DCK and My Kid // Kindergarten Advice Needed

[Play Care]

Right now, you don't know if the daycare kid will even get into your daughter's class. If he does, you don't know if it will be a problem. I think you may be reading into the situation too far right now. If it becomes a problem in the future, you could address it then with the teacher.

There are a lot of kids in a kindergarten class these days--even if daycare kid gets into your daughter's class, the number of times she interacts with him during one day are likely to be pretty low unless they are best buds and they seek each other out for playmates. If she's more advanced, they will probably be in different learning groups throughout the day anyways.

Also--I don't think emailing the school will do you much good. Take the opposite point of view--what if you were trying to get your daughter into a class and another parent emailed and said: "I don't want that kid in my child's class." Would you want the school to listen to that parent? Every time someone had an issue with someone else, kids would be switching classes left and right. I don't think it's something schools will accommodate.

My school DOES take requests and thank goodness for that! I feel that at times, dc kids can be just like having a sibling in class. I know many parents of multiples often opt to have their kids separated so they can stand on their own feet and not be "one of the Smith triplets."

When I've put in my request, I've explained that they've been in dc together are more like siblings, etc. they have accommodated me. Obviously I've always kept it positive and don't make a habit of it. But it IS nice not to have dc issues cross over into school issues which does happen.

[missheather]

I USED to think good grades and academic progress was the key to everything....I now know that it is far more important to have good character, loyalty, people management skills, honesty and dependability etc..... verses a 4.0 GPA.

happyface WOW!! I love this! I think I am going to print if out and keep on my fridge!

[laundrymom]

Point well made. Does it need to be at least brought to the attention of the teacher (if they are in the same class), about the dc situation?

I'm also at the other end of the grade spectrum but have been in dc since '87. All my kids have at some point or another, had a dckid in a class. I just let the teacher know at start of year that they may act more like best friends, siblings or enemies sometimes and to let me know if it becomes an issue.

I wouldn't stress over a dckids influence on your child unless your child were exposed to dckids homelife that was different than yours significantly.

Your influence is what matters. Not that of a classmate who happens to come to daycare.

Just my honest opinion. Not meant to offend.

[preschoolteacher]

Point well made. Does it need to be at least brought to the attention of the teacher (if they are in the same class), about the dc situation?

I think a heads-up that they are in daycare together would be appreciated. I had two boys in one of my classes that were cousins and spent a lot of time together, but their families didn't mention it to us until a few weeks into the school year. It sure explained a lot about their behavior---which was nothing out of the norm for best friends/cousins, but not what you'd expect from two 3-year-olds who had supposedly just met each other.

[Familycare71]

Speaking as a mother on the opposite end of the school years (mine are both in college) but learning to cope with influence from "less than desirable" people is FAR more important than academics in the long run.

I USED to think good grades and academic progress was the key to everything....I now know that it is far more important to have good character, loyalty, people management skills, honesty and dependability etc..... verses a 4.0 GPA.

I could not agree with this more!!! happyface