Hellobee Boards

@Mamaof2: thanks! I'm going to use it!

Who has recommendations for easy to use and clean lunch containers? We need to get on that so we have time to practice. We have a pottery barn lunch box to work with.

@tinyperson: We've been using the Rubbermaid Lunchblox for a couple years and have really liked them. Easy to clean and hold up well.

@Mamaof2: Ooh that reminds me I wanted to get a good file bin like that and limit the paper savings to one folder per grade.

Popping in to say that K passed the early entrance to Kindergarten exam today, so now he's official! Need to figure everything out, t minus 1 month + 10 days!

@Mrs. Tiger: How exciting! My DD2 has a Sept birthday and I have no clue yet whether we will start her when she's turning 5 or turning 6.

I feel way behind on this thread! We don't start K here till after Labor Day so we still have almost 2 months of summer left. I ordered L her backpack, lunchbox, and water bottle from PBK over the weekend. She goes to Kindergarten camp for 4 days this summer and I'm not sure if she will need a backpack then. She chose the navy solar system pattern, so I hope she doesn't get made fun of for having a "boy" backpack, but she told me that she's going to be the first girl on the moon, so how could I argue with that??

Query: order school supplies on Amazon or take L shopping for school supplies the old fashioned way? Amazon makes it easy and I won't have to leave the house, but there is something special about picking out school supplies in person...it was always a fun tradition for me. What will you all do?

@Mrs. Tiger: curious, your kids are expected to know how to read, spell and do math BEFORE kindergarten? Even the ones starting at the normal age? Here, they aren't expected to know any of that before starting. Of course, some will know these things, but the pre-school concept is pretty much non-existent here. They do gain familiarity with letters and numbers at daycare, but nothing really beyond that.

@lamariniere: I was not able to witness the test - they conduct it alone with the kid in a separate room, so I am not sure what exactly was asked. I know that K does NOT know how to read so it's not clear to me how he got a 91 on reading (was it really just listening & comprehension, are they just testing "early" reading whatever that is, etc) but he did say he had to fill in the missing letters/numbers in some sequences. For math, I'm not sure if he was asked to add/subtract or do patterns but we've worked on all of that with him, and they do a little of it at his preschool. He can spell his name and knows some "sight" words like did, bat, cat, etc. I don't know if every kid is expected to be able to do all this stuff, but I guess for those that we're arguing should technically go in a year earlier, the bar is a little higher. When really if he was born 2 weeks prior there would be no question. It's kind of ridiculous, I think they should just let the parents decide and still have the 60 day period where they can suggest the kid hang back and wait another year if necessary. But what do I know

@808love: I found out the option when I was researching the school cutoff date for our county. His daycare director also suggested it to me since she thinks he'd be bored next year if he didn't go. Thanks for looking for the backpack! I'm wondering if I can get away with getting a regular backpack with a cheetah iron-on or something...

@Mrs. Tiger: I just think it's so interesting to see the difference between geographic regions/countries. Where we live, you cannot start public school before 6, no exceptions (we know a few kids who will turn 7 just a week or two after they start). My son will start private school (which is more flexible) at 5.5, but he is just squeaking in under the cutoff date by 2 days. On this thread, I've seen that there are a few older 4 yo's starting kindergarten whether it be due to cut-off dates or being academically advanced. It's interesting to me that a 4 yo and an older 6 yo could potentially be starting school at the same time.

@tinyperson: other than junior k, what is the Canadian system like? Is it like the American system with kindergarten through 12th grade? I think the most important thing is that (with a few exceptions) kids start with their peers, so even if our school starts later and others start earlier, I would assume most of the time kids are around the same age. If we had stayed in New York, my son would have started kindergarten last year (at 4.5) in the public school system.

@lamariniere: my DD will be 3y 10m and we are in same Canadian province as @tinyperson:

Start in JK here, then SK. Both are the norm, but technically kids are not required to attend until the next year, Grade 1 (but would be considered out of norm to wait). Then up to Grade 12. Jan 1 is age cutoff here. My husband is from a different province, there is only one kindergarten year there, and cutoff is Sep 1!

I have debated holding my DD out a year as she emotionally really doesn't seem ready, plus still naps 2-3 hours/day, but we are going to try it and see how things go.

I haven't begun to think about backpacks, lunch + snack boxes and supplies, eeep!

@looch: Do they start Mandarin the first year? Our school is taught in French and in elementary they have German twice a week. They don't start English until the 4th year. I don't know if the middle/jr/high school offers other languages outside of German and English. I hope so though (and I hope my LOs are interested!)!

@looch: That's very cool that he'll get to start learning Mandarin so young!

Here, judging by the number of little kids who speak English at the playground, I assume the public school starts English the first year.

@tinyperson: I was just looking into this today, so came here to see if anyone had any recommendations. Otherwise, I'm probably going to go with the yumbox. I like that it's leakproof.

@Mrs. Tiger: Congrats to K! Your IG pic was too cute - 99% in math is so impressive!

By the way, anyone interested in Name Trainer worksheets? I volunteered for my LO's 3 year old preschool teacher (whom I love so much!) and she had me make all of these name practice sheets for the kids. You can type pretty much anything into this template and print it out. The website is handwritingworksheets.com. There is print and cursive. The site is totally old school but when you print it out, you will feel so professional! (Just in case you are into that kind of thing!)

@Mrs. High Heels: Not at all. The lid is flat right to the top of the container. As long as it's not soggy food like with juices but things like rice and crackers would stay put. I guess that's why you put it in the drawstring bag, so it's upright? We use it for everything. I dared to put spaghetti and it didn't stain either.

i am joining this thread as i just saw it today....but DS1 will be starting JK in September. He will be 3 years and 10 months. We live in Ontario like a few bees have mentioned as well.

@808love: the way i see it is that the JK is the first year of primary school. it is not a daycare or preschool. it is the first year of school that goes all the way to grade 6 (i think, maybe it is grade 8 in ontario, i am not sure) and then high school. The structure is like a regular school too as far as i know. I will have to pack his lunches and he will be responsible for opening and eating his food. He will have to initiate when he goes to the bathroom and there is no nap time. All those things were organized for him in daycare/preschool, so that is the part i am nervous about for him. he will have to have all this independence all of a sudden and he is still only 3 years old!

Also, i am pretty sure the learning environment is more structured than preschool. But i cannot say for sure how much or little play will be incorporated into how they teach and learn in JK. does that makes sense?