Starting reception and tiredness

[cakeforbrains]

DS starts in reception in September, he is only just four (August birthday). I keep seeing threads where people talk about how tired their children were at first. However, DS has been in daycare since he was one, doing 8-5.30 three days a week. So I'm wondering whether actually school 8.30-3 will be less tiring.

If your child attended daycare/nursery before starting reception, did you find them less tired than other children who had only attended school nursery for half days?

DD1 attended daycare 3 days/week since she was 8 months old

but she was KNACKERED from school. It totally took me by surprise (she is a february birthday). She only did half days the first term, and would quite often come home and have a sleep.

After Christmas when they did full days, february half term couldn't come quick enough

I've taught some children who've previously been in day care full time and they have fallen asleep by story time and had to be carried out at home time and I've taught others who have taken it in their stride. I had one who regularly fell asleep during assembly at 9.30 ...
Regardless of previous experience they all start to look tired by the holidays.

I was in exactly your position last year and asked the teacher if there was any way he could do full days instead of half days. I completely underestimated how different school was from nursery, much lower ratio of adults to kids, having to concentrate, learning new routines, assembly etc. My ds was wiped out for the first couple of months and then again when he moved to full days. Not all negative though, he has become much more confident and sociable and made some good friends. It is tough that they are so much younger but the teachers should look out for the little ones. Hope it goes well.

They aren't learning as much new stuff at nursery. They have more adults to help them at nursery. They probably get to nap if they want whilst at nursery. Expectations on them are lower -- they aren't expected to be learning to read and add up.

I can only compare DS who went half days to school for one term (15 hours/week over 5 days) after doing about the same hours over 3 days at nursery. He was a lot less tired after school than he had been at nursery, and than my other DC who started school full days... but he is a much more energetic person anyway, so it's very hard to compare at all!

It just depends on the child. All of my son's friends were exhausted, he just bounced home every night, he'd done full days at nursery since a baby. But the last 2-3 weeks of every term he's shattered as mrz says, esp the winter term.

Thanks everyone, I guess I'm being over-optimistic hoping that he'll not be tired. After the first month I think I'll need him to do one evening of late stay due to my work commitments. I'll be at home every wednesday tho, so if he's struggling mid-week he could come home after lunch or something.

He's so excited about school, would start tomorrow if he could

late stay only means until 4.30 btw

My DS had done 8.30-5.30 nursery days since he was 6 months old too, without a nap since he was 2.2, but yes he was wiped by school

The first few week she actually went to bed early, but then went back to his 7-7.30pm bedtimes. He is very tired after school, and really just wanted to chill and watch some tv.

Like others said they get very tired and grumpy as each holiday approaches as well- I always thought it was conspiracy and a waste all these holidays, but now I can see that without them my own DS wouldnt have finished this year!!!

OTOH my friend's son was completely fine. he is a June birthday and when i commented on it to my friend she just laughed and said "yes, but your dd is listening, engaged, taking it all in. my ds doesn't even remember his teacher's name" - this was nearly Christmas.

Again DD had been in full time nursery since 3 months of age, but she came home an awful angry tired girl for the first two terms of school (no part time option so full time from day 1). to facilitate my working I had an Au pair and she traveled on the bus which she loved, but she was gone 8am to 4.30pm.
Cue year 1 shift to much more structured day and again 1 term of awful angry tired girl.
Only now she is going into year 2 I am I using before and after school club.

I'm sure he will be okay with one late stay a week. At DS1's school, late stay is very relaxed with the little boys mucking around with the classroom toys, and the older ones playing computer games.

DS1 was another daycare veteran who was incredibly tired during the first term. But the teachers were really understanding and kind. They had a quiet corner with some cushions for weary little boys. They also never forced over-tired children to participate in formal class activities if it was too much for them.