All day Kindergarten

[Charlie40]

Are you for or against all day kindergarten? Please state reasons for or against. I am against it, I feel kids are still too young to be in school all day. I think we are also trying to cram too much schooling into our kids at younger and younger ages, kids need a chance to be just that kids and not pressured so much into school they are more likely to learn a heck of a lot more if we let them learn at there own pace. I feel homeschooling is the best option for a child but not everyone is able to homeschool for various reasons, but I think the schools need to lighten up and not put so much pressure on kids and cram too much down there throats and I believe we would have better success and more educated students.

[OKCMallen]

I think we take it too easy on schoolchildren. All-day kindergarten might not be theanswer, but longer school days/years would be just fine.

[Charlie40]

I think we take it too easy on schoolchildren. All-day kindergarten might not be theanswer, but longer school days/years would be just fine.

I appreciate your answer, however I tend to disagree. I personally would not want my kids in school any longer than I was growing up, and as far as extending the school year, I don't think that is a good idea either except to get in the required 180 days for and make up snow days used.

[Jesseda]

full day kindergarden i wish we had it, thats why private schools are so packed with k-3 to kindergarten its full day

[Charlie40]

Whats the purpose of all day kindergarten, except for parents to have an all day babysitter for there kids that is free.

[PennyQuilts]

When my kids went to half day kindergarden, some places were just going to all day kindergarden. I recall being horrified. They don't need to go be part of a horde. Those are the years they learn their famiy's values and cenment their family ties. There is time enough for them to go to school all day. Let 'em be kids. I sure wasn't ready to turn them over for someone else to raise all day.

[Easy180]

Whats the purpose of all day kindergarten, except for parents to have an all day babysitter for there kids that is free.

bingo...Can't wait..Forking over $600 a month for the little man right now

That will help daddy buy a TL when he turns 5

[Easy180]

I sure wasn't ready to turn them over for someone else to raise all day.

I see it the other way...Have no problems taking my son to daycare...He gets to be around other kids and the workers actually know what to do with a child

Much better to me than kids staying with grandma 9 hours a day while she yaps on the phone and watches Oprah...Talk about development

[Charlie40]

I see it the other way...Have no problems taking my son to daycare...He gets to be around other kids and the workers actually know what to do with a child

Much better to me than kids staying with grandma 9 hours a day while she yaps on the phone and watches Oprah...Talk about development

Yeah, caring parents would not do that they would teach there kids during the day.

[PennyQuilts]

Too bad they aren't home with mom or a grandma who is interested. What a shame, really. We darn near starved to death but I sure am glad we managed for me to stay home - it was very hard. Of course, I was big into educational stuff and studying to be a teacher so it worked out well.

[Easy180]

Yeah, caring parents would not do that they would teach there kids during the day.

Of course they would Charlie...They can teach them how fun it is to not be around any other kids

"Mommy can we please watch another 6 hours of court shows tomorrow?"

[PennyQuilts]

The default position, these days, is to assume that parents don't know what they are doing and it is better to turn the kids over to the professionals? Yikes!!

[Easy180]

The default position, these days, is to assume that parents don't know what they are doing and it is better to turn the kids over to the professionals? Yikes!!

Professionals and lots of friends ECO...Better mix for a kid than 24/7 with momma or grandma

[mugofbeer]

My son started in all day kindergarten when we lived in Colorado and thrived in it. His school was one of the first in the area to offer it and, because of the open enrollment policies in CO, kids came to his school specifically for that reason from other school districts. They don't have them in a structured learning environment the entire day. There is a great deal of play and art and rest. They do, however, teach them basic reading, writing and math which puts them at an advantage when they go to 1st grade. I guess much of it has to do with the individual child but mine loved it.

[PennyQuilts]

I think kids tend to love daycare, done properly, but I still don't like all day care for four year olds. And I REALLY don't like the notion that has taken root that the professionals can do it properly - that is concerning on a variety of levels.

In the first place, a parent is a teacher, first. That is their job. If a professional can do a better job with your young, healthy child, you need to be hitting the books. When I read this sentiment, it certainly clarifies to me what I am seeing at the elementary school level, i.e., a higher expectation of the teacher vs what is expected of the home. Something we say among probation officers, GALs and social workers is that it seems like parents, these days, don't know how to be parents. Before you get upset about that, think about what I am saying in contrast to what has been written here, i.e., someone else can do a better job of handling my child than I can - they are professionals. That is a new, new, new concept. All parents mess up. That is part of the contract. Turning it over to someone else because they are a professional and know what they are doing sets a family/parent down a precarious road. That doesn't mean there is trouble ahead but think about the ramifications. A parent needs confidence. You have your own style of parenting and that is what shapes your child's values. There is no one size fits all, not even in a particularly home. All kids are different and every parent treats them individually. I don't care what you say.

And consider that the kids who go to daycare early have a set of rules there and a different set at home. That is confusing at any age but all the more when your little brain is trying to figure out how the world works. It is less a question of one side being right and the other being wrong so much as they are different.

