The first week of any term is always kind of crazy. This first week is just insane. We are trying out a new schedule -- half days for the kids at daycare and everyone is having trouble adjusting to it. I have to teach an 8:00 class which means I have to leave the house by 7 before the kids even get up. I don't like getting up early and I know how hard it is on Duane to get both the kids up, dressed, fed, and out the door in a timely fashion.
Moreover, the whole stress of kindergarten is getting to me. I really really wanted Ike to be able to go to the local public kindergarten but I surrender. I just can't swing it. For one thing, kindergarten lasts for 2.5 hours. Seriously, I thought it would be at the very least 3 hours. Secondly, they can't guarantee us a spot in morning kindergarten since we live within walking distance of the school. The admin told us that there was a chance we could get morning kindergarten because people often switch and that we would find out in August. Um, what if I wait until August and we DON'T get morning kindergarten. Then exactly what is Ike supposed to do for kindergarten???? Seriously August. They can't get it figured out before then?
So anyway I went and visited the Periwinkle Child Development Center at LBCC where I teach. It was really, really nice. They have a full day 9-2:30 kindergarten curriculum and all the teachers have masters degrees in education. What's even better is there is a CO-OP option. If you enroll in a special child education class at LBCC (which I don't have to pay for since I am faculty) and volunteer 4 hours a week in your child's class (which I think would be awesome anyway) you can get kindergarten for $400 a term. That's for 4 months!
Simon can go to preschool there for an additional $500 a term. One of my friends on the faculty sends both her boys and she gave it rave reviews. I have heard the same from several students who send their kids there as well.
So what are the negatives? Well for one, Ike will have to start first grade and be a new kid. Secondly, I HAVE to go in to work every day. I like to work from home when I don't have class. Thirdly, kindergarten starts the second week of september but preschool & my classes don't start until late September. So for probably 2 weeks I will have to drive to Albany, drop off Ike, drive home??, and then drive back to pick him up at 2. With Simon. Yikes. Maybe my mom can babysit Simon some of those days and I can just stay in Albany and get some work done. Finally, I don't think Ike can get his speech therapy at the kindergarten in Albany since it is through Salem. This isn't as bad as it sounds because his current speech teacher said she really didn't think Ike would qualify for speech therapy as a kindergartener anyway. This is a good thing because he has made such awesome progress with his speech classes.
Okay - gym bag is packed, lunch is packed, coffee is ready to go on delay timer, I am ready to go to bed. Tonight I finish The Three Musketeers which is an awesome book if you haven't ever read it. Tomorrow I hope for nice weather, we're dyeing eggs and I would LOVE to do it outside.
No comments:
Post a Comment