Posts by Susan James

Brenda Doyle5 said:Is there actually anything in writing regarding the specific duties and responsibilities of an after-school instructor, or what they’re supposed to be doing during those hours?
I’m not asking for myself, but for a colleague. Her kid goes to the after-school program, and honestly, it seems like they just play around and nap all day. Then the kid gets home and still has to tackle homework and studying on top of everything else.
My colleague is thinking about going to the school to have a talk about it, but is there even any point? Is that afternoon teacher actually required to lead activities, or do they follow a curriculum like the morning teachers do? Or is their whole job basically just acting as a babysitter?

It's definitely not babysitting.
As a parent, my expectation is that the kids get their schoolwork finished while they're in that program.

They are being paid as certified elementary school teachers,
(and they have the degrees to back it up)

If not a single kid is getting their homework done, then something is clearly wrong and it looks like the teacher isn't actually engaging them.
If it's just a handful of kids, maybe she's giving them a pass on certain assignments, and we should probably look into why those specific kids aren't finishing their work.

Brian Barnes5 said:I’m keeping a close eye on this whole discussion and checking back on this thread constantly because I really want to stay in the loop.
Just one mom reached out with a pretty vague reason for wanting to hold her kid back.

Personally, my biggest worry is how things like emotional maturity and social skills might play out later on. I keep telling myself that delaying school shouldn't be some massive mistake since he won't be "behind" anyone else—it's not like there's a race. It could honestly just make his life easier, and I can't see it making things harder unless it messes with his ability to handle classroom dynamics, take on responsibilities, or manage being home alone for five hours at a time since we don't have an after-school program. He’s already totally mastered the curriculum, though.
Later this month, I've got a sit-down scheduled with our preschool speech therapist, the child psychologist, and his teachers. I’m definitely going to follow whatever they suggest, no questions asked.

I don't really have any questions right now. I was just venting about how frustrating it is that some doctor over at the school health clinic gets to have the final say without even meeting the kid. It’s wild how they can just override the professional recommendations from the preschool team and the parents' requests like it's nothing.

Wait, how would a school nurse not see the kid? Who else is going to do the exams, take their vitals, or sit down to talk with them and the parents? As far as I know, the school health department handles that 6-month vaccine shot too.

You really need to show up for those appointments with the doctor and the rest of the medical team.

Brian Barnes5 said:I’m keeping a close eye on this whole discussion and checking back on this thread constantly because I really want to stay in the loop.
Just one mom reached out with a pretty vague reason for wanting to hold her kid back.

Personally, my biggest worry is how things like emotional maturity and social skills might play out later on. I keep telling myself that delaying school shouldn't be some massive mistake since he won't be "behind" anyone else—it's not like there's a race. It could honestly just make his life easier, and I can't see it making things harder unless it messes with his ability to handle classroom dynamics, take on responsibilities, or manage being home alone for five hours at a time since we don't have an after-school program. He’s already totally mastered the curriculum, though.
Later this month, I've got a sit-down scheduled with our preschool speech therapist, the child psychologist, and his teachers. I’m definitely going to follow whatever they suggest, no questions asked.

I don't really have any questions right now. I was just venting about how frustrating it is that some doctor over at the school health clinic gets to have the final say without even meeting the kid. It’s wild how they can just override the professional recommendations from the preschool team and the parents' requests like it's nothing.

True, but because of parents like that—who push for overly demanding curricula—other parents end up looking unrealistic or like they're just riding a trend regarding delaying school.

In my opinion, the key to a successful delay is making sure the child is actually working on something during that extra year. It shouldn't just be "killing time" while waiting for next year; it should be a chance to develop those social skills they haven't quite hit yet, so they grow through that year.
Here is something I wrote earlier:

Susan James said:That article is excellent. Honestly, though, I think delaying school can actually help kids manage stress better and prevent parents from falling into the trap described in the piece.
I don't see extending preschool as a way to create an "easy" life. To me, it's a vital window where children, free from the pressure of schoolwork and extracurriculars, can just be on the playground or at daycare. It's where they practice social skills, learn how to handle anger, sadness, or fear, and figure out how to resolve conflicts with peers and adults. They get to learn without the constant pressure to be "the best" or the looming shadow of having to finish homework, make posters, or meet academic expectations and rankings.

I think if a child isn't emotionally ready for school yet, a parent can easily fall into the trap of overprotecting them compared to other kids. Since the child eventually has to attend school regularly and complete assignments, parents might think, "It's not good for them to stay upset or sad for too long because it might hurt their performance."
So then, the parent either fights those battles for them or prevents them from ever facing them.
It ends up turning a child's natural development into something artificial.

