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Entering Kindergarten September 2017 Parents Chat

  1. mediagirl

    hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts

    LO's school is prepping the kids for K with things like, "Kindergarten is going to be very different and hard work but you are all smart and strong friends and you are going to do great." She is fine with it. She knows we moved so she could go to K close to home. She only wishes she could still go to school "close to mommy's work".

    Her base school has a K playdate at the school playground the last weekend in April, I'm so excited for that!

  2. winniebee

    hostess / wonderful grape / 20803 posts

    T seems really excited about going to K at the "big school" next year. We see the bus go by our house each morning and so we talk about that and also the other kids from his current school that will be moving on with him. I'm sure there will be plenty of anxiety over the summer and as we get closer, but for right now, he just rolls his eyes at me and says things like "I know that already" or says he is excited.

  3. LulaBee

    pear / 1837 posts

    I just registered my girl for kindergarten this morning, and I was so emotional! I do love the school she will attend, and a few kids from her current Pre-K will be going with her, but this all just happened so fast!

  4. Finfan

    persimmon / 1436 posts

    Well, our LO placed into the gifted kindergarten at the magnet school in our district so now we have to decide whether to take that spot or keep her in a regular classroom at our neighborhood school. Have an orientation meeting for the gifted program next week and then have until the end of May to decide.

  5. abmamma

    kiwi / 641 posts

    I'm a little late in joining the group (haven't been on the boards in awhile) but happy to see a K thread!

    1. A (daughter)
    2. Late August
    3. Public
    4. Bus - this is actually the thing I am most nervous about for whatever reason!!

    She is registered! Her school has K-prep in August which is 4 days of half day school so the Kindergarteners can get used to the school before all the other kids are there, which will be nice!

  6. Teachermama

    cherry / 226 posts

    1. K son
    2. November
    3. Public
    4. Car

    We are finishing up week 2 of summer school for incoming kindergarteners and it's not going well. He hates it. It's a big change from preschool. More worksheet oriented, not a lot of hands on stuff. My purpose for sending him there is to get adjusted to a new campus and meet new friends.

  7. OhCaptain

    kiwi / 696 posts

    Also joining late--
    1. Son, A
    2. May
    3. Private--for now. My husband is now making noises about public. Either is fine with me, just chose!
    4. Most likely taking him either way. If we do public he could take the bus, but our stop is 3 blocks away and I'm not ok with him walking and waiting by himself at this age.

  8. matador84

    papaya / 10560 posts

    Son
    Sept birthday
    Private school
    I'll take him and his sister who is in Montessori--they've been attending the same mont-grade 5 school the last 2 years

  9. Finfan

    persimmon / 1436 posts

    I've never done this kindergarten thing before? Should I try and get some kind of desk set up for before September? I don't know what I'm doing Lol!!

  10. Freckles

    honeydew / 7444 posts

    @Finfan: My daughter is currently in preK and i gave her my old desk a few months ago. Ever since i put a desk in her room, she will go straight upstairs to write, work on a workbook, etc. We have those little table + chair sets in the dining room, but it was too small and cluttered. Having a nice space for her to focus has done wonders for her.

  11. KT326

    pomegranate / 3438 posts

    @Finfan: we don't have room for a desk in our tiny house. He's had weekly homework in pre-k and we just do it at the kitchen table. I had a desk as a kid and I didn't use it for homework until middle school!

  12. looch

    wonderful pear / 26210 posts

    @Finfan: I couldn't resist, but my son has had a desk in his room since we moved into our house at the age of 2 (it was my old bedroom set from when I was a teen).

    At first I used it as a bookshelf, but when he went to Kindergarten last year, we removed all the books and made it his work space. He does art projects there, his homework (which consisted of a worksheet package weekly).

    I know a lot of people oppose the desk and think kids should be doing their homework at the kitchen island, but I think a desk works so much better. They can have all their materials, leave it in progress, etc. It's also their own workspace and there are less likely to be family distractions.

    Back to my own thread now, lol.

  13. mediagirl

    hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts

    We're not going to set up a desk yet, we're going to do work at the kitchen table.

    @Teachermama: that's so sad. That both it's so worksheet focused and that he hates it.

  14. mediagirl

    hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts

    When does K start for everyone?

    We have staggered entry the week before Labor Day and then start officially on the 5th of September.

