waiver is possible for the public schools. Academically, she's already
higher on many skills than a lot of the entering students I had in the
public district, and socially she does well with older children and is very
independent and self sufficient, so at least right now, I'm seriously
considering entering her in kindergarten at almost 5 vs waiting until almost
6.

Suggestions from those who have BTDT?




I would pick either the 3-day or the 5-day no-nap option. If you pick
5-day, you can always keep her home for the occasional extra day - at
least, I did when my 4-year-old was in a 5-morning-a-week program.

Clisby

Donna Metler wrote:
My DD is currently in a 2 day a week program for older 2s/young 3s. Her
program has asked us to do a survey on which options we'd prefer for next
fall. The options a
2 day a week, 9:00-2:30, including a nap time (this is what she's on now,
although I usually pick her up before nap since she doesn't nap much
anymore)
3 day a week 9:00-12:30, no nap
5 day a week 9:00-12:30
5 day a week 9:00-2:30

I'm honestly torn. I love having her home on the days I'm not teaching, but
she is loving preschool this year, loving her friends, and I think would
really like to do more. Would there be anything strongly favoring a shorter
or longer schedule for preschoolers?

Over here, you'd probably have a 4 day option as well, which is the one
I used for my kids. 5 days was too much until they were at least 4yo,
so given your options, I would probably have chosen 3 days without nap.

(FWIW, the classes over here are often mixed up. The 3yo 2-day children
would be in the same class as the 4/5 day 4yo children: exactly who
was in class with them would be different each day. OTOH, by the time
they are 5yo, they would be in school, going five days a week.)

Hi --

My boys, both with August/September birthdays (just before the cutoff at
the time) did:

2-morning young 2's program. Very bad. They really needed 3 mornings
for the consistency. Both loved being there.

4-morning young 3's program. Both loved it and wanted to know why they
couldn't go on the 5th day, the way the older 3's did.

5-morning + 3 afternoon (til 2:30) 4's program, no nap. Both adored it.

Kindergarten and just 5 and nearl 5, respectively. Both thrived, and
are still thrving at 5th and 7th grades. (Both were clearly ready to
move from a play-based program to a more formal academic program when
they entered kindy.)

Your mileage may vary, of course :-)

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

On Sep 14, 5:46 pm, "Donna Metler" I'm
honestly torn. I love having her home on the days I'm not teaching,
but
she is loving preschool this year, loving her friends, and I think would
really like to do more. Would there be anything strongly favoring a shorter
or longer schedule for preschoolers?

The 3 or 5 day no nap options look good to me.
We chose less days of preschool because they would have missed out on
music classes, swimming lessons, gymnastics etc. depending on the
year.


waiver is possible for the public schools. Academically, she's already
higher on many skills than a lot of the entering students I had in the
public district, and socially she does well with older children and is very
independent and self sufficient, so at least right now, I'm seriously
considering entering her in kindergarten at almost 5 vs waiting until almost
6.

It sounds like she will be way ahead whenever she starts K. Depending
on her preschool and your local K options, the environment in
preschool might be more enjoyable at age 4-5 than spending time on
academics that are already below her level. I might wait on starting
K and have another year with more time for whatever activities she
loves. She can always skip grades later etc. Depending on what grade
gifted programs start in and what kind are offered, starting later and
skipping a grade might get her into a gifted program at the same age
without spending as much time languishing in a non-stimulating
classroom beforehand.

--Betsy

On Sat, 15 Sep 2007 14:47:10 -0700, betsy wrote:

On Sep 14, 5:46 pm, "Donna Metler" I'm
honestly torn. I love having her home on the days I'm not teaching,
but
she is loving preschool this year, loving her friends, and I think would
really like to do more. Would there be anything strongly favoring a shorter
or longer schedule for preschoolers?

The 3 or 5 day no nap options look good to me.
We chose less days of preschool because they would have missed out on
music classes, swimming lessons, gymnastics etc. depending on the
year.


waiver is possible for the public schools. Academically, she's already
higher on many skills than a lot of the entering students I had in the
public district, and socially she does well with older children and is very
independent and self sufficient, so at least right now, I'm seriously
considering entering her in kindergarten at almost 5 vs waiting until almost
6.

It sounds like she will be way ahead whenever she starts K. Depending
on her preschool and your local K options, the environment in
preschool might be more enjoyable at age 4-5 than spending time on
academics that are already below her level. I might wait on starting
K and have another year with more time for whatever activities she
loves. She can always skip grades later etc. Depending on what grade
gifted programs start in and what kind are offered, starting later and
skipping a grade might get her into a gifted program at the same age
without spending as much time languishing in a non-stimulating
classroom beforehand.

I had a friend whose dd skipped from kindergarten to first grade after
being tested. She was clearly bright enough for first grade. However, my
friend would never choose that option had she had the opportunity to do it
all over.

It would have been better to start kindergarten early, because there was
lots of material, things that my friend never thought to teacher her dd,
that was missed by skipping and her dd had lots of catching up to do. It
was all minor, like adding horizontally vs. vertically, writing whole
pages, etc. It was nothing the child couldn't learn quickly because she
was bright, but it all added up and the process of skipping was stressful,
though she caught up within a couple of months.

In our state, with a November birthday, entering school at age 4 would be
the right age. Entering at 5 would be considered redshirting. I would say
enter her at age 4. She sounds ready. Enter her later and she might be
bored, like my friend's child.

2 day a week, 9:00-2:30, including a nap time (this is what she's on now,
although I usually pick her up before nap since she doesn't nap much
anymore)
3 day a week 9:00-12:30, no nap
5 day a week 9:00-12:30
5 day a week 9:00-2:30

our DS is 6months older than your DD, so we're in this place right now!

We originally planned for him to be in 5 day a week preschool this year,
it seemed like a good idea at the time, then I realised how unflexible
it would be. Given we have part time kindergarten here, there's a
possibility of the following year being unflexible, so we withdrew him,
from the 2 day program (same school, they have a 2 day drama and
literature class which can only be done in addition to another class).
So that's why we didn't want 5 days, it may be different for you. I'd
run a mile from the 5 longer days, even if you do pull her out before
nap time, my personal feeling is that even if your child isn't there the
full time, those kind of hours turn it much more into a daycare setting,
which obviously might be what some people need. Having said that, our
preschool allows the children to stay for lunch 3 days of the week, they
take there own lunch and it makes the morning 4hrs, rather than 2.5, but
it's more like a separate thing than an extension of class, there is
just one group, but 4 morning classes. I'd be inclined to tick the 3 day
9-12.30 box - sometimes it's easier if you don't have options and you
just have to choose from what's available, there are pros and cons of
everything!

Cheers
Anne

I would pick either the 3-day or the 5-day no-nap option. If you pick
5-day, you can always keep her home for the occasional extra day - at
least, I did when my 4-year-old was in a 5-morning-a-week program.

5 days from shortly after age 3 in the UK, we got 3 weeks of it, not
knowing when our visas would be issued, we went through all the
orientation and what not, we were told that many many children would
take one day off per week and a lot of them simply couldn't manage 5
days, particularly at the beginning of the year. We've swung from one
extreme to the other, DS would have started full time school last week
in the UK, here (WA) he starts part time school next year, the exact
same amount of time as he got a full year ago in the UK. I'm mightily
relieved he isn't starting school now, he's got noticeably tired by
increase in activity levels in the last 10 days, so how on earth he'd
have coped with full time school I do not know!

Cheers
Anne