Free play hasn't hindered anyone's development; in fact, kids learn so much through play during these pre-school years. It should be their main activity. I personally wouldn't cut it short or swap it out for a mountain of obligations.
The real issue arises when it doesn't matter if a kid starts school at 5, 6, or 8, because the parent is essentially playing for them and teaching them *how* to play. Or even worse, when they are already overloaded with activities by the time they're three and a half.

In my experience, it’s actually pretty rare for school doctors to ignore the professional opinion of a specialist, especially when it involves a facility where the kids have been receiving specific treatments. Even if they don't immediately agree, most parents I know just head straight out to get a second opinion anyway.

Brian Barnes5 said:Quote:

Rhino says: Anyway, just wanted to jump in here. If the curriculum for first graders is considered too intense, then honestly, I’m all for just delaying school enrollment altogether. It feels totally pointless to even start schooling them when taxpayers are essentially footing the bill for kids who can't even wrap their heads around the basics in their very first year because they aren't ready yet. Think about it—you've got emotional hurdles, social struggles, messy hygiene habits, speech issues, motor skill delays, lower cognitive levels, or even physical stuff like weight or height, right? But seriously, someone is actually complaining that the coursework is "overwhelming"? (I mean, I totally get being worried about heavy backpacks—like, if you pile up all those textbooks and shove them in a bag, you might end up wrecking a kid's spine for life, though we could just stop bringing books home. But this whole thing about the material being too hard? I really don't get it.)

Rhino, it seems to me like people rarely dare to push back against you on these topics since we've seen so many times how much you actually know your stuff.

But man, that post above is just way too harsh...
For parents like us, who feel like "our little spoiled angel" might benefit from an extra year before starting school, we’re looking at exactly what you listed. If a child is dealing with any of those specific challenges, then naturally, they're going to find the workload—and the social scene—way more taxing than a kid who's already hitting all those developmental milestones. Of course it's harder for them.
Why go out of your way to belittle kids and their parents?

I'm sorry you took my post as being dismissive.
Maybe take another look at the discussion and let me know if you have a specific question.

If you check out my other posts in this thread, you'll see I'm always in favor of holding a child back if there are emotional or social issues involved—real things that preschool teachers or admissions specialists can assess. Usually, a simple conversation with an expert is enough to get a clear picture.
That's also true if the child is already working with a specialist or attending therapy for specific needs.

But it's a completely different story when it's just a parent's perception that the workload is too heavy. In those cases, regardless of the child's actual abilities or needs, they want to delay school simply because they think the curriculum is too intense.

Karen Richardson3 said:I'm curious about one thing, though—isn't that basically how all kids act when they're first starting out?

Like what?
The main thing is observing how they take in instructions and follow directions for a task.
It’s about what they’ll be expected to handle daily, both in the classroom and during extracurricular activities.🤷

The assignments themselves aren't meant to be impossible; the assumption is that any average kid should be able to tackle them.
Beyond just getting the answers right, we look at things like social engagement (starting with some basic small talk, obviously), their emotional responses, focus, attention span, whether they can actually sit still, and how they react when they make a mistake.

It’s really nothing to worry about. A delay in starting school is only considered if there are significant deviations from the norm.
If those gaps aren't glaringly obvious, then delaying enrollment isn't the right call.

(We also gather input from parents regarding what the child has learned so far and how they observe their social interactions with others.)

Karen Richardson3 said:I honestly don't even know if our daycare even employs a psychologist🤷
and I already posted about my issues regarding individualized attention in that other thread about childcare centers.

My neighbor was actually seeking out a psychologist's opinion because she was second-guessing whether her little guy was ready for kindergarten. She just had this gut feeling he wasn't quite there yet—since his birthday is right at the end of March—so she went looking for a pro.
The kid spent maybe an hour with this specialist, just listening to him and doing whatever he suggested, and then the psychologist basically gave a thumbs up saying the boy is perfectly ready for school.
I genuinely can't wrap my head around how anyone is supposed to reach a meaningful conclusion after spending a measly hour with a child.
It made me think of Frupy and how much she dislikes those school specialist teams. 😁

It's actually pretty straightforward
They use standardized tests and age-appropriate tasks that any kid his age should be able to handle.
On top of that, they look at how he reacts emotionally and note the fact that he's willing to follow directions from a complete stranger.
That’s really all you need to gauge whether he's ready to start first grade or not.
If things don't go well, then you just seek out a second opinion or talk to the preschool's specialist team.

