okay, it's not that bad, but i liked the dramatic title b/c i'm sure max would agree w/ it.

so - summer's coming up and max's auntie susie (who is his nanny from 12:30pm - 5 when he comes home) is heading to hungary for two months.

which means we have to figure out what to do w/ him during those hours when we're both working.

the obvious option is to throw him into his montessori preschool full-time (8:30 - 5:30) but i feel like that's... a LOT. he goes to school 5 days a week half days -- 8:30 - 12:30 and i feel like that's perfect, honestly.


i've asked him about it, and he REALLY doesn't want to do a full day at school -- even though the second half is play-oriented.

i'm torn. trying to hybridize some plan, but not really sure it's worth the fight. ugh. he'll be FINE, i just hate the idea of him in that space for SO long all day every day of the week. that's why i'm sort of inclined to feel his pain on the one hand.

on the other, i don't know -- it's an amazing school, the kids are SO well-behaved and smart... it's not like he'd be suffering or anything. it's just ... that's a lot of time in school. or?

Will he be doing a full or half day when he starts Kindergarden?

Quoting .Colleen.:" Will he be doing a full or half day when he starts Kindergarden?"

i don't know. i haven't even looked into it yet... probably half-day if i can help it.

i prefer to have serious outdoors/physical time on a dedicated time scale.

Quoting Mara:" okay, it's not that bad, but i liked the dramatic title b/c i'm sure max would agree w/ it. so - summer's ... [snip!] ... SO well-behaved and smart... it's not like he'd be suffering or anything. it's just ... that's a lot of time in school. or? "

can you do 2 or 3 full days, and then the other days, half, and get someone to short term fill in for his auntie??

i mean... hes getting close to "real" school, and it wouldnt hurt him to adjust to having longer days

My DD started pre-k right before she turned 4. It was a full day and she rode the bus to and from school. She loved it! She keeps asking when she gets to go back to school. I know it may seem like a lot but once he gets in there and gets use to it I am sure he will enjoy the extra time with his friends.

Quoting Sam ☼:" can you do 2 or 3 full days, and then the other days, half, and get someone to short term fill in for ... [snip!] ... in for his auntie?? i mean... hes getting close to "real" school, and it wouldnt hurt him to adjust to having longer days"

no... the school does it all or nothing. either full days or half days but always at the full weekly schedule.

i mean, we COULD actually do it, we'd just be paying the school for the full schedule + babysitter on the days we took him out, which seems ... foolish.

Quoting 1inpink1inblue:" My DD started pre-k right before she turned 4. It was a full day and she rode the bus to and from school. ... [snip!] ... it may seem like a lot but once he gets in there and gets use to it I am sure he will enjoy the extra time with his friends."

did they go till 5:30 in the evening??

i'd be fine if it were regular school hours, but these are working hours for an adult.

and he doesn't get to ride a bus -- that'd be so cool for him if he did.

Quoting Mara:" okay, it's not that bad, but i liked the dramatic title b/c i'm sure max would agree w/ it. so - summer's ... [snip!] ... SO well-behaved and smart... it's not like he'd be suffering or anything. it's just ... that's a lot of time in school. or? "

To be honest.. that feels like a lot of time at school!

But that's me, I'm attached to my kid - she'll be going from 9 to 4 and that seems like a REALLY long time to me.

I can't even suggest 'after school' groups like you know.. art/dance/martial arts because those only last 1.5 hours at most and wouldn't be in that respect, any different from keeping him at school.

Bah. I dunno!

Quoting Mara:" no... the school does it all or nothing. either full days or half days but always at the full weekly ... [snip!] ... do it, we'd just be paying the school for the full schedule + babysitter on the days we took him out, which seems ... foolish. "

yea, it is foolish, for sure.

no SAHMs that could sub in your your sis for a few months?

is there any flexibility in either of your schedules, where one of you could be home with him in the afternoons??

make pete babysit.

Quoting Mara:" did they go till 5:30 in the evening?? i'd be fine if it were regular school hours, but these are working ... [snip!] ... hours, but these are working hours for an adult. and he doesn't get to ride a bus -- that'd be so cool for him if he did. "

She was on the bus until 5 everyday and we had to get up at 5 am to catch the bus every morning. Seriously, it killed me but my DD never had an issue with it lol.

Quoting Sam ☼:" yea, it is foolish, for sure. no SAHMs that could sub in your your sis for a few months? is there ... [snip!] ... any flexibility in either of your schedules, where one of you could be home with him in the afternoons?? make pete babysit."

we're all here at our place!

it's just impossible to work while he's here... but i love having him here.

that's what the hybridized plan statement was about -- the idea that i could still pick him up, maybe wear him down for an hour at the playground, bring him home for a nap thereafter, work, then when he gets up he gets to play quietly on his own.

i sort of like it, but it's going to hit my work schedule in a serious way and we're going to be ramping up the work in the next few months - so, i don't know ...

but when i sit here and write it, i know he and i would enjoy it more, my work would just take a hit.

URG. this is why i'm here asking y'all!

Quoting Tasha & Nika:" To be honest.. that feels like a lot of time at school! But that's me, I'm attached to my kid - she'll ... [snip!] ... those only last 1.5 hours at most and wouldn't be in that respect, any different from keeping him at school. Bah. I dunno!"

if it were till 3 or 2 or something less "industrial" than freakin' 8 hours!

My son? That Full Day would be Perfect for, as long as in a Montessori, Cogito, or even an Emilia Reggio program, not a "Normal" type program. He's already mentally, linguistically, emotionally, developmentally atrophying in a 3 half day a week "Regular" Program, he's registered for Cogito for Kindergarten in the fall...

His Cousin's? Maybe even My Daughter? Yeah, not necessarily so much.
My Daughter the half day would be more than enough, unless that afternoon was entirely about Playing. Or it was a Reggio, as her personality, as is now, at 20 Months(extrapolated to Preschool age) only the Reggio would work for her in an all day program., or an all out Arts program, with Dancing, drawing/painting/sculpture, acting, singing, gymnastics, or even Martial arts. She'll rot away in even a Montessori all Day. I'm going to be bringing My kids to 2 different schools on opposite side of the City for school!

Quoting Lupin:" My son? That Full Day would be Perfect for, as long as in a Montessori, Cogito, or even an Emilia Reggio ... [snip!] ... in even a Montessori all Day. I'm going to be bringing My kids to 2 different schools on opposite side of the City for school!"

i haven't really thought that he'd need more than what they're offering, i'm just concerned about ... him feeling trapped, being away from him so long -- and for what? he could be here w/ me -- ruining my ability to work and being hilarious!


the school does all their learning work in the morning, it's pretty mellow in the afternoon. free play, story time -- they have a nap.

i know he'd be fine, i just feel like a jerk for forcing him inside that space for 8 hours a day 5 days a week so i can work at home... and i know he loves being at home w/ us!

*feels heart breaking a bit*

Quoting Mara:" we're all here at our place! it's just impossible to work while he's here... but i love having him ... [snip!] ... and write it, i know he and i would enjoy it more, my work would just take a hit. URG. this is why i'm here asking y'all!"

work can take the hit for 2 months. its not indefinite. and it sounds like you know whats best for your family, and it is a possibility... so i would just plan it that way, if it were me.