Dilemma....wwyd?

I need help weighing this out...please don't quote***

DS has been approved for full day pre-school with services. we have 2 options:

#1: continue EI in the home until Aug 31st and have him start pre-school (cpse) in Sept

#2: discontinue EI in July. Have him go to pre-school's 6 week summer program. There are 3 weeks off and then he'd begin pre-school in Sept.

Here's the thing...the summer class would be kids that have been together all year and are a solid year older than him (although it IS their youngest class). This would NOT be the same class he'd enter into in Sept. He'd go into a younger class with all new kids and a new routine. Also, during the 3 week gap....he'd have nothing. Which, at not even 3 years old, is my biggest concern. I'm also fully anticipating going back to work and I'd probably be starting a new job during those 3 weeks.

The positive to the summer program is the aspect of building social skills. This is his area of need.

I'm SO on the fence about this.

please give your opinion....TIA

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

I would have him start in Sept.
I had the option of keeping Christopher in EI till Dec., but he turns 3 in Sept. I wanted to transition him in Sept., because he is guranteed a spot, but if I kept him in EI, he wouldnt be guaranteed.
So my choice would be Option #1.

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

Is he in daycare now? If not, I would do the Summer as an immersion/prep for September. Regardless, the Summer could be a great transition for him to see the school setting, etc.... so he is not completely at loss comes September.

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

Is there any way you could get some services during those 3 weeks even if you paid out of pocket? I think the transition into a setting with more social exposure would be beneficial. At this age I woud not be concerned about him "getting to know the kids" in the summer program and then switching in the fall. I think the routine and the daily interaction with other children is what matters. But I hear where you are coming from 3 weeks is a long time for a little one.

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

I would say let him start in Sept. this way he only has one major transition.

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Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

Posted by Little-J-Mommy

Posted by smdl

Is he in daycare now? If not, I would do the Summer as an immersion/prep for September. Regardless, the Summer could be a great transition for him to see the school setting, etc.... so he is not completely at loss comes September.

Thanks for responding
he's not in daycare now....he gets all his services at home. My first instinct was exactly what you wrote. But the more I think about it...I'm so afraid the 3 weeks of nothing is going to be detrimental to his progress. UGH....I'm so confused

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

I personally would start him in the Summer.

I will tell you, there are not many Summer programs that run the entire Summer. Most, if not all, are only 6 weeks, even for the severely delayed children.

If you start a job, then what are your childcare plans if you just keep him with EI and don't do pre-school over the Summer?

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

Posted by lipglossjunky73

Posted by Diane

I would have him start in Sept.
I had the option of keeping Christopher in EI till Dec., but he turns 3 in Sept. I wanted to transition him in Sept., because he is guranteed a spot, but if I kept him in EI, he wouldnt be guaranteed.
So my choice would be Option #1.

ITA - you are better off with that big transition rather than the transition into summer, and then another one in the fall!

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

I would start in the Summer. Ryan entered a full day class during the fall when all the other kids new each other... but it was no big deal. He was also the youngest.

They are still at a young age where being the "new" kid isn't as big of a deal as say, grade school.

I have seen a REMARKABLE difference since Ry started at the school. I would go for that.

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

I would do the summer program.

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

i think i would wait to sept to start the school class. stick with ei. mainly because the kids in the class have been together all year already, and they are fmailiry with each other and hte routine. it would be hard to for him transition into an existing class like that, and then to change all the kids again in sept anyway. see if you can find a mommy and me class (EI does offer them) than you could do once a week for hte summer until he can start with a new class in the fall.

p.s. when my son was in EI, his coordinator told me the same thing, even if you can get him into a summer program, it could be hard because hte kids have been together all year and he'd be new to the entire situation. she wanted me to wait until the fall to swtich over as well when we were looking into that situation.

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

Thank you so much for all your input ladies. What a quandary!!! After much debate with DH and his therapists....we've decided to hold off until Sept.

I just couldn't get past the 3 weeks of nothing in between summer school and sept. It's just too long for him to undo everything we've been working on.

I'm on the look out for EI mommy and me programs for the summer.....we're open to all suggestions. We're in Nassau TIA

Re: Dilemma....wwyd?

communication therarpies does a mommy n me in their office with one of the special ed teachers. we did the class (she was also our special ed teacher at home through EI for 2.5 years) small class, 5 or 6 kids max. 1 hour a week. not sure if they have openings right now, or if they are running in the summer, but its one place to check out.


ETA: your EI coordinator should be able to tell you some places that offer the mommy n me and find out if they have openings for you as well.

Message edited 4/30/2009 4:38:25 PM.