Hellobee

Kindergarten? Kindergarten! How in the world did we get here?? As I type this and look at the little boy fast asleep in my bed, I can’t fathom how we are a month away from registering him for Kindergarten in September. Where did the years go? Kindergarten is for big kids! They ride the bus! They go to school for hours! They have homework! Surely “my baby” isn’t ready for all of that, and yet with each day I see how much he has grown and changed before me; how he attempts to read more words on his own during story time; how his letters are getting neater and more legible; how I catch his attempts at spelling words all the time in his drawings. It seems in these past few years my boy has slowly been learning and picking up more and more, but now comes the even larger worry — is it enough?

The town I live in has a half-day kindergarten program. Last year it was rumored that this coming year, September 2015 when Drake would begin, the program was going to be moving toward full days. As it stands my town is one of the few hold outs for half-day at this time. But it appears half-day kindergarten will remain for the coming school year, and so the dilemma of which kindergarten program to enroll in began.

P R I V A T E  K I N D E R G A R T E N

The preschool Drake currently attends offers a full-day kindergarten program. Truth be told if money were not an object I would send Drake there in a heartbeat. Part of the reason I sent Drake to this preschool was because I knew the kindergarten teacher from my nannying days. She is fun, bright, engaging, and can really get down to the level of the kids’ interests, as well as work to make them stretch their own natural abilities. I was so thrilled watching her tutor the kids I was caring for at that time and when it came to pre-school, I knew this was the only school choice for us.

I really do love Drake’s preschool and feel like he is getting the education I want for him, but the school is very pricey too. Mr. Chocolate, being a public school teacher himself, is also a big proponent of public education. We moved to our town in part because of the strong school system (the one I graduated from actually), and while he was willing to pay for preschool, he is set on public kindergarten. It does break my heart a little to take Drake away from this little school, but in the end money is a factor and as Mr. Chocolate points out, next year is our grace year. With Drake going to public school and Juliet still too young to start school, it would be our one breather year with no tuition.

F U L L  –  D A Y  L O T T E R Y  S L O T S

I’ve heard there is a lottery system for a small amount of full-day slots. If selected there is a fee to be paid, but it would provide for a full-day kindergarten at less than the cost of private kindergarten. I don’t really know if the full-day is worth paying for, and we’re not even guaranteed a slot anyway.

A F T E R  S C H O O L  P R O G R A M S

There are also enrichment programs that I am just starting to check out offered by many of the pre-schools, including the one Drake is in currently, that offer supplementation and additional learning opportunities for the half-day kids.

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As you might have guessed I am a bit stressed about this whole kindergarten thing. Truth be told as a parent I am a very lax, laid back one. Drake has learned the bulk of what he knows through very little intervention on my part (save maybe reading to him since he was in womb bit), and has naturally picked up things on his own. I’m very happy with the results that I rarely tamper with it.

I have been reading a lot of Mrs. Cowgirl’s (the resident kindergarten expert) older blog posts on kindergarten as I wrestle with these decisions. When I see what is required of kindergarten kids now, it seems so far advanced from what I needed to know oh so many years ago. There is a big push on knowing how to read by first grade and while Drake is well on his way, I also can’t help but worry if my decisions in his kindergarten years will have a ripple effect on the rest of his educational path (crazy I know!)

Like all parents I want to make the best decisions for my children and while in my heart I think Drake is bright enough (in my own estimations) to be ok with just a half day program, the nagging part of me is just scared we will hurt his chances somehow before he really even begins. I think in my heart I know the best choice for Drake and our family, but it’s just hard when there are other options dangling in front of you making you second guess yourself.

What kindergarten options does your area offer?