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I'm in NY, and thanks to our mayor, there is an enormous push for full day Universal Pre-K. I'm pretty certain next year all Universal Pre-K programs(meaning it's free), will automatically be full day and there won't be the option of half day programs. The applications aren't out yet, they will be in a few weeks, so I'm not positive of that. I have to say though, I'm still not 100% sure about this. I can't help but think that a full day 5 day a week program is just so much for a 4 year old. I understand the curriculum is different then when I went to school in the 80s, (one of my degrees is in Edu), but I just think, isn't half a day enough? Or just a 3 day program? Pre-k isn't even mandatory, but I'm made to feel like "Omg, you are not sending your kid to pre-k?" if you dare mention that to another parent you come across. I felt like that even with pre-school at 3. I even read an article that said "Universal Pre-K is no more then daycare for working parents." While I wouldn't go that far, and I think most, but not all, kids are going to enjoy being around other kids. But, are kids REALLY going to fall through the cracks if they don't go full day? Or better yet, just start in kindergarten?
Right now I'm a SAHM, with a 75% chance I will return to work next year. That is when and if I can find a full time job. But, I was "supposed" to go back this year too, and I ended up home. So, I'm starting to feel guilty thinking why am I going to send my kid to a full day school at 4 if I'm home during the day? But, if I do return to work, that will save about $10 grand easily in childcare, since we will only have to pay for our youngest to be watched then. We weren't even going to send her to pre-school this year at 3, but got told by her speech therapist (who ended up being craptastic and I've since switched and luckily got an amazing therapist), how pre-school will help her with her speech, yadda yadda. Well, it did 0, but DD loves going to pre-school. IMO, it's a 2 hour play date for her 2x a week lol. With our next kid, I would have no qualms about not sending her.
So, how do you all feel about full day pre-k? Did you send your kid? Why or why not?
I'll have a 4-year old in preschool four mornings per week next fall, and that's the perfect amount of time for me. I would not want him in there full time. He'll be in full day school for 13 years (at least) while under my watch; I kind of want to spend some time with him while he's little and still enjoys my company.
I can see the value for working parents or lower SES kids. But personally, no thanks.
I personally like half-day better because it's a lot for a little kid to suddenly be in a full-day of school. But man, that half-day is only actually 2.5 hours, so between the 20 minute drive each way, I barely had an hour between drop off and pick up!
I personally like half-day better because it's a lot for a little kid to suddenly be in a full-day of school. But man, that half-day is only actually 2.5 hours, so between the 20 minute drive each way, I barely had an hour between drop off and pick up!
I hear you on that. I usually just end up doing errands when my oldest is in pre-school. But, luckily, I'm only a 7 min, drive each way. But even then, by the time i get hometo spend time with my youngest, it's time to leave.
Yeah, when my middle kid was in pre-k it was a disaster because her drop off time conflicted with my older kid's school bus time, and my youngest was still a baby and in that fall-asleep-as-soon-as-the-car-gets-moving stage. She ended up going full-day because a spot opened up in the afternoon session and we jumped on it, but she was totally ready and loved it. We won't know until August (grrrr) if my little guy will get a UPK spot, but if he does I'm going to stick with the half-day; he's my last baby and I don't want to rush the last of his home-with-mom years, kwim?
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Originally Posted by Me 82
I hear you on that. I usually just end up doing errands when my oldest is in pre-school. But, luckily, I'm only a 7 min, drive each way. But even then, by the time i get hometo spend time with my youngest, it's time to leave.
I'm in NY, and thanks to our mayor, there is an enormous push for full day Universal Pre-K. I'm pretty certain next year all Universal Pre-K programs(meaning it's free), will automatically be full day and there won't be the option of half day programs. The applications aren't out yet, they will be in a few weeks, so I'm not positive of that. I have to say though, I'm still not 100% sure about this. I can't help but think that a full day 5 day a week program is just so much for a 4 year old. I understand the curriculum is different then when I went to school in the 80s, (one of my degrees is in Edu), but I just think, isn't half a day enough? Or just a 3 day program? Pre-k isn't even mandatory, but I'm made to feel like "Omg, you are not sending your kid to pre-k?" if you dare mention that to another parent you come across. I felt like that even with pre-school at 3. I even read an article that said "Universal Pre-K is no more then daycare for working parents." While I wouldn't go that far, and I think most, but not all, kids are going to enjoy being around other kids. But, are kids REALLY going to fall through the cracks if they don't go full day? Or better yet, just start in kindergarten?
Right now I'm a SAHM, with a 75% chance I will return to work next year. That is when and if I can find a full time job. But, I was "supposed" to go back this year too, and I ended up home. So, I'm starting to feel guilty thinking why am I going to send my kid to a full day school at 4 if I'm home during the day? But, if I do return to work, that will save about $10 grand easily in childcare, since we will only have to pay for our youngest to be watched then. We weren't even going to send her to pre-school this year at 3, but got told by her speech therapist (who ended up being craptastic and I've since switched and luckily got an amazing therapist), how pre-school will help her with her speech, yadda yadda. Well, it did 0, but DD loves going to pre-school. IMO, it's a 2 hour play date for her 2x a week lol. With our next kid, I would have no qualms about not sending her.
So, how do you all feel about full day pre-k? Did you send your kid? Why or why not?
If you don't like the full day preK, you don't have to put your child in it. The free preK is great, but not for someone who wants half days.
Personally, I think 3 hours a day is great for 4 year olds and I would also want play based preK without all the crazy academic curricula. My own kids went to a 2.5 hour program, but that was back in the 70s. They went 3 days at age 3 and 5 days at age 4.
Whether or not the full day program is too much for a 4 year old will depend on the child. If your child is going to day care because you work, s/he is probably already in a full day program.
Neither preK nor K are mandatory in most states. If you have a parent who actually takes the kids to events - library story hour, little gym, museums, music programs, to the park, etc., they can get all they need without any preschool. They will, however, need some experience of being away from the parent and understanding the school routines. This can easily be done in a half-day program though.
Depends on what kind of curriculum it is. If its very academic then I think that would be a bit much for 4 year olds but if its playful learning and social skills then that's great. A choice between half or full days would be nice for parents who want that choice but I suppose it could make it more difficult for the teachers to have some kids coming half days and some full days. Half days suck though for the parent, barely any time after dropping off before you have to go back and get them again!
But having something like this for free would be greater for lower income parents, and those that don't take their child to things like nana053 mentioned that help with the social skills and preparing for school. And its good for the kids as it can help them all get the same starting point for school, so there's less of a gap in skill levels once they actually start school. Plus if the pre-Ks are associated with the schools the children will go to it gives them a chance to form friendship groups while they're still at the age that they mingle more freely (this is something my 4 year old's teacher explained to me, the importance of spending a lot of time with her peers right now so she can be part of the friendship groups before they start school, apparently its more difficult for the ones that stay home until 6)
I work most days and my 4 year old goes to full day pre-k. She loves it. They play, do some learning activities, have a nap and a snack, go outside... it's not high pressure at all and she learns how to behave in a school setting and follow directions from people other than mommy.
I never considered a half day situation for her. Not everyone has the luxury of driving kids back and forth during the workday.
I think full time school is too much for 5 and 6 years let alone 4 year olds. The kids will always have time to learn how to behave in a school setting. There's no need for a child, barely out of toddlerhood, to learn it.
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