How many of you didn’t go to kindergarten?

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InternationalRow1653@reddit

Born in 82 and started school at 4 we had a separate school for pre k

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whatevertoad@reddit

Afternoon half day kindergarten starting at 4yo. I got myself up and to the bus stop alone.

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RemissionMission@reddit (OP)

probably_bored_1878@reddit

I was born in 1972 and started Kindergarten at 4. It was a half day, with nap time and milk!

We moved from one state to another and they didn't have Kindergarten at the new place so I didn't go to school again until I was 6 and in 1st grade

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Present-Pen-5486@reddit

I was born in 69, we had Kindergarten all day for half of the year and also had a nap and milk. AND I HATED EVERY SECOND OF IT!

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chamrockblarneystone@reddit

I was born in 67. We had full day kindergarten. The only thing I remember is they kept testing me for special classes because I couldn’t color inside the lines.

I’m a retired hs English teacher now. I still can’t draw for shit. My people look like they were drawn by a 5 year old. So embarrassing anytime I quickly tried to draw anything in class.

I drew Africa once and the kids asked if it was a horse.

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CadenceQuandry@reddit

73 here, and also half day kindergarten with a nap. And I still remember kids who bawled every time they were dropped off! Ha.

I was born in Nov ‘72 and had to wait ‘til I was almost 6 to start kindergarten. I was very bitter to learn my least favorite classmate celebrated her 5th birthday that fall. I was filled with righteous indignation that she was turning 5 instead of 6 and then she explained to all of us that she was so mature- people she didn’t even know would stop her in the streets to exclaim how mature she was. Ugh. The little 5/6 year old inside of me still doesn’t like her, lol.

We had 1/2 days at school 5x per week. We only got chocolate milk on Wednesdays. At some point kindergarten in our district moved to full days every other day and alternating Fridays. Even as a child I understood that must have been difficult for working parents.

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lightningboy65@reddit

...I hope somebody had to bring cookies to go along with the milk....our class had an assigned "cookie bearer " for any given day. There was actually a sheet issued every month assigning cookie duty. Otherwise milk time would have been a savage experience....LoL

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shan68ok01@reddit

We had milk breaks all through grade school. No cookies, but we got chocolate milk instead of white.

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lightningboy65@reddit

...well the chocolate milk would temper the lack of cookies. My entire school career the only drink offered in the school was white milk....no chocolate milk, soda, or alternate beverages.

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shan68ok01@reddit

We only got milk. White for breakfast and lunch, chocolate for milk break. Once we reached junior and high school, it was usually only white(whole or low fat/high protein), but every so often, we would have chocolate in the cooler. Now, most schools have vending machines in them, and the school lunches suck.

Been in 1975 in a rural area. I went to kindergarten but I only remember two things about it.

My kindergarten teacher had one blue eye and one brown eye.

I started kindergarten a few weeks after turning 5 (birthday is in mid-August). In our school, some kids started in the morning and others in the afternoon and then we switched. At the time, Chicago Public Schools required kids to be 5 or to be turning 5 by Thanksgiving, else they waited until the next year to start.

I didn’t, and I know damn well I didn’t get all the right preparation for school.

I also suspect I’m neurodivergent.

I did not cope with going straight to school terribly well

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Healthy_Chipmunk2266@reddit

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Karamist623@reddit

I went to kindergarten.

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Gildor_Helyanwe@reddit

Born 1969.

I did have kindergarten but was going through leukemia treatment so missed a lot of it

Born in 69, half day kindergarten in Ohio. We chose AM kindergarten. I remember meeting friends, painting on paper, having a snack.

No_Difference8518@reddit

Our public school added on an addition for kindergarten and a gym (they used to bus kids to the high school) when I was 5. So I started in grade 1, and my sister (a year younger) started kindergarten the same year.

There was a goverment mandate that all public schools have a kindergarten. Before that, you didn't need one.

Probably should mention this is Canada. Not having a kindergarten , even in '74, would be illegal but to this day it is not mandatory to attend. We know have junior kindergartens... although I am not sure if they are required by law.

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ConfuzedDriver@reddit

Born in ‘69 and went to half day kindergarten. I think in the US a lot depends on state law. There are still a lot of states where Kinder is not required attendance so you do get some walking into first grade having never been in school before.

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ted_anderson@reddit

I had the opportunity NOT to go but ended up going anyway. By the time I was 5 I had so much unofficial home schooling that I was slightly ahead of the average 1st grader academically. But socially I was right at the pre-school level.

I was a borderline birthday (late September) so I actually stayed the first time when I was five — and apparently wasn’t “socially ready”

Fair amount conversation between parents and teachers and my pediatrician. And all agreed I’d be better off to do it again and be the oldest in my grade. Physically bigger.

I was born in 1969, and did not attend kindergarten. My mom checked with the school and found out that I knew most of what they were teaching, so she just let me be a little loner kid for another year.

Born summer of '78. I was in a pre-pre-school program at 3 (my Mom's words) then regular pre-school the next year, different locations.

Did the same for my daughter & son and it was really just arts, crafts and lots of playtime. Looking back I wonder if it was just glorified babysitting since daycares hadn't really taken off yet.

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stevemm70@reddit

Born in 1970. I did go to kindergarten in Rhode Island, but we moved after my first grade year. We moved to a place that didn't have kindergarten in the public schools, but there was a private kindergarten that had been there forever. I always wished I'd been able to go there. I heard it was really, really nice.

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Feral__Daughter@reddit

I did go, but it was a horrible experience. I remember clearly, and my mom backed this up that I got in trouble daily for not knowing how to snap my fingers. A letter was sent home to my mom and dad about my failure to snap fingers. I'm 54 and still unable to snap my fingers.

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RemissionMission@reddit (OP)

I’m sorry to hear about your family upbringing. I grew up in a dysfunctional home, but it was because my father was a raging, violently abusive alcoholic. I was fortunate enough to have a loving mother who did her best for me. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you in your situation. I certainly hope you were able to find a loving family that you’re still close to until this day.

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Digitalispurpurea2@reddit

No kindergarten for me, although I started school at 5 in England not the US.

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No-Drop2538@reddit

I did. But it's interesting that head start programs have a really improved outcome.

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HillbillygalSD@reddit

I was born in 1970. I went to Kindergarten a few months. Then, we moved to a more rural area where the nearest school didn’t have a kindergarten.

I don’t think you missed much. Kindergartens weren’t as intense back then. I remember learning ABCs, coloring, taking naps, and having a gym mat in the back of the classroom that we could play and turn flips on.

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