Can we move this discussion about daycare somewhere else please?

Anyway, just wanted to weigh in here.
If the first-grade curriculum is already considered too demanding, then I’m all for just delaying school entirely.
It honestly feels pointless to start formal schooling if taxpayers are footing the bill for kids who can't even keep up with the material in their very first year. It just seems like too much for them.

You have emotional struggles, poor socialization, hygiene issues, speech impediments, motor skill delays, or even learning disabilities—but seriously, is it really just a matter of the "curriculum being too heavy"?

(To be fair, I actually agree when people complain about the weight of backpacks—I mean that literal weight where you pile everything on a scale, shove it in a bag, and basically ruin a kid's spine for life. But that's solved by not bringing books home. As for the idea that the lessons themselves are "overwhelming," I'm just not sure what to make of that.)

Paul Johnson said:Good luck. 👍
What does it actually take to get approval for something like that? How does a school ensure parents will actually cough up the cash for the whole year?
The hardest part, if you ask me, is finding thirty parents willing to pay a premium instead of just leaning on relatives or neighbors to watch their kids.
Maybe I'm wrong—but people usually find a way to scrape something together, or they just teach their kids how to fend for themselves. For free.

First off, you need an actual space for the kids to hang out.
Some schools just don't have the room, which is why they don't offer after-school programs.

If it's run through the public school district, there aren't really any guarantees regarding funding or space. 😬

But if a local non-profit or community group runs it, the cost might be a bit higher from the jump. They could also include a clause in the contract stating that if a certain number of parents drop out, the price goes up—or the whole program gets canceled.

To me, those logistical hurdles seem much easier to clear than the issue of a school simply lacking adequate space.

Linda Price5 said:In general, it's difficult to isolate a single variable when dealing with something this complex. But tell me, what are the odds that students in one specific classroom consistently outperform students in another classroom, year after year, generation after generation? And it just happens by pure coincidence that one group doesn't start learning English in kindergarten, lacks access to TV or the internet, and isn't listening to Alan Nižetić, while the other group is constantly attending international camps and specialized language schools? 😁

There is another metric that speaks volumes about both the school and the instructor—what is the correlation between internal GPA and state-mandated exam results?

I really agree with this.

I feel like our entire school system misses a huge opportunity here, because these assessments could easily be done internally without any drama.
It just takes a little bit of willpower (and maybe a tiny bit of courage to not step on a colleague's toes).

To add to that, a lot of teachers across different subjects—especially in middle school—can clearly see the level of literacy they're inheriting from the elementary years. They can tell exactly where the gaps are forming. But everyone just stays quiet.

I’ve had students walk into my physics class in seventh grade who couldn't even simplify a basic fraction.
I'm talking about half the class.
And even some eighth graders.
Meanwhile, two other classes are absolutely crushing it.
But my colleagues just don't say anything.
And then we all end up concluding the kids are just "bad" or didn't learn anything, or that their parents didn't push them enough to study or get a tutor.

hiddendriver34 said:It’s honestly delusional to expect some random "cram school" to get kids ready for their SATs regardless of what they actually picked up during their years in the classroom. unicorn, are you seriously suggesting a kid can make up for twelve years of missed lessons in just three months? In my book, prepping for an essay-based exam starts back in elementary school when you're first learning how to put a coherent sentence together. Anyone who thinks a student can be ready for a major national standardized test after just ninety days of intense studying probably thinks these exams are just about memorizing trivia. But that's not how it works. Take the English composition section, for example—it's designed to test critical thinking and reading comprehension, not just whether you can recite facts from memory.
What these prep courses are actually good for is reviewing material (if you weren't disciplined enough to do it yourself) or maybe filling in a few tiny gaps, but there is absolutely no way they can replace a full K-12 education.

I find it hard to say whether it works or not because I haven't personally attended those classes, so I don't know exactly what they cover.
But I certainly see people signing up. And I see them paying $833 quite a premium.
The advertisements for these courses seem to be popping up on every street corner.
And it looks like a huge number of parents believe this is an absolute necessity.
Some even take out loans if they don't have the cash on hand.
There's even advice circulating to enroll kids in "easier" high schools just so they can coast through with good grades, thinking they'll have plenty of time to catch up during the final exam prep...
On top of that, most of these programs market themselves using "15+ years of experience" (ranging from college entrance prep to SAT prep), claiming their instructors are veteran professors who simultaneously teach in public schools.
I have nothing against people making extra money, but I think it’s a bit of a hit to the entire American education system when someone uses a private course to fill the gaps left by others, or essentially charges a premium to do a job that should have been covered in class.

