If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

Lets chat about it

How are you feeling about it? DS has been in school, he went 5 days a week last year, but only for 3 hours and never for lunch. I feel unprepared. Will you be making your DC's lunch everyday? DS is super picky so this is my big concern about Kindergarten. Is DC going to bring a lunch box to school? What foods/drinks do you plan on sending?

Is it going to be a big adjustment for me figuring out how to get lunch ready, homework done etc etc.

Aaahhhhh!!!! I can't believe my is going to kindergarten!!!!

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

My dd is starting in Sept too. She went 3 days to preshool but full days with breakfast and lucnh they provided. So it will be new to pack her lunch. She is too funny andd sat down and we made a list of the things she wants to bring for lunch and fruit. I'm not sure about the drinks or snacks yet. Can they get milk?

I can't belive she will be off on the bus in 33 days.

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

My DS is starting Kindergarten in September also. He went to preschool 3 half days a week, so I'm also at a loss as to what to pack him for lunch/snack. He's pretty picky, and doesn't really eat sandwiches, so I need to figure something out. Not even sure what type of lunch box/bag to get for him. I'm starting to get really nervous, although he's totally excited. Where did the last 5 years go????

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

Last year my boys both went to Kindergarten. I have always worked, but DH got home at 1:00 so they were never anywhere full day. I was terrified. It actually worked out okay.

I started making their lunch in the beginning every day and then they wanted to buy more and more. I sent stuff in a lunch box and the first week one of my sons barely ate at school and would then be starving when he got home but it worked itself out after a little bit. He had to get used to eating in a small window of time.

The hardest part for me was the lack of control over it all. I had no clue what was going on while there, my kids never told me what happened. I also was used to talking to the preschool teacher every morning at drop off so I knew how they way the day before, anything important, etc. They started taking the bus from day 1 do I never got this.

I still have not figured out the timing of everything, there is never enough time in the day and I have to get them out the door by myself in the morning and get myself out the door so morning can be rough. Also HW does not get done as often as the teacher would like but IMO, being in school for 6 hours and then coming home and having 1.5 hours of time with them for fun, I am not forcing them to do homework and it being a battle. I want to spend time with my kids. Next year we will have to fit it in, but they will be able to do more stuff on thier own I hope.

They will do better then you anticipate them doing, and you will not believe this, just I didn't beleive it when it was told to me last year. But they will be fine.

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

Jacob is starting kindergarten in September. He has been in daycare full time since he was 4 months old. He is soooo excited...I cry everytime I think about it I cant believe he is growing up As far as lunch, I will be sending in lunch for him every day at least in the beginning. Not sure what I will be sending in....probably sandwiches (turkey and chicken breast). I also feel so unprepared...I feel like its a whole new world!

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

Thank you! I'm worried about the long days, and I'm afraid DS won't eat (he's a lazy eater, so he has trouble eating in a short time frame) and that I won't know he's not eating. But as you said, they get used to it, and I'm sure he'll be fine. I just need to start figuring out what type of stuff to send for lunch.

Did you typically send cold food/sandwiches? Is there something that you can send something warm in (thermos?), like mac and cheese? Did you send in multiple snacks and drinks, since they have both lunch and snack? I feel so clueless...any suggestions would be appreciated!!

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

my daughter is starting K this year and her brother will be going to 1st grade. I will just load up their lunch accounts and they can buy lunch as school.

It's not only much easier on me (I'm a FTWM) but they have ALOT to choose from that I don't have to worry about whether or not they will eat

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

I have so many feelings about it. I'm excited for her, sad to put her on the bus., nervous ughhhh truthfully I'm a mess. I want to cry just thinking about it!! I am going to pack lunches until she gets into the swing of things and then if she wants, let her buy here and there. As far as drinks I plan on buying the little water bottles and sending her with those. I try to limit juices as much as possible.

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

My 2nd DS is starting Kindergarten in the fall! He is SO excited. He has been in full day preschool for a couple years and the elementary school he is going to had a summer camp. Hes going to that and LOVES it. DS is SO excited about taking the bus, carrying a lunch box and backpack etc. I am SO excited thats hes excited! He will also be going to before and after care a couple days/week.

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

DD & DS are starting Kindergarten. They have gone to preschool, this past year was 4 half days. They are super excited & ready for it. They can't wait to ride the bus and eat lunch at school. I am so nervous about them taking the bus and so sad that they will be gone so long every day (full day). Also a little sad that they wont be together all the time anymore to look out for one another (I know its a good thing and I know they actually will like being seperated).

