Sending Child to Two Kindergarten Programs a Good Idea or Too Much?

I agree with most of the other moms. Two kindergartens would be too much. I like DVMMOM's suggestion...decide where has the better program and where he will do first grade.

I'm going to vote for picking one or the other, based on which place you think would be a better fit for him, which will better prepare him for 1st grade and what time of day would be better for him to at school (morning vs. afternoon). It's going to be way confusing for him to be in 2 different classroom settings, with different teachers, kids, routines, rules, etc. Also, while I am a fan of full-day kindergarten, it really makes them tired, so if he has not been used to daycare or any kind of full-day preschool program, it could end up really wiping him out. Kindergarten is a big enough adjustment for most kids - why make it even more overwhelming?

Definitely too much.
I think you're looking for daycare for the morning.

Just starting K will be hard enough and then to add two different schools, two ways of teaching and the possibility of different learning levels. I think you will just confuse your son. I would just pick one school this way he won’t be overwhelmed and confused.

Please do not do this. It would set him up for so much exhaustion, confusion and stress. Kindergarten needs to be as positive an experience as possible, so the child wants to go on in school and perceives school as a good place where he feels secure and wants to be. Your son will not have that experience if he is hauled from one K to another. This is his first experience of "real" school and it should be done gradually, easing him into it. Doing two Ks will be the exact opposite of that. Also, it's not just about having too many faces to remember; kindergarten is a critical year when kids often experience their first time of really having to share, to listen to and obey an adult who is not a parent, and to stop one activity when told and move on to another activity; asking him to learn all that in not just one but two new groups of kids is just too much.

Ask yourself: Why do you want full-day K? Is it just because you and your husband both work and you need day care? Is it because you are at home but have a younger child and want more time with that child? Is it because you want your son to get more academic time?

If the answer is "coverage" because you both work, please find day care for the afternoons; public school isn't there to be day care. If the answer is you want to be with a younger child, see if you can find an inexpensive "mother's helper" or just schedule things so you don't have to send your son to a second K. And if the answer is more academic time -- see above for the stresses. Kindergarten is not as much about academics as it is about ensuring the child can get along with others, listen to adults, follow directions well and be much more focused and able to switch gears than in preschool.

If you are worried that he will be academically bored with only a half day of K -- please remember that he's only five. He needs down time, rest time, time just to play. That builds his creativity -- which feeds into his academic abilities -- just as much or more than if he had additional hours of school. I have had friends who were preschool and K teachers who say that a half day is enough -- full days end up with most kids grumpy and not focused, even the bright kids.

I think it would be too much. Unless they're on exactly the same schedule he may get confused on what he's learning. Let him just go to the free public school in the afternoon. Save the money! If you feel he needs or wants extra learning and you build on what he's learning at school and work with him for a bit during the morning, go on field trips for your own learning like if they're talking about certain topics or letters you can coordinate a field trip with what he's learning. Practice writing and reading math as well.

K. b
mom to 5 including triplets

I don't think that is a good idea at all. You will absolutely confuse him. He will be learning the same things in different ways by different teachers and at different speeds. And since it is public AND private they are SURE to be different. And if you haven't had a kid go through school yet I will tell you that it doesn't matter if you get an answer right you will still be marked wrong if you do not do it their way.

I think that would be very confusing for him. Like you said... too many faces/friends/teachers/routines to deal with. I would think 1 Kindergarten program and then daycare/aftercare would be better. Only one more year until 1st grade and then he is full time anyways. We have full day public K here in MD.

Our school district only offers full day. To me, it was overkill -- I wanted my kids home with me and the amount of learning they did in that time was easily compacted into a half day -- they wasted a ton of time and to me, full day was unnecessary. Personal preference, but that time will never come back now that they're in school full time.

Too much - there will be different expectations, teaching styles, philosophies, etc.

Are you concerned that half day isn't enough or both or you work or some other reason entirely?

If the district does half day kindergarten, I wouldn't worry about it at all. It will mean that if there is anything other districts are able to accomplish that your district cannot (because there is less classroom time) they have a way of making sure everything is covered. He won't be behind.

You can take him to classes at the YMCA or Park District in the morning and then off to kindergarten for the afternoon. One advantage of afternoon kindergarten over morning :-)

If you need childcare, you might be able to find a daycare center or in-home provider that is in your district. Our son takes the bus to a daycare center after school, and my husband picks him up there. If you youngest is given a spot in PreK, he will be going to daycare when he's not in school. He will either ride the school bus from daycare to school or vice versa.

Too much....
Enjoy your kid...

IMO, full day is too much for kindergarten.

If you are going to do this, or even considering it, I would make sure that both schools are using the same teaching techniques. It could get very confusing for your son if they are not.

I'm going to take a different tack: try it and be prepared to pull him out of one of them if it's too much. I don't know why it would confuse him, if he's the type of kid who has the energy to do two schools.

Kids can adjust to many things. I think the bigger problem would be that it might be too much stimulation for a little one for one day. But I don't know that there's any harm in trying it out, and seeing if he likes it.

Too much. For one the schools may not teach in the same manner, for example writing, my son went to occupational therapy through the school district, but attended private school, they taught handwriting in two different manners and was really confusing for him. My kids went to an all day private kindergarten and it was really good for them, they incorporated alot of play in the learning and they had rest times too. Alot of the activities they did, the kids didnt even realize they were doing school work! IMO one school or the other. Good luck with your decision!