Personally, I am all for external evaluations.
Absolutely.
Evaluating based on professional standards, student feedback, and even "adult" follow-ups after graduation.

But my point is that a student's score on a standardized test isn't solely the result of one high school teacher's work... in fact, looking at your post, it's clear that an English score can be influenced by elementary teachers, middle school teachers, and high school teachers alike. And if there was a maternity leave or a substitute involved, who are we actually evaluating? Whose work are we measuring?
We were all students once, and we all had different teachers for the same subjects... everyone differs in their teaching style, personality, and depth of knowledge.
And that makes a massive difference.

When it comes to foreign languages, it becomes even harder to judge a teacher's effectiveness based on exam scores... some kids have been learning since preschool, they have access to TV, the internet, music, language schools, summer camps abroad, plus the mix of good and bad teachers they encounter... not to mention the child's own interest and innate talent.

So, in the grand scheme of things, the SAT results aren't a very reliable way to grade a teacher or a school.

Though, it does worry me how much focus is placed on cramming facts while children struggle to actually think critically.
Our education system feels a bit broken because kids aren't being taught how to think; they aren't even encouraged to do it.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

Lawrence Torres56 said:Man, you couldn't be more wrong if you tried. If anything, it's the schools that teach these kids not to think for themselves, forcing them to believe that the only thing that matters is what's printed in some textbook—definitions that, half the time, have zero connection to real-world phenomena or anything actually happening around them. The curriculum they serve up to these kids is just mind-numbing and totally alienating for most of them, but hey, who cares about that, right? As long as someone's lining their pockets with textbook royalties, the job's done.🙄

Brandon Newman95 said:About 90% of us from vocational high schools ended up getting into our first-choice colleges. Do I feel cheated? Not even slightly.
It was easy enough. Most of those people are working now—some of them are even in management.

Exactly.
People just went to college prep courses, crushed their entrance exams, and moved right along.
I know plenty of people who graduated from technical high schools, and honestly, they don't lack a solid education—if anything, they have a huge head start because of their specialized training.
Sure, they might be a little light on history or Latin, and maybe they didn't stay up late reading all those classic novels, so they might not win a debate club championship, but they know their stuff. 🥳

What I really wanted to get at is how back in my day, everyone did college prep, and now, it seems like everyone is doing SAT prep instead.
It’s actually a bit overwhelming to see how many of these private tutoring centers are popping up, how successful they are, and how many kids (even from traditional academic tracks) are enrolling. To me, the standardized testing system itself feels a bit questionable in terms of quality and purpose.

You see ads everywhere screaming, "Didn't study enough? You can catch up!"
In my opinion, that sends a terrible message about education as a whole.
It's a shame that the U.S. Department of Education essentially tolerates these massive tutoring industries. It's like things children should ideally master during their regular schooling are being outsourced to extra courses. They aren't mandatory, of course, but there's this intense pressure; you need those scores for college applications, so parents end up paying for it just so their kids don't fall behind.
But I get why it's allowed—if it weren't legal, all this tutoring would just happen under the table.
Just like the tutoring that happens during the school year anyway.
At least the government gets to collect sales tax on it.

And it pains me to say this, but a lot of people within the education system actually benefit from this setup.
You have mediocre teachers who still pull a decent salary while students go to tutors to actually learn the material. Those tutors are often professors themselves, picking up an extra two paychecks a month.
Even the great teachers find it useful... because they become the go-to recommendation for students (often through different agencies to avoid any conflict of interest), making it easy for them to find clients.
More and more students are choosing "easier" academic tracks, which then leads them straight into SAT prep and remedial courses.

I won't guess who wrote the original post, but I have to say: standardized testing shouldn't be used as a metric for whether a teacher is successful or not.
Because most students are passing thanks to private tutoring.
Plus, you have to factor in a child's individual talents and interests.
The system might have been well-intentioned, but it buckled under the sheer pressure of college admissions and the race for higher scores.

Jonathan Ortiz2 said:I’m with you on most counts... except for one thing... parents and upbringing.

Honestly, I feel like it's a waste of breath even trying to guess what kind of discipline kids are getting at home... because you can't change that reality, so why bother arguing about it?

The whole point should be fixing or filling in all those gaps a kid has while they're actually sitting in class..