  15. MamaG

    pomelo / 5298 posts

    @Finfan: we don't have a desk, but our girl has a kid craft wood table and chair set. It does hold all of her papers and writing. She would work there independently. If she needed help work was done at our dining table. There shouldn't be a lot of homework in Kinder. Our homework was reading daily which we do wherever. And math daily but a lot of was counting or finding objects. Not necessarily something she needed a dedicated workspace for. Just chiming in from the 2016 Kinder mom side.

  16. Finfan

    persimmon / 1436 posts

    @mediagirl: School starts here the day after Labor Day. I thought they might have the K kids come in early to meet the teacher and see their classroom but nope!

  17. bhbee

    cantaloupe / 6085 posts

    We start aug 21 I think - Texas starts earlier and gets out earlier than where I grew up. We have meet the teacher the week before which I'm excited about. But I'm soooo not ready for the real deal.

  18. MommySLP

    apricot / 431 posts

    @mediagirl: we start August 21st as well. I'm due with baby #3 on august 16th, so I really hope it works out for me to take DD to the first day of kinder!!!

  19. tequiero21

    honeydew / 7968 posts

    No clue when school starts - I believe sometime after Labor Day? Luckily, our kindergarten has had two story times and an orientation, so my kids have met some people. apparently, some kids at their current pre-k school (different classes but they've played together) are going to be there too so I think they will be sad to leave their friends (been at the same school for three school years), but looking forward to being in kindergarten...

  20. cascademom

    coconut / 8861 posts

    My eldest starts on August 23rd, two days after he turns 5 years old.

  21. jmarionsmith

    nectarine / 2132 posts

    My LO is wrapping up his first week of kindergarten (year round school) and I just wanted to give y'all an update. He genuinely likes it! He says it's so much fun and he loves his teachers. To him, the worst part of the day is rest time because you have to be still and quiet 😂 (Personally sounds amazing!) He is pretty terrified of his principal, for reasons unknown, she seems pretty friendly but maybe it's just the whole "going to the principal's office thing." We are having daily conversations about how she is there to help, hopefully it sinks in eventually.

    He does come home pretty exhausted and has a meltdown every afternoon at home. I know he's adjusting to the long days (9-3:45) and probably just an overwhelming amount of information and procedures so we are *trying* to be understanding. But whew, those meltdowns are some doozies! We've moved bedtime up quite a bit and he is sleeping 1.5-2 more hours a night now.

    He and I were both very anxious about him starting kindergarten, him because he just is uncomfortable with change, me because he is the youngest in his class and we weren't sure if he was ready. We are VERY happy with his transition and hope the rest of the year goes as smoothly!

  22. matador84

    papaya / 10560 posts

    I don't think I've posted on this thread yet! DS starts school the 2nd week in August. I swear we have spent the whole summer practicing being "kinder-ready." He is so excited and can't wait!

  23. Finfan

    persimmon / 1436 posts

    I bought our school supplies yesterday! Shit's getting real!

  24. MamaCate

    pomegranate / 3595 posts

    Hi all! DD started K this week. We had meet the teacher the day before and got to see the classrooms. She seems to like it so far, they seem pretty organized in terms of the classsroom, communication, and establishing routines.

    But we are doing pick up/drop off by car and that has been really ridiculous! People warned us that the parking lot was crazy, but I didn't imagine it would be this bad. The first day they said to pick up K at 2:45. I got there at 2:45, waited about 25 minutes to even get into the lot, didn't actually get her until 3:20! The next day was slightly better but it still seems really inefficient!

    Has anyone else started yet? How is it going??

  25. cascademom

    coconut / 8861 posts

    Bumping this up. Tonight's our parents information night. We got a teenager to babysit the kids while we're there. Two new things at once.

    Yesterday, I ran around picking up poly folders without brads, changing E's bus pass to reflect his daycare where he'll do aftercare. I have two bags for the school supply drop off play date on Friday. So much to do and figure out.

    In terms of transportation, the first month of school has a bus freeze, so he may do before school care at the daycare for that time. Then, he'll be picked up across the street from us.

    So much going on. He starts school next Wednesday. Next Monday is his 5th birthday.

