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meesh · 02-26-2010, 10:13 PM

My DD is starting JK next year. I am now starting to get nervous about the whole thing. There are a couple of reasons.

First, her being off on her own, riding the school bus etc without knowing anyone makes me very nervous. I am going to ask around about a "buddy" she could walk to the bus stop and ride the bus with, but it still makes me nervous (as I am sure is not unusual!)

Second, I am worried about how she is going to interact with other children. She is very social and not shy AT ALL. That being said, sometimes she is a little pushy and gets upset if the person she wants to talk or play with doesn't necessarily want to talk/play with her. Also, as many little girls are, she is pretty bossy when playing with others.

She isn't around other children her age very often. My mother babysits her and DS as well as one other little girl (who is 8 months older than DS). My mom is getting ready to retire (she has had a home based day care for 30 years) so she is slowing down and only has the one other LO other than my own.

I guess really what I need is for her to interact more with children her age before attending school, but I am finding it hard to arrange. I don't know anyone with children her age in our area (Glencoe) and I work full time, so they have to be weekend play dates.

How did everyone else deal with the JK nerves??
Advice?

I am worried she is too young for this, but know other children do just fine, so maybe not?

She is ready in the sense that she loves to learn and is ready for more education.

ZooMama · 02-26-2010, 10:24 PM

I was just like you. DS had gone to daycare, so he was used to that type of environment and interacting with other kids a bit, but he'd been with the same kids and teacher for 2 years so I had worries about separation anxiety and things like that. I was soooo nervous about throwing him on the school bus and sending him off on his own for the day. He had JUST turned 4 two days prior, and he still had to crawl up the steps of the bus!! I was a wreck!

It was really really anticlimactic though! I hope that makes you feel better

He made no fuss when the bus came, had a great day at school, was happy to tell us all about it. He made a ton of friends pretty quickly and I was pleasantly surprised that there really wasn't much of an adjustment period.

I know everyone's experience is different, though. As far as the logistics of it all (bussing, getting into the school, getting back home, etc) they will take care of her! And as for the social aspects - every kid is working on socialization and it is a big focus of the JK year. She might have some rough days, but take it in stride - they all do!

For socialization before school starts, what about something like soccer this spring/summer? It puts someone else in charge of her, she'll get to cooperate with other kids her age and have fun all at once. DS loved it!

Good luck! I hope you end up having a great experience with it!

princess2808 · 02-27-2010, 12:20 AM

I'm not really nervous about the JK thing, Aden is so freeking excited. I swear he's been asking since Sept when he gets to go daily. Where we are currently living though he would be bused and I DO NOT like that idea. The whole 4 year old getting on a bus and getting to his class just feels wrong to me. I dont like how the busing thing makes the home/school separation so big. Almost like parents arent welcome in the school.

mamabear · 02-27-2010, 12:54 AM

I could have written that. Actually I planned to at some point! LOL!
I dunno, I'm going to wait and see how she does. I don't know if she will be ready for JK, and I'm nervous, but she's excited, so that's a good sign, right? Plus I figure at that age it's totally normal to be kind of lacking in the social skills department (like being bossy and pushy sometimes and hogging the conversation and so on...) and yet somehow it seems to work out for most kids... Right? I don't know, I wonder if we're making the right choice on the whole JK thing. I'm just trying to be positive and I figure we'll deal with problems as they come up, and if they do, we can reassess, right? ...Right? LOL

Indigo74 · 02-27-2010, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZooMama

I was just like you. DS had gone to daycare, so he was used to that type of environment and interacting with other kids a bit, but he'd been with the same kids and teacher for 2 years so I had worries about separation anxiety and things like that. I was soooo nervous about throwing him on the school bus and sending him off on his own for the day. He had JUST turned 4 two days prior, and he still had to crawl up the steps of the bus!! I was a wreck!

