Jake is going to be starting pre-kindergarten at daycare in September. When I signed him up I selected the morning class b/c he is still a fairly consistent napper. Morning class would allow him to get his nap in while afternoon class is from 12:30-3:30 and he would get no nap at all.
There is a boy that has been in daycare with him since the beginning who is a bit of a handful behaviorally. While he is 8 months older than Jake they are still in the same class - school wise they will ultimately be in the same grade - he will just be an older kiddo while Jake is a younger kiddo.
If Jake gets in trouble this kid is typically in the mix. My son is in no way innocent - they feed off of one another but Jake brings home lots of colorful language that he says he hears from this boy.
Here is the issue:
Both boys are scheduled for morning pre-k together. The daycare is concerned that the two boys together might be disruptive for the class. They told me last year they needed to move the boy to afternoon class for preschool so that is why this wasn't an issue last year. The director told me the other day she was going to ask his parents if they minded moving him again this year. Since he is going to be 5 in a less than 8 weeks I assumed it was a no brainer and they would say yes. Well, they did not. They want him to stay in morning b/c they feel his nap is still important to him and his behavior.
Now the director is giving me the option of leaving them together and hoping for the best, taking him out altogether, moving him to afternoon class thereby foregoing his nap 3 days per week.
I don't know what to do!
I told her I don't think it would be a problem for his behavior during the pre-k class itself but I am concerned how his afternoons are going to go on those days.
I initially just wanted to be stubborn and not budge but that isn't going to get Jake the pre-k experience I want him to have. She also said it's possible if I leave him and the boys are disruptive they will have to be removed.
If it's full day then I'd say put him in the afternoon pre-school class to start getting him prepped for not sleeping in the afternoon next year.
If it's half day and that's not an issue, I'd say leave him in the morning class and see how it goes and if you have to move him to the afternoon class later then do that...if that's an option.
You are in a tough position. I think that there are some things you might want to think about before you make up your mind.
I think Kristi is right about the prepping for kindergarten next year. If he is going full days this might help the transition.
If I am wrong here, I am sorry, but I thought at one point Jake was not going to bed or sleep so well for you. This might really help with that. The trick will be to keep him awake between the ride to daycare and bedtime.
Will he have the same teachers either way?
Is it set in stone that once you pick morning or afternoon you can not change if things are not working? Either way it will probably take an adjustment period.
If the boys are together, you probably won't see the worst of it for a few weeks.
Just a little more food for thought. Elizabeth has been a napper at least half the time. This week we started an afternoon 5 day preschool and next week she will be attending a morning preschool three days a week too. So far she seems to starting to adjust. Two days she has fallen asleep and two days she has gone without napping. I am frankly amazed at how well she seems to be doing with it. I think what it boils down to is, if you are okay, he will be too.
Raven went from taking naps to going to afternoon preschool(no choice) last year and did fine. There were some days that I could tell she needed a nap but it made getting her to bed easier. I think this is a good age to get them out of taking naps.
that is tough, kris. honestly, i think i would just do afternoons. i wouldn't want to have to be stressed out about what might happen if he is hanging with this kid. he will be super tired for a few weeks, but then he will adjust to the new no-nap schedule. also, he will probably either need to go to bed a little earlier or be able to sleep a little later if necessary.
it sucks that the others wouldn't just put their son in the other class
I would definitely go to afternoons. I think he will adjust just fine to no naps and will excel in a classroom without having that other child there that makes it easier to get into trouble.
I've seen the difference in a child that was in this same type of situation and he got into a LOT of trouble when he was with another child and they were both moved. He was an ANGEL in our class - we were shocked at what happened in the other class when he was with this other child.
So, I would definitely just do afternoons and let him excel. :)
If it were me, I would insist that the other kid be moved. If he's the one causing the disruption why should your plans have to suffer.
I have had these issues with Charlies daycare, and as you say, he is no Angel, but he is 100% worse when around one child in particular. He eggs Charlie on, and encourages him to do stuff that will get him in trouble - and - he's about 6 or 8 months older than Charlie.
One day he "dared" Charlie to bite him, and his parents went apeshit when they saw the bite marks. She took a photo on her phone and txted it to me demanding an explanation when the girls on staff had already explained what had happened.
Anyways, rambling aside, I would talk to the Director, and see if she can't excercise some discretion in this, and get the other kid moved. As I said, why should your plans be disrupted because of someone elses unruly child?
Not the same answer that other seem to have given, but I a stubborn ass!
Edited for REALLY bad grammer!
-- Edited by Lea on Sunday 30th of August 2009 04:01:38 PM
