Kindergarden???

[Air Force Honey]

I am not sure what to do with my 5 year old. He is currently in german kindergarden (he is german) i am now married to an american and we have 4 more years here in germany. I am wondering if i should put him into american kindergarden on base. We went to an orientation last week and it all sounds good, they have special teachers and ESL (english as a second language) classes that he will be put in since he speaks hardly any english...

I just feel bad for tearing him out of his familiar environment but i think it might be better now from the start than later when we move to the states???? What do you guys think?

[Brea]

you could always let him start there next year.

[Air Force Honey]

Originally Posted by Brea you could always let him start there next year.

yeah but then he will be going into first grade...

[Allyssa]

It's obviously a decision you & your husband will need to think and talk through & decide on together.. But I do think doing it now is best. The younger the kids are, the easier it is for them to adapt to a new school/area and make friends. And the sooner you get him into an American school and get him learning how to speak and write English, the better.

[Air Force Honey]

Originally Posted by AllyssaM It's obviously a decision you & your husband will need to think and talk through & decide on together.. But I do think doing it now is best. The younger the kids are, the easier it is for them to adapt to a new school/area and make friends. And the sooner you get him into an American school and get him learning how to speak and write English, the better.

That's what we were thinking too.

[Allyssa]

Originally Posted by Air Force Honey yeah but then he will be going into first grade...

Has this school year already started?

What's the difference between now & then?

If it's an option, which it sounds like, and if school is already in progress there, then I'd wait until next year. Again, at that age it's very easy for them to make friends. And this way you can spend his summer break (if he gets one) preparing him for American school. Rather then yank him straight out of German school & toss him into an American school.

[Brea]

first grade is still pretty young but it's a decision you are going to have to make. Does he adjust easilt? If so it wont be a problem for him to start this yr, if not then waiting until next year really wont be that bad. I have 3 kids myself.

[Steff Bo Beff]

I think the sooner, the better. I don't have kids yet, so I may be overstepping my boundaries. However, I think the younger he is, the easier it will be for him to learn.

[Air Force Honey]

American Kindergarden starts up end of next week. We just thought that if we start him up for his Kindergarden year then he would at least have the language down to start school next year. He is a very smart boy, but shy.

[Air Force Honey]

Originally Posted by AllyssaM Has this school year already started? What's the difference between now & then? If it's an option, which it sounds like, and if school is already in progress there, then I'd wait until next year. Again, at that age it's very easy for them to make friends. And this way you can spend his summer break (if he gets one) preparing him for American school. Rather then yank him straight out of German school & toss him into an American school.

summer break is over in german kg. American kg starts up at the end of next week...