That's basically why I'm such a fan of having actual "homework" assigned in school.. just look at how that went down at that one middle school back in the day.

------------------------------

Then there's the mess regarding standardized textbooks, teaching methods, and stuff like that. Someone really needs to step up and fix this, because right now we've got different books being used at the same school every year... totally different materials from one district to the next... all using different methods. And frankly, it's all pretty bad.

---------------------------------

As for how we teach... I'm actually a big supporter of introducing small-scale exit exams... things that act as a real benchmark for both students and teachers.

Every single job in the world has performance standards nowadays... if half of a teacher's students (theoretically) fail their final exam... are we seriously going to let a teacher like that just keep on teaching?

Since when did teachers become untouchable sacred cows?

Junior high assessments🤣
Honestly, the school system isn't even equipped to pull off the current exams properly right now—not without people trying to cheat, right? 🥳

Plus, when kids fail a big exam, they aren't really failing the teacher; they're failing themselves.
And to make sure that doesn't happen, moms and dads will just end up shelling out money for private tutors.

On top of that, given the culture we deal with here in the States, you don't see parents stepping up to report a school or a teacher for poor instruction. Instead, if they want their kid to have straight A's, they'll just hire a tutor who happens to be a colleague of the teacher 🥳
. Actually, some kids (and parents too) prefer it when teachers go easy on them so they can get better grades without putting in much effort.

Lawrence Torres56 said:Look, when you're an adult, yeah, relying on that is pretty sad—it's downright pathetic if a parent cares more about a letter on a report card than their own kid—but for little ones, especially those first-graders who have way more important things to worry about than memorizing textbooks, 😁, those grades are everything; they're basically just a pat on the back and a way to say "hey, you did a good job." Real, deep knowledge becomes the priority much, much later down the road...
Besides, let's be real, grades are never the struggle for the kids; the struggle is usually just us parents obsessing over them...😉

Kids just have this natural curiosity that makes learning feel like play. I remember watching my nephew get completely lost in a book about space last week—he didn't even hear me call him for dinner! It’s honestly such a joy to see that spark in them.
They really do love it.
The real issue is that adults end up crushing that natural spark for learning right out of kids. I remember when I was growing up, I used to spend hours taking apart old electronics just to see how they worked, but once I hit high school, everything started feeling like such a chore because of the constant pressure. It shouldn't be that way.
Most frequent ratings.
Because at the end of the day, if you can't measure it, you just can't manage it.
It doesn't even have to be that way.
I’ve always felt that we can motivate kids to learn without constantly leaning on those "if you do this, you get that" threats. I remember when my own kids were starting school, I found that instead of promising a new toy for an A, I’d just focus on how much they could grow. It’s much more effective to encourage them by saying things like, "I know you'll be so proud of yourself once you master this," rather than making everything about a reward. Focusing on that internal sense of achievement really changes the whole dynamic.

When kids are adopted, they get this incredible boost of confidence that’s hard to put into words. Honestly, having that sense of belonging acts like such a powerful motivator for them. I’ve noticed that when a child feels truly wanted and supported by their family, it opens up this whole new world of enthusiasm for school and learning. It's like all that extra encouragement and praise gives them the fuel they need to really dive into their studies and succeed.

Based on what logic? I am all about kids actually learning and absorbing knowledge. Truly.

And I would never compare money to a grade. They just aren't the same thing.
Money is compensation for the service I provide through my work. I need money to live my life.
A grade is an assessment of someone's knowledge, effort, or whatever else goes into it.
Most decent employers out there provide a salary, a performance review (which can lead to a raise), and genuine appreciation.
I don't expect a child to study just so a teacher will thank them, or to make money, or simply to get a rating.
I expect them to learn so they actually know something.

Sure, getting an A+ can be motivating, but it’s honestly a bit sad if that's the only thing driving you to learn or pick up something new.
That is the last thing I’d want for a kid at the start of their schooling years.

I don't do my job solely for the paycheck. There's a sense of satisfaction in doing something well, being useful, making a difference, helping people, or teaching... and I truly believe great teachers think the exact same way.

rowdypanther12 said:You’d save me a ton on mower repairs and belt replacements 😂 😂
I don't, honestly. It's just like phone numbers—ever since I got a smartphone, I can barely remember my own number, let alone this. I can remember things if they rhyme like a little poem, but anything else...

