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Summer babies and school...
Those of you who have summer babies that are in school did you think about holding them back to be the oldest in their class vs the youngest? We are only 10 months but this is apparently something very important to many people (Yes I have thought about it, but it isn't on my priority list).
If you did send them on what was your reasoning? Or if you held them back? I know it is going to come down to where he is in his learning, etc. but just wanted to know what others have already done.
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Re: Summer babies and school...
I don't have a summer baby, but I don't like this reasoning. First it's the kids that have birthdays right before the cut offs, then it's kids with summer birthdays. I feel that parents won't ever want their kid to be the youngest and they'll start holding back kids with spring birthdays!
I know it's more common with boys, but maybe it's because my birthday was always right after school started. I'm glad I wasn't held back, and my parents never considered it. With all the boys being held back, you end up with kids that are much bigger than others in their classes, which causes issues in sports. Even worse those parents who are holding back so their kids will be better in sports! My nephew is already flagged as not being able to tackle in his football league at 10 simply because he's tall for his age.
I had a birthday after the cutoff (early Sept at the time) and I hated being one of the oldest ones in my class. Boring was right.
I understand holding a child back if they need it physically/ mentally/ emotionally, but just so that they aren't the youngest doesn't make sense to me.
If that is the new philosophy then parents should also be able to enter their kids even if there birthday is just after the cut off. Maybe that would balance out the shift in age/ size in a class.
Or maybe just go by the cut off date for everyone.
5/17/09 Silverlake Sprint Triathlon 1:28:32
10/3/09 Susan G. Komen 5K 28:58
1/17/10 Chevron Half Marathon 2:09:08
2/27/10 ConocoPhilips Rodeo Run 10K 1:10:49
My DD has a Sept birthday (9/26). She is very tall for her age so she looks older than 6. We tested her in early to Kindergarten since she was only 3 weeks past the cut off date. I'm glad we sent her early because she can do the work no problem and she's the 2nd tallest kid in her class even though she's the youngest. Socially she sometimes has problems keeping up since most of the girls in her 1st grade class now are 7 almost 8. All in all, I'm glad I sent her early. If she wasn't ready, I wouldn't have. It all depends on your kiddo.
Collin Thayne 10.11.2010
This is a non-issue for us because we are going the Montessori route and the classes are all mixed age. Some years my kids will be the youngest and some years they will be the oldest. Best and worst of both worlds.
However, if we were doing traditional schools, we would not hold Mathis back. Frankly, I think it's a little too helicopter parentish.
Alex's birthday is 8/29 and the cutoff is 9/1. I am sending him. He will still be 4 for the first week of school.
I am sending him because he is ready and I don't see any reason to hold him back. I can't even imagine how bored he would be if I kept him out another year. He is already reading and writing.
The only concern I had was a social one - he is a little shy at times with other kids. But he changed a lot this last year, and his preschool teacher told me that he may just be shy and even if I waited a year, there might be no difference.
He scored well on his kindergarten readiness evaluation and he is super excited to go!!!
Also, I was one of the younger kids in my class and it never bothered me.
I agree with this (the helicopter parent comment). I have never had a thought to hold Charlotte back or delay her start to kinder when the time comes. She's got a February birthday, so she'll be in the middle of her age group. I'm a May birthday and was usually on the young side of my classmates, but really, I just don't think that makes a difference.
Now, if you feel like your kiddo is mentally/physically/emotionally not ready, that is a different story, IMO. Just holding them back b/c of age is weird to me.
Sarah turns 5 in early June and will be starting kinder in August on schedule.
Just from anecdotes and observation, my impression is that there's a lot of red shirting in The Woodlands. I know several children who will do a preschool transition year rather than start kindergarten. These children are eligible to attend public school kindergarten this fall, but either their teachers have recommended an extra year of time or the parents have decided it would be best.
I'm thankful I have no doubts about my decision because I know many parents who've struggled with theirs.
My co-worker held her younger son back. First, she was worried about his size. He's tiny. He's turning 7 in July and wears a 4T. Second, his pre-k teacher told her that she did not think he was ready. He seemed to flounder when there were too many kids around and needed a lot of one-on-one attention. However, he is very smart and didn't have trouble doing the work.
Co-worker actually sent him to kinder at a private school and at the end of that year made the decision to put him in kinder at public school. She did not want to send him to public school and hold him back because she felt that he would get teased and he would be bored.
He just finishing his 2nd year of kindergarten and is doing well... but some of the kids in his class still tease him and say he's a 4yo.
I struggle with this for DS. He's a July bday. Unless his PreK teachers don't feel he's ready, we'll send him on schedule. He's always been ahead of the game developmentally, but I am more worried about the social part. I am hoping that his sometimes aggressive/defiant behavior will start to taper off soon which will make me more comfortable with him going to public Kinder.
I don't think it's right to hold a kid back only so they won't be the youngest. There need to be other concerns as well. In my class right now I have kids who were held back in K or 1st, along with late summer bday kids who were not, making the oldest kid in the class 15 months older than the youngest kid. Aside from the older child being taller, it's an even playing field. A good friend of mine has a son two weeks older than DS and she has been saying she is going to hold him back since he was 2, mainly so he's not the youngest and smallest. This kid is super smart and would probably do just fine in Kinder.
I agree. I didn't even realize any of this was an option. Why not just make everyone go by the actual cut off dates? It all evens out in the end anyway.
j+k+m+e | running with needles
I know a few moms with summer babies. One has two of three who would be the youngest by the usual grouping.
She is taking each child's readiness into consideration the first year he/she is eligible for PK3. If the child is ready, she will send him/her. If not, she will wait another year.
Montessori is another option, because they group kids of a broader range of ages together, it would be different to be the youngest.
I find that parents assess each child. Also, many schools have bridge classes between K and 1st that allow you another chance to hold them a year back, if you find that will work best.
Maybe look at schools and talk to administrators. They deal with this from all angles and are pretty good at knowing who is ready for their program.
I am going to start doing preschool home school with Audric year round starting at age 1.
Then I am going to put him in 5 day preschool at age 4.
Then we have plans to start him in kinder.
His birthday is August 24th,
Education starts at home, pre-school just reinforces.
My bday was in November - so I really was the youngest in my whole graduating class (I went to elementary in a different state, and they didn't have the same age rules as TX).
I liked being the youngest. Although, everyone thought I skipped a grade, so I would get asked about it constantly - I didn't - just started earlier. I felt like I got out of HS "early" and got out of college "early". I was graduating with my Masters when most people were just getting their Bachelors. So, in that case, I did like it - I felt like I got to start out a little ahead of everyone. And I also felt that I was mature enough to handle all of the social stuff, too. The only time it sucked was those first few months of college when everyone was going out to bars/dancing, and I was only 17! (I was too goody-goody for a fake ID
).
It almost kept me out of trouble b/c I wasn't able to drive until my Junior year in HS, wasn't able to go out to clubs until I was in college, wasn't able to drink (legally) until I was a Senior in college - but I don't feel like I "missed out" on anything. I had my fun when I was able, and my friends never pressured me. I had no problems with it whatsoever.