Just realized - Re: Kindergarten

MsAlyss

Both of my LO's should technically start kindergarten at the same time, even though they will be 11 months apart. 

Trevor will miss the 5 years old by October 1st cut off.  So Trevor would be almost 6 when he starts kindergarten, and the new LO would have just turned 5.  What the heck am I going to do??!!  I guess it all depends on where each of them are developmentally by then, huh?

hamilton.ja

Check out the trends in your school district and keep track - they might change in the next few years anyway. But I do know that here and in my hometown school district and my nephews' that most parents are holding kids who are on the cusp becuase they don't want them to be "behind" at all. But really all its doing is creating classes of really old kids across the board in general. Anyway... we're going to be in the same boat. My son is a November baby so he'll either start early and we'll have to push them to let him in or he'll start late. We'll just have to wait and see but even given how advanced he is now we're still leaning towards holding him. 

CaitlinJ22

if that were me, I would probably put the younger child in the lower grade, for developmental reasons, and for the fact that they will each have their own group of friends too.

Cakes2114

Since your first is just making the cut off I would hold off on sending your second one until the next year... putting them in kindergarten during the same year could be hard on both of them in the long run

amstep

My mother the 37th year teaching Kindergarten teacher would advise holding the first and second. 

She's totally for 6 year olds in Kindergarten.  Especially boys.  She says they are the most well adjusted over the course of their academic lives.  She held me, she sent my brother.  I was an honors student with no issues.  He's an immature mess at 30.  She regrets the decision every day.  

DS is Sept. 29th, and we will hold him until the next year, although he will be 5 by Oct. 1st.  

Good luck with your decision.  I'd advise talking to the teachers they will have, if you get the chance!

cactus5

Crazy! I have taught siblings in the same grade before. The younger one was actually more mature than the older one. I would wait and see what the children were like before making any decisions.

The birthday is very late though-our cut off is Sept. 1st and many parents due choose to keep children with July/August birthdays back.

scherza

As a high school teacher, I see and speak with a lot of parents who had to face a similar decision.

Across the board, nobody regrets holding a child back a year and starting kindergarten at age six or close to it, especially if that child is a boy.  Boys who start kindergarten young tend to get referred for learning and/or behavioral problems more frequently than other children in elementary school because they aren't developmentally ready for what they're required to do in school.  Kindergarten today is, curriculum-wise, what first grade was twenty years ago, and almost all kindergartens today are full-day with no naps, which is too much for some younger five-year-olds.

Both of my kids have summer birthdays, and right now our plan is to start them in kindergarten right after they turn six.

laura1

This is apparently not what most of you all would do, but my sister and I were in the same position - back then the cut off was Jan 1.  Her B-day was Jan 12, mine was Dec. 28.  Instead of keeping us both back, my mom petitioned the school board to let my sister in early and I went the following year.  We were both young for our grades, but we both did fine in school.  Now it is really nice - all of my friends are older than I am, so I always tease them that I am the young one.  So I guess you could wait until it gets closer and see.  If your first is reading already or otherwise mature, you could see if they would let you send them early.  Or keep them in the same grade, or hold the younger one back.  It is up to you!

azsheena

I agree with holding the younger one back. I teach 3rd grade and my young ones struggle a lot socially. Academically, most are 'fine' (a couple through the years have been good) but there are always varying levels of social issues. My SIL teaches 7th grade and she hates teaching sex ed to 11 year olds.

I have had many parents tell me they regret sending a kid 'early' or even 'on time' but young but I have never had a parent tell me they should have started their late start kiddo earlier.

Mama Jan

I guess I don't see the problem with having them both start at the same time?  It's like twins... nobody holds one twin back just to keep them in diff. grades!!

You obviously have to wait until then to see where each is at.  But I was rec. being open to having them start at the same time. 

mrszimm

scherza:

As a high school teacher, I see and speak with a lot of parents who had to face a similar decision.

Across the board, nobody regrets holding a child back a year and starting kindergarten at age six or close to it, especially if that child is a boy.  Boys who start kindergarten young tend to get referred for learning and/or behavioral problems more frequently than other children in elementary school because they aren't developmentally ready for what they're required to do in school.  Kindergarten today is, curriculum-wise, what first grade was twenty years ago, and almost all kindergartens today are full-day with no naps, which is too much for some younger five-year-olds.

Both of my kids have summer birthdays, and right now our plan is to start them in kindergarten right after they turn six.

I teach Kindergarten and used to teach 1st Grade. I basically teach what I once taught in 1st Grade years ago. We do not take naps, we teach them letters in the beginning and move into actual reading, and my principal is putting pressure to start the actual new 1st Grade curriculum in April! It all depends on the individual child though.