  26. mediagirl

    hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts

    August 28th is her "staggered entry" day. The kids go for a full day, are evaluated and on the "off" day, the teachers place the children into classrooms. She is in the same staggered entry room as a neighborhood boy, so I'm happy with that, I hope they are placed in the same classroom. Meet the Teacher will be that Friday the 1st and her first real day in her real classroom will be Tuesday the 5th. Starting with drop-off/pick-up until we get into the swing of things, then we will consider the bus for coming home.

  27. bhbee

    cantaloupe / 6085 posts

    We started today, anyone else? There were tears but she tried to be brave! So sad! Hope she makes friends and feels better soon. It's a big change and I think she's going to be exhausted.

  28. LulaBee

    pear / 1837 posts

    @bhbee: I'm glad she was brave! It's such a hard transition.

    My DD started last Thursday (had a phase in day the week before) and she's actually done really great. Her teacher said she's been helping other kids who are sad. Today was hardest for me at drop off because I went through the car line rather than walk her in, and she looked so tiny walking into the school!

  29. Canoli

    persimmon / 1458 posts

    We have kindergarten orientation on the 29th and then he will start on Sept 7th. I can't even believe this. I'm trying to look on Pinterest and Etsy to find a first day of Kinder sign because I'm not crafty at all. I'm seeing a lot of those felt letter boards which I like!

  30. cyndistar3

    pomegranate / 3980 posts

    Joining late as well, I can't believe I've got another school aged child, I think we will be starting on the 4th!
    1) Lillian
    2) June
    3) Homeschool!
    4) I'm making her drive her self 😜

  31. anonysquire

    cantaloupe / 6923 posts


    This comment has been deleted by the original poster.

  32. kiddosc

    grapefruit / 4278 posts

    For those of you who's kids will ride the bus in the morning, how did you do the first day? I plan to walk him into the classroom, but I don't know if I should have him ride the bus and follow it to school, ride the bus and just meet it at school, or just drive him for the first day.

    I kind of feel like he should ride the bus so that if there are any problems that first day, I'll be around to help him. But is it silly to have him ride the bus and then meet him at school?

  33. LulaBee

    pear / 1837 posts

    @Canoli: I got a letterboard the night before school started at Walmart for $10.

  34. MamaCate

    pomegranate / 3595 posts

    @Canoli: I just made a sign on white paper eight markers. I waited until the last minute to remember I wanted to do something so I didn't have time to order anything (and I am thrifty!)

    DD helped me pick what to write in what colors. We just did her name, first day of K, the date, school and teacher name, and a few favorite things. I think it turned out cute--and it was free!

  35. MamaCate

    pomegranate / 3595 posts

    @bhbee: How is it going now with the transition? Any improvements? DD seems more ready than I am so I have not needed to support her--she just hops out at the curb and blows me a kiss!

    I went it our curriculum night/meet the teacher this week and I am going to go to the PTA meeting tomorrow. I am still trying to get a feel for how it works and how useful it is but it seems like it is worth investigating.

  36. bhbee

    cantaloupe / 6085 posts

    @MamaCate: day 3 was good - no tears! Actually I think day 1-2 were fine too once I left and she was happy at pickup. So I think it's actually going awesome since I know some who are struggling more. She loves rules so that helps and her favorite thing is her locker. she is really tired but I think that's just going to take time, she already goes to bed early. I've been dragging her out of bed even though it's only half an hour earlier than usual.

  37. MamaCate

    pomegranate / 3595 posts

    @bhbee: yay! Lockers sound fun--we don't have those. I am so happy we have experienced teachers who seem to be teaching the routines and making the transition easy!

  38. Finfan

    persimmon / 1436 posts

    @kiddosc: our school recommends you send the kid on the bus the first day and meet them at school. They said it helps get the routine down a lot faster.

  39. Finfan

    persimmon / 1436 posts

    We have a back to school night next week before school starts. I'm excited for LO to meet her teacher and see the classroom. We have also decided to enroll her in before school care so they will be present that night as well and I have some questions to ask them.

  40. cascademom

    coconut / 8861 posts

    Our first three days have been going well. It's been a bit daunting getting used to wake up, breakfast, out the door to the bus, waiting, hop on. Our bus is running about 20 minutes late getting used to the schedule, so it's looking like a 7:05am pickup is in the future. Once this is figured out, I'll probably stick to getting him ready first, then getting the younger one up and out the door. Our youngest loves being taken to school by himself now.

    DS #1 does well at school. He's been super tired coming home from aftercare. I think a few weeks from now, it won't feel so tough.

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