It was really really anticlimactic though! I hope that makes you feel better

He made no fuss when the bus came, had a great day at school, was happy to tell us all about it. He made a ton of friends pretty quickly and I was pleasantly surprised that there really wasn't much of an adjustment period.

I had huge nerves about DS starting school this year. I had SO many concerns about how he would do; But my experience was the same as Zoomama...I found that it ended up being really anticlimactic, LOL. The first week was stressful for me; figuring out what to send him for lunch, getting him used to a new morning routine, etc....but after the first day or two, it seemed like it was old hat for him LOL

meesh · 02-27-2010, 01:18 PM

Glad to hear others feel/felt the same way!

Hopefully all my nervousness will be for nothing!

million$momma · 02-27-2010, 02:41 PM

Just an FYI, at least in our area, Kindergarten children need to be put on the bus by an adult and picked up off the bus by an adult. Also, the school gives them a buddy (from grade 6,7, or 8) who gets them from the classroom to the right bus at the end of the school day. The kids are labelled (they have a tag on their backpack) that identifies their bus number too incase for some reason anyone gets confused. JK/SK are also required to sit at the front of the bus.

Spots · 02-27-2010, 03:37 PM

Our area is similar to Million$mommas. Bused kids must be put on and taken off the bus by an adult the bus driver recognizes. This lasts until they are old enough to be on their own, about age 12? In the pm if there is no one to meet the bus the driver returns them to the school. JKs must wear an ID tag for the first few months until they get the routine down pat.

I too had many concerns before my JKer started. I went to the information day they had and it was very helpful. JK is full of children from all different backgrounds and life experiences. My oldest is thriving in the JK environment. He has made a ton of friends, including neighbours and I'm sure yours will too.

molly · 03-09-2010, 09:40 PM

I am in the same boat... I just tried to get out of area status so my son could go to a half day every day program and I got turned down so I am hesitantly registering for our local school that has the every other full day schedule... I figure that we will see what happens and then there is always the option to pull him out

JK is not manditory but I gues it is worth trying out and most kids seem to adjust!

lhastie · 03-09-2010, 10:29 PM

It is still up to you if you send her for JK, so see where it goes.

Frankly, the idea of putting 4 year olds on a bus scares me. I helped meeting JKs off the school buses at the school I was in grade 8 and you literally had to grab them when they got off the bus and keep track of them. Such chaos and they're so little! I don't like busing at hte best of times and for JK and SK it just seems too much.

CHilt · 03-10-2010, 01:12 PM

If you want to give her more exposure to other kids - which I definitely think is a good idea - I'd recommend Childreach. They're open on Saturday mornings and there's always a good range of kids of different ages there, lots of room to play, and support for parents at the same time. There are lots of different types of activities, whether she's into crafts, dressup play, puzzles, train sets or the play kitchen and playhouse.

I think all the TVDSB schools have some sessions to introduce them to the school. At the school DD will be going to there are mornings at the beginning of Feb, Mar, April and May. Even if you can't go, I assume that when she's going to JK there will be an adult taking her to and from the school bus. Maybe that person could take her to the next open morning, meet some other parents and maybe get some contacts for you to set up some play dates.

tmackenzie · 04-19-2010, 10:52 PM

Hi,
My DD is starting school in Sept. and even being a teacher with the board I am nervous. I know that she will do fine but I share similar fears/concerns as those posted earlier about her riding the bus to and from school and making sure she gets to her classroom from the bus in the AM and from her classroom to the bus in the PM. I'm sure the school has it under control and I don't need to worry, but I'm a mom...
There are some great sessions that are offered right now at many TVDSB schools called TVNELP and they are little 1 1/2 hr sessions where you get to attend the school with your child and learn more about not only about the JK routine but also the servies that are available through the board and the community.
OEY West also offers a Sat. AM program for dad's only where they have centres set up and a snack.
You aren't alone in your fears but I'm sure like many things in life it will be 'anit- climatic' as another poster wrote.
Good-luck!