Because I want to stir the pot: Kindergarten

SteelCity44 · September 2011

Our April babies will turn 5 in 2017 (they're growing up so fast, aren't they?!). At that time, they will be eligible to enter kindergarten the following fall. I teach K-5, and the kindergarten teachers strongly stress that kids aren't really ready until the age of 6. They kept all of their kids back until after they were 5 for a full year. I was surprised to hear that June was a "late" birthday, until I saw that they were even commenting on the you March kids.

I'm hoping to send this kid to school for the 2017-18 school year, after some pre-school before-hand. If there are some obvious concerns with maturity, we will absolutely consider holding the child back. What are your thoughts? (Or are you going to exclusively home school?)

TucktheTurtle · September 2011

We're homeschooling. I decided that when DD was two, and DH agreed shortly after that.

OwlSLP · September 2011

This is an interesting thought I never had! I started kindergarten at age 4 and turned 5 in November. I never had problems because of it. But ever child is different. I guess I'll just have to see how my child is developing. I would hope they could go to kindergarten at 5. I'm a speech therapist getting a PhD in it, so I know there are plenty of children who need time.

OrganicTeacher · September 2011

It will depend on our child and his or her abilities. They will definitely be going to preschool and hopefully that will help them prepare for K.

gisa886 · September 2011

I was homeschooled until 10th grade, but I will not be homeschooling. We stopped doing any school work at 5th grade because my dad is a total psycho who wanted to work on our character instead of teaching us the fundamentals. I don't really know the proper protocol for sending your child to school.

funkymonkeyohyeahhh · September 2011

OrganicTeacher:
It will depend on our child and his or her abilities. They will definitely be going to preschool and hopefully that will help them prepare for K.

This.

We also plan to do lots of supplemental learning at home. I've had fun looking at all sorts of toddler and preschool home activities. I've only bought two things for this baby so far- diapers and books.

bio-oesch · September 2011

This bothers me because if they start school at 5, they start school at 5. Almost everyone holds there kid back around here so they can have an advantage. So now everyone is pretty much 6 and those parents who start their kids at 5 are screwed. Its bs to me!!! I'm not sure what were going to do with this baby, but I dont like that our kids start so late. I'm from the uk, they start at 4. Next thing you know our kids will be starting at 7. It's annoying

LnA5909 · September 2011

It definitely depends on the child. However, I think that for the majority of children, kindergarten readiness can be prepared for at home and through preschool. Also, with schools becoming more and more open to intervention and accommodations, I feel fairly confident that our (meaning H and my) children will be ready for K that school year. Also, not that it has too much baring on how my children will turn out, but I had a late April birthday and being a "young" student for my grade was never an issue or even anything I thought of....minus when I was one of the last to get my driver's license

westrose · September 2011

We will just play it by hear. Girls are usually ready before boys but I think each child is a little different. We will do pre-school starting at three part-time.

WildcatPrincess · September 2011

Considering my state just recently started public K and threatens to take it away every year due to budget cuts I try not to think about it. If public K stays the plan is to send her to preschool at 4 and K when she's 5....if they take public K away she'll just do that at 5. I don't think we could afford to pay for preschool, then K based on some of the numbers I've heard thrown around, but I guess we'll see if it happens.

TucktheTurtle · September 2011

gisa886:
I was homeschooled until 10th grade, but I will not be homeschooling. We stopped doing any school work at 5th grade because my dad is a total psycho who wanted to work on our character instead of teaching us the fundamentals. I don't really know the proper protocol for sending your child to school.

That sounds terrible. I'm so sorry you had to deal with that crap. It's situations like yours that make me hesitant to be "out" as a (future) homeschooler- I never want our family to be associated with that kind of thing.

Steffie17 · September 2011

I'll be sending this child at 5. I will not hold back my child until they are 6 to start Kindergarten. I started at 4 turning 5 in November. It was determined that I was ready for Kindergarten. I never had any problems, but that's me and each child is different. I will send my child to Pre-K and I will not be homeschooling. Even with maturity issues, kids are immature in every grade they enter. Kids in Sept are different kids in June. I think about the kids in 3rd grade now and how young they seem compared to our third graders last year. But you have to remember how far they come each school year. I work as a school psychologist in a 3-8 school.

gisa886 · September 2011

TucktheTurtle:

gisa886:
I was homeschooled until 10th grade, but I will not be homeschooling. We stopped doing any school work at 5th grade because my dad is a total psycho who wanted to work on our character instead of teaching us the fundamentals. I don't really know the proper protocol for sending your child to school.

That sounds terrible. I'm so sorry you had to deal with that crap. It's situations like yours that make me hesitant to be "out" as a (future) homeschooler- I never want our family to be associated with that kind of thing.

Yeah homeschooling has a very bad stigma to it. Don't feel too bad for me though because I went on to graduate with honors. I started out with a 0.0 GPA and 73rd out of a class of 73 and by the time I graduated I had a 4.0 and graduated 20th in my class. My principal was so proud of me and I still get teary eyed when I think of what he said to me when I got my honor cord. My brother had less schooling than I did and he did fabulously in school as well. I'm sure you will be a much better homeschooler and will have much better support than my mom had

KellyAnne&CHris · September 2011

I also teach, I am a remedial reading teacher K-2. If my son/daughter is ready they will go. If they are not ready and need extra time they will stay out another year.

ecn0002 · September 2011

I was an April baby...started Kindergarten at 5. No issues, so we plan to do the same. I attended preschool for a year or two prior to kindergarten.

I remember those born in July - September being either the youngest or oldest in my classes.

DevonPow · September 2011

DS is starting K next September at 5.5 years old, and I assume this next child will do the same (cut off here is 5 years old by September 1st to start). I think it is crazy to think about potentially holding a child back years before it could potentially happen. If you send your kid to preschool and their teacher and you think there may be an issue that can be addressed by holding a child back, think about it then. Otherwise, holding a kid back "just because" is crazy.

KFCupcake