Really trying to cherish every moment of this last month of them being home w/ me

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

Megan will be starting Kindergarten in the fall and I am losing it BIG TIME! I don't know how my BABY is 5 and going off to Kindergarten??? She is the worst eater in the world and I have no idea what to send because she eats NOTHING! I too fear she wont be eating and I wont know whats going on!

I also feel sorry for MYSELF! I feel like I am losing my best friend! She was in 5 days of preschool this past year but only for 2 1/2 hours per day. She started going to camp 3 days a week this past week but only because my sister is her teacher and we got a break. Other than that, she would have been home with me.

Not to mention the fact that our entire schedule is going to change now..we are night owls..and we love to sleep late. Now its early mornings baby! Should be fun..I am panicking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully we can calm each other down. I know theres quite a few of us here.

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

I have BTDT 2x and have another one going into kindergarten this year. I am more excited than nervous, just because I have witnessed the way kindergarten really transforms them into their own little person. I can't wait to see my son (hopefully) mature

What I did, was have a routine. They come home from school, they get a snack, then we do homework before they get to play. But really, he probably won't have homework for the first few weeks, they just want to focus on getting them adjusted to school full time. I packed lunch every night. snack was usually carrots or celery and a juice box, pretzels, apples, etc. Usualy by the second week my kids wanted to buy lunch like their friends Our school has an online payment system so all your kid has to do is swipe their card and that pays for their lunch-so easy.

Also, he'll probably be exhausted the first week so be prepared for him to wipe out early that week.

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

I am not happy about it. I also feel like I am losing my little buddy. AND, I will hate not being able to speak with his teacher every day. AND I will miss seeing the same mothers in the hallway that I have seen for the past two years (his class stayed together for two years.)

The only thing I'm not worried about is his lunch. He went two extended days this past year, from 9-2, so I had to pack a lunch twice a week. My son is a good eater so it was easy to pack things he would eat.

Summer is going too quickly! I am not looking forward to kindergarten!

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

My oldest is starting Kindergarten next month, too, but she went to full day Pre-K, so I'm fairly prepared for what's to come with the lunch-packing, etc. I will be packing her lunch, but I need to first see the lunch menu and might let her buy a few times a month. I have to make my lunch every night anyway, so I don't mind packing hers.

I'm really excited for her to start K! I know she's going to love it. She loves school and is so ridiculously excited!

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

My DD is starting too. She was in full-time preschool for the last 2 years. She is really excited.

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

My baby is off to K. I am less anxious about it, having my older one go before her. Plus, she has the same teacher he had, and she will be on the bus with her older brother! And she did extended day pre-K, so she already had full days with lunch at school. She is ready!

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

DD is starting K in Sept also. I am really nervous! Its going to be a big change for both of us. I have worked VERY PT the past few years and will be adding hours now that she will be in school FT. She is used to spending a lot of time with me. I feel like Im loosing my little sidekick But, she is super excited and ready. I am nervous about the bus! The thought of a stranger driving her around gets me all wound up! I dont want to take that experience away from her though...I loved riding the bus as a kid! I think lunch is going to be a mess for a little bit, She is a picky eater and a slow eater. UGH that is my biggest worry. She doesnt eat sandwiches at all. Shes not even a big lunch person to begin with - she eats a good breakfast and dinner.."lunch"is usually more of a snack...cheese and crackers, fruit, veggies, thst type of stuff. ugh. Summer is flying by - itll be here before we know it!!

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

A suggestion for homework: My kids each have a pencil box at home with crayons, scissors, glue stick, sharpened pencils in it. They know it's their homework box and they need to put everything back in it when homework is done. It helped cut down on the time wasting "I can't find my red crayon" etc. that was going on at first.

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

Re: If your child is starting Kindergarten this year or BTDT

I'm very worried about everything.... Full day, lunch, homework, the bus, etc... I can cry thinking about it.

He did do full day (6 hours) camp this summer so it helped "prep" him for the fall. They gave breakfast & lunch there, and he had bus trips every other day. He did really well, no problems at all, so it has made me less worried.

I just feel like he's still a baby, and I haven't had enough time with him at home yet. So, I guess I'm the one who's not ready for kindergarten.

I plan on packing his lunch unless he asks to buy. We have lunch boxes, 3 actually, and I was planning on buying more until my DH yelled at me. Now I've moved on to furniture.

I'm sure they will all do great!