I used to know them perfectly 😁 and I didn't have any trouble with my grades either 😁

I actually started practicing memorizing numbers about two years ago when my old phone finally gave up on me and all those digits just vanished from my brain

Plus, it's actually a pretty great memory exercise🙂
like grouping numbers together and stuff like that.

rowdypanther12 said:I've forgotten so much of it, honestly. Not everything, of course, but quite a lot 😁
At work, I rely on my calculator constantly; I don't think I could even add two numbers together by hand anymore 😂

😂
I can still do percentages in my head, though, along with pretty much anything else
.
(Most of what I know actually comes from my school days, and back then we didn't even use any computerized grading 😍, just so there's no confusion
).

rowdypanther12 said:(when do you actually need a multiplication table? 🙈 )

I find myself using it every single day 😍

edit: plus, they're going to need it throughout their entire schooling

Lawrence Torres56 said:Honestly? I don't think it's awesome at all, because what kids actually take away from that approach is the exact opposite—it basically tells them, "hey, don't bother studying, don't push yourself throughout the school year, just cram whenever you feel like it and everything will work out fine." And by doing that, we’re totally failing to teach them any sense of actual work ethic...

Take my little one, for example. One time she didn't even bother copying the assignment off the whiteboard because she realized a bunch of the other kids weren't doing it either; they were just playing around during recess while their moms were running around being helicopter parents and stressing everyone else out... she even brought home a phone number for some other mom and told me I should call 🙂... I told her, absolutely not. You're going to write down what I think is the right answer for the homework, and if it's wrong or missing something, then yeah, you'll get a zero, which is exactly what you earned... and you know what? She never once thought about ditching class to play during recess before finishing her work again...

And look, regardless of how silly grades might seem to us adults, for these kids, those grades are their yardstick and their motivation; descriptive feedback? That stuff just goes in one ear and out the other. They're essentially testing the waters in first grade, seeing how far they can push the boundaries... and whatever we plant in their heads during that first year is going to stick with them for the rest of their lives.

That is totally wrong.
What do grades have to do with it?
To me, it feels a bit sad when a kid writes homework just to get a grade.
The whole point of homework is practice.
Especially in those early elementary years where they're learning basic life skills.
So what if she didn't copy from the board? Why would you go scolding other moms just because her child might get a failing mark for not having the assignment done?
It's all over the place.
You give her tasks based on your own discretion (personally, I'd give even more)||
She has to write those tasks down immediately (though maybe not if she has already mastered the material)
Work habits are built through repetition, not through a letter grade or an evaluation.

I'll never understand why parents think kids can learn to walk, run, swim, or ride a bike without someone giving them an A, yet to learn how to read and write, you have to motivate them with grades.😕

I get that you might need grades to encourage them to study history, read certain books, or tackle Latin and civics, but I really don't get why you'd need them for something like the multiplication table, which you'll need for the rest of your life.😕

The article mentions—though it’s hard to say for sure since it's just a journalist's take—that the guy is happily divorced and has a kid.
It’s also possible the teller noticed him making child support payments, so she used his visit at the counter as an excuse to update his profile.

Banks have their own internal policies that allow them to ask for personal or socio-demographic info, provided they keep everything secure under privacy laws.
Basically, how much you choose to share can act as both a benefit or a limitation when you're asking the bank for favors later on.
(For instance, they calculate creditworthiness based on things like how many dependents you're supporting.)

In the US, child support is a sensitive topic that people often try to avoid discussing, but since those legal obligations usually take priority over other debts during collections, I'd imagine it's pretty important information for a bank to have.

rowdypanther12 said:I’m pretty sure you're going to have to move to a classroom that doesn't offer after-school care.

Not at all.
Why would that be the case?
Aside from the fact that it would be extra stress for the kid (new teacher, new classmates), you can't just mid-year transfer a student to a different roster if they're still using paper files, right? 😬

Maybe it varies from school to school, but I know many districts have strict limits on how many kids can stay in after-school programs. When they decide who gets a spot, they usually look at whether both parents work, and they often require both parents to actually live within the school district.
They tend to prioritize based on what they consider "urgent needs."

A friend of mine had her little one miss out during the second semester because she was on maternity leave, but by second grade, he was back in the program regularly.
One of the reasons he was "cut" originally was honestly just because he was bored out of his mind; he’d finish most of his homework during class time, while the teacher was still working with other kids on basic letter recognition since he was already reading fluently.
(It’s even possible they suggested he join after lunch just so he wouldn't distract the others.)

I think what Anirul wrote is great, but I still stand by my opinion: once school is over, you come home and relax. Honestly, that's 8 or 9 hours of "work" already. That's plenty for an adult, let alone a child.