Also, what do you do when the kids get home? Lunch/Play/Homework or Lunch/ Homework/ Play or? ??
We do school bed time at 7:30 and read until 8 for my 5 and 8 year olds and 8 and read to 8:30 for my 10 year old. (they hve to catch the bus at 7:30 so up by 6:15)
My kids always do homework first (while eating if they are absolutely starving) I find they are able to get it done more efficiently if they are still in school mode.
Bedtime for my kinders was always 7pm. As they get a bit older we move it up to 8, and now my 4th grader can stay up until 8:30 on a school night. Not every child needs the same amount of sleep, but they need to wind down and get rest for school.
Homework is always done after a snack and a conversation about how their day went. My kids are off school at 2:30. Homework never starts later than 3:15. They need to take a break every half hour though or their brains seem to get overworked. If homework takes more than an hour, I talk to the teacher. Their development depends on playtime and socialization with family as well as academics.
For the homework part,I would just see what works best for him(within reason).My dd likes to come home from school,get a snack and watch 1,1/2 hour tv program.Then she plays for a bit.Then homework is at 4pm.Then dinner at 4:30(we eat early because dh has to be in bed by 5,as he gets up at 1:30am for work).Then she has play time,shower,practice spelling word list,independent reading,1 1/2 hour tv show,storytime,then bed by 8.We have done this since kindergarten.
Interesting...I remember reading a long time ago kids need time to unwind, be goofy and run around after school, especially boys since (the article said) that learning in most schools cater to a girl's mind and thinking more than an active boy. I am hoping to walk him most days (pregnant now and it is super hot so not now) to and from school, a 5-10 minute walk with a park located before school. I was thinking maybe packing a lunch, picking him up, eating at the park and let him play a bit before we come home from school and then start homework. But I wonder how much cooperation I'll get from him once we get home. School is from 8:55am-12:30pm...maybe I should try it every other day to see what his capability is. What does everybody think?
Quoting SuperPickle:
We do school bed time at 7:30 and read until 8 for my 5 and 8 year olds and 8 and read to 8:30 for my 10 year old. (they hve to catch the bus at 7:30 so up by 6:15)
My kids always do homework first (while eating if they are absolutely starving) I find they are able to get it done more efficiently if they are still in school mode.
I agree that they need all that for sure, but I find that if I let them do it first the learning for the homework assignment flies right out of their heads and it takes them longer to get on track to get it done
Of course this is what works for US.(I have 3 boys) Not every kid is going to be the same way. With this being your first in school you just need to have a trial and error of what works best for him.
Quoting Crisd77:Interesting...I remember reading a long time ago kids need time to unwind, be goofy and run around after school, especially boys since (the article said) that learning in most schools cater to a girl's mind and thinking more than an active boy. I am hoping to walk him most days (pregnant now and it is super hot so not now) to and from school, a 5-10 minute walk with a park located before school. I was thinking maybe packing a lunch, picking him up, eating at the park and let him play a bit before we come home from school and then start homework. But I wonder how much cooperation I'll get from him once we get home. School is from 8:55am-12:30pm...maybe I should try it every other day to see what his capability is. What does everybody think?
Quoting SuperPickle:
We do school bed time at 7:30 and read until 8 for my 5 and 8 year olds and 8 and read to 8:30 for my 10 year old. (they hve to catch the bus at 7:30 so up by 6:15)
My kids always do homework first (while eating if they are absolutely starving) I find they are able to get it done more efficiently if they are still in school mode.
A picnic in the park sounds like a great idea. However, before you do, talk with his teacher to find out how his morning will be scheduled. If they are required to have lunch before school ends, then maybe pack a snack for your trip to the park.
As far as bedtimes go, 7:30-8:00 pm is a good time for kindergarteners. Also, make sure you get him up at the same time each morning as well. If you choose to change his bedtime routine to 7:30 for school, then start him on the early bedtime now before school begins. Even though my daughters are beginning 7th and 9th grades (my son just graduated high school), a week before school starts, I have them go to bed at the time they would as if they were in school. This way, they can ease their body clocks to accept the new times.
My kids were always required to do homework shortly after they got home from school. This way they had free time after dinner to watch tv instead of trying to get it all done before bed. Of course, every kid is different and you'll learn from your own kid what he needs right after school, whether it's a little down time before homework, or if he can start right away with no problem. Last year, my youngest decided she needed a little downtime before starting her homework. Because her grades were good, I allowed her 30 minutes of Wii time after school before she started her homework. That downtime helped her out bigtime, because kids to get burned out with school from time to time. She still ended the school year with a 3.5 GPA.
The next 13 years are going to be some of the best and most frustrating times for both you and your son. But once he walks the stage with a diploma in hand, it'll all be worth it and you'll probably remember his first day of kindergarten.
Quoting Crisd77:Interesting...I remember reading a long time ago kids need time to unwind, be goofy and run around after school, especially boys since (the article said) that learning in most schools cater to a girl's mind and thinking more than an active boy. I am hoping to walk him most days (pregnant now and it is super hot so not now) to and from school, a 5-10 minute walk with a park located before school. I was thinking maybe packing a lunch, picking him up, eating at the park and let him play a bit before we come home from school and then start homework. But I wonder how much cooperation I'll get from him once we get home. School is from 8:55am-12:30pm...maybe I should try it every other day to see what his capability is. What does everybody think?
Quoting SuperPickle:
We do school bed time at 7:30 and read until 8 for my 5 and 8 year olds and 8 and read to 8:30 for my 10 year old. (they hve to catch the bus at 7:30 so up by 6:15)
My kids always do homework first (while eating if they are absolutely starving) I find they are able to get it done more efficiently if they are still in school mode.
What's the difference between a Good Mom and a Great Mom?
A Good Mom lets her kids lick the cake mix off of the beaters.
A Great Mom turns the beaters off first.
My kids (14,11,8, 2 ) in bed at 9 and lights off at 9:30. When they get home I let them play and then do homework after dinner. After homework more play, baths at 8:30 at 9 they have to be laying in bed watching tv and tv off at 9:30
How often do you drink alcohol?
- Crisd77
on Aug. 8, 2012 at 5:53 PM