Reader says How am I suppose to enroll my kids in Kindergarten when I have a job
How are we supposed to register our kid if we both work? What is this 1955 with Stepford Wives and pa with a 9-5 job?
Time to enter the current century Ridgewood. There will be free preschool in Manhattan while we still have 1/2 day Kindergarten and middle of the week school registration.
Most households now are 2 income families and our schools have to start to respect that fact.
yeah, and what’s with elementary school “graduation” now during the day? people have to work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (i’m speaking to you Travell!)
thed
Both of us worked when our daughter was little, thirty years ago, and back then it was not the norm for both parents to be working, at least not in Ridgewood. One of us took a half-day off to register her for kindergarten. Are you so indispensable that you cannot take a couple of hours off for this exciting milestone in your precious child’s life? For heaven’s sake, take a deep breath, come home early from work that one day, go to registration, then go out and celebrate the big moment with your son or daughter. Life moves along very quickly. Try not to miss out on everything because of your job.
How about putting off having children until you have the money or a plan in place. Does one really need the biggest and the best of everything. Try scaling back and stay home to be there for your children. Kindergarten is only for 1 year for heavens sake.
Yes, and before you know it, comes the dreaded business day time-waster–the parent-teacher conference! If you and your spouse don’t regret having turned in your DINK cards yet, those clearly pointless meetings with your child’s educators will really push you over the edge!
“Stepford Wives” comment was not necessary. So no sympathy for you as you clearly are one of those people who mock women and/or men who choose to be stay at home parents. Besides, what is your proposal? Should the teachers, other faculty, and staff for the schools stay late beyond their work days to accomodate your schedule (i.e., they should have to work a longer day for you)? Who is going to watch their children on those nights? You sound very self-centered to me.
Clearly “Parent of the Year”
Since when can you or any other parent find time for your child or children, stop making an excuse and take some time out of your day. Also my wife and i both work and always found the time.
that’s great that all of you can just bag work when you want. there are so many things during the day and/or pointless half days or days off during the year. how about accommodating the people who pay the taxes therefore the salaries of staff.
there are so many minimum days etc. it doesn’t even seem the kids are doing that much “work”. and can anyone explain to me why we need to keep the kids out of school so the teachers can go to blow it out in A.C. for a couple of days. Union activities should be done outside of the school year, on teachers’ time.
that is all.
thed.
I always have my husband call me (he is there in person) for the parent-teacher conference call and I participate by phone from work.
However, I do think more can be done to accomodate working parents, but you need to speak up to your childs school if you want to get involved. If you are running an event/fundraiser/committee, you can set the hours!
Sounds like you’d be a lot happier in Manhattan! BYE BYE!
10 – just keep on voting “yes” for whatever they put in front of you
There are tradeoffs and concessions in all of our decisions. Maybe downsize your lifestyle to something manageable.
And I also think that the “Stepford Wife” comment said a lot about your views of parents who stay at home and possibly those of us who work part time to balance our lives.
Maybe your job is not really that great. I do not feel sorry for you because you chose to live in Ridgewood and maintain a full time career.
It sounds like you have a hard time getting things done for your kids.
We have half day kindergarten and the classes are full in the am and pm. Are you suggesting that we add on to each school to accommodate you? Manhattan will have preschool because they elected a progressive mayor who plans to fund preschool with a tax on high income earners.
With your dual income high power jobs you should be able to afford a nanny.
And don’t come to me with your child care/play dates. We don’t do play dates till 7 pm to accommodate working parents.
yeah, i’m concerned about this because of my go-go 80s lifestyle.
give me a break.
stop robotically supporting anything the schools do and take a step back and consider the situation. most people here work and can’t skip work multiple times a quarter for school events. that’s not being selfish; that’s being unselfish because one needs to maintain their employment for their family.
-thed
Schools aren’t babysitters.
If you have kids and you have a job then you need flexibility. If you don’t have flexibility then blame your job, don’t blame the school.
Even with all day kindergarten, it still is not daycare. You cannot count on the schools to watch your kids for a twelve hour day while you work a power job. Half day k is more than enough for a five year old.
This is so laughable. Why did you have kids If neither you or your partner can take the time out to register your child for kindergarten? You had better figure out a way to adjust your schedule to suit your kids or put them up for adoption now!
If half day K is not enough there are plenty of enrichment programs, many will provide transportation from Ridgewood kindergarten.
But the enrichment programs are still not babysitters till 6 or 7 pm. And they will have events during the day (just like kindergarten)that you will be invited to. Little kids like to see their parents in school, don’t disappoint them.
If you are unable to take a half day off for kindergarten registration, what will you do when your kid gets chickenpox? Kids are not an inconvenience that mess up your workday. They are your children, a blessing, and they should be your number one priority.