But on a practical level, another reason I have concerns and this is certainly not on all daycares is that anyone with the money and a child who behaves is let in. Some of my most troubled parents are daycare workers, or were day care workers, many at reputable places. They frequently have administrative findings against them and still work in Fact is, a lot of young women who have so many kids they can't afford daycare will go to work at a daycare to get a reduced rate - they can't afford to work elsewhere. Haven't too many kids to afford is a symptom for some - certainly not all or most - that their judgement is off.

More concerning, is that so many of my sexually abused kids are in daycare. Many of them are budding predators (yes, four year olds) and we hear stories all the time of kids who are behaving in inappropriate ways in the home who are also in daycare. I always worry about that. Not to be a scare monger and I am not saying it is all over - but I've seen it regularly.

And on that cheery note...!

[Karried]

I quit my job when my first son was born and we made sacrifices so I could stay home with him and my second son as well. I never watched court TV... was I perfect? No. But I contend that no one and I repeat, no one loves my kids like I do.

I didn't want a stranger, professional or not, spending more time with my kids than I did. I was fortunate to have been able to do that.. I know some people don't have that option but for our family, it was what we chose to do. It was hard but I don't regret it.

I had both kids in pre school a few hours a day to have them interact and learn but I don't think all day kindergarten is a good idea at that young age. They were both reading in Kindergarten and have had A's and B's in all of their subjects so I don't think the lack of all day kindergarten affected them scholastically or socially.

But, I think daycare families can also spend quality time with their kids .... they might have to work a little harder at it, I can't imagine working 40 hours and then having to come home, cook, clean and do homework and then feel up to a board game or a movie but I know plenty of families that make it work.

[Jesseda]

hahahahah caring parents would teach there kids during the day, i guess some people are not as luckyas you and actually as to work a 40 hour a week job to pay bills, i see nothing wrong with full day kindergarten, my little girl loved k-3 last year and has became very social and has lots of friends. oh and for the abc , they also teach them art, counting, how to pronounce words, and yes even some spanish, if you are looking for full day k-3 to kindergarten i do recommend moore christian school, my little gir lwent there last year, this year she is only half day at public school..

[mugofbeer]

There are good and bad points in both arguements. In my son's case, he is an only child so the daycare and K-garten gave him an opportunity to socialize with other kids his age as well as learn. He is a very bright and outgoing kid and is not shy at all. He had no problem playing on a baseball team of kids he didn't know previously and when we moved back to OKC, he had no problem or fears of going to a new school. He loves speaking in front of groups as a 3rd grader and performs in school plays and I think a lot of his outgoingness (?) is because he was in the pre-school/k-garten environment. He learned not to fear the unknown.

[Charlie40]

Homeschooling gives you and your child more freedoms from the "traditional " classroom setting and opens up a child to more ways of learning than just books and strict schedules like they get in brick and morter schools. This is a great alternative for the child who does not do well in traditional school who is more of a hands on type learner or going to a factory or someplace and watching someone make something and learn about it that way rather than from a book. Homeschooling has come a long way in recent years and they still get interaction with other kids as other homeschooling parents plan activities together such as field trips to places or pe classes. I feel this is a great option for the parents that are able to make it work.

[fuzzytoad]

I think we take it too easy on schoolchildren. All-day kindergarten might not be theanswer, but longer school days/years would be just fine.

agreed..

they should just be sent off to a government-run facility where they stay 355 days of the year.. let them out at 18 to get jobs.

[Easy180]

Homeschooling gives you and your child more freedoms from the "traditional " classroom setting and opens up a child to more ways of learning than just books and strict schedules like they get in brick and morter schools. This is a great alternative for the child who does not do well in traditional school who is more of a hands on type learner or going to a factory or someplace and watching someone make something and learn about it that way rather than from a book. Homeschooling has come a long way in recent years and they still get interaction with other kids as other homeschooling parents plan activities together such as field trips to places or pe classes. I feel this is a great option for the parents that are able to make it work.

I'm fine with the well educated schooling their own kids...Problem is there is likely a good amount of parents trying this out who don't even know how to run a check register

[PennyQuilts]

I'm glad I'm not raising kids, these days. I think it is harder than it used to be.

[Jesseda]

fuzzytoad we already have that its called the united states, our life is already run starting at birth maybe earlier

[CCOKC]

My children are only 14 1/2 months apart in age and 1 year apart in school. My daughter attended morning kindergarten and my son was in pre-school and then I picked them up and we had lunch and usually did something fun together the rest of the day. When my daughter went to first grade would have alone time with my son after I picked him up from kindergarten. About halfway through the first semester, we were eating lunch at Taco Bueno and having a nice conversation and he asked when do I get to go to school all day. Most of the kids in his class had mother's who worked so they stayed in day care after the school portion of the day was over and my son felt as if he was missing out on something. I pointed out to him that he really did like his mommy and loved spending alone time with me. He did not quite buy that explanation and we compromised and he went to school all day for the second semester. It probably just depends on the kid and how ready they are for school.