they lost their childhood

[twins0506]

My boys started a SN's preschool when they were just 2 years old. They go full time and it is year round. They get 2 weeks off at the end of June and 2 weeks at the end of August. While other kids are enjoying their summer they are in school. They just turned 3 in November. THREE! I feel like they got cheated. We got cheated. They are toddlers you know? They shouldn't be in school FULL TIME. They shouldn't be in school year round. Its too much. Some days I want to just leave them home from school and just hang out with them. But I don't because they miss enough days being sick. In the summer you're supposed to go to the beach, the zoo, the park... How when you have school allll summer. It sucks.

Ok pity party over.

[RochelleFS]

(Hugs) Momma! This is why I started homeschooling for summer. Dd gets the best of both worlds. Summer is a great time to introduce a wider range of experiences for her. I feel dd really benefits from this mixed approach. We've only done it for 2 years but what a difference it's made on getting her to generalize skills learned in the "real world". Doesn't work for everyone though and it's hard for some to transition, but dd thrives on change.

[aidensmomma508]

I Know Holly what you mean :/ but I feel like if Aiden didn't have speech and OT and school through the summer he would lose skills and go behind.  I hope someday he doesn't have to do full year. I just feel I can't provide speech and he needs it.  We do let him miss school in the summer if we are doing something special. Also my son does have 3 weeks off in the summer so it's not like he doesn't get any vacation. 

[Punkslilncs]

My SN son goes to school just during the school year, he did go when he was 2, but I don't feel he lost his childhood, just had a slightly different one. Not every kid experiences the same thing growing up, it's okay. Just make sure the fun is still there. My son has a blast at school and HATES the summer breaks. ( Sometimes that hurts, but I realize why.)

[marisab]

 Johny goes just during teh school year and its eems to be enough ..why are they year round??

[bouncingsoul]

My sons school is year round too. He goes to preschool and will be 4 next month.I think they get like 3 breaks a year..they are more than two weeks long though. I think one might be and the others are 4 weeks-6 weeks. I dont think he really got cheated of a childhood. I mean for being 4 he has A LOT on his plate. But, we still are able to do all kinds of things. He absolutely loves school and riding the bus..and loves therapy too! Most of the time haha. But, I agree with another poster..it is just different. Difficult and different at times.

[dawncs]

I know it is difficult being in a year round program for Autism. It does seem like they are being cheated out of a childhood on some level right now. It helps them build new skills while retaining the older skills. There are only so many years of free education before they age out at age 21. They need to be prepared for their level of independence in adulthood.

[marisab]

 I do agree a year round program is a bit much but i am sure you can discuss with the school if during sumemr u can let them miss a few to do family stuff

[mallowcup17]

selena is in school year round(and has been since preK) but her summer program is half day(until 1230) and they do field trips at least once a week. its geared more towards keeping skills they already learned and keeping the routine. i really would be worried if she wasnt in that program since transitions are so hard for her and its been the same teacher from the year before or the new teacher for the summer as the upcoming year. 

[saltycoqui]

 My kids have always been in year round schools. Since they were 2 n 3 yrs old. During the summer sessions they had plenty of nice trips outdoors. When it's an especially nice day, they take the day off and go somewhere special, like the beach. They still get just over three weeks off in August. School begins in Sept. for us. 

My kids are teens now. I never wanted too long a gap to interupt with the therapy they were/ are getting. I don't feel anything has been taken away from them. The schedule just takes some getting used to. My kids never complain about it.
  
I'm sorry your kids have so many sick days.

[navyjen]

 Dont consider it losing their childhood.  My daughter goes to daycare (she calls it school)5 days a week while I work and she loves it.  I still do fun things with her in the evenings and on weekends but she is still very much a happy active toddler.  If you worked full time they would go to some sort of daycare.  I think sometimes if you look at things from a different prospective you might see it differently.   They have fun at school they play at school they learn at school and to them its just how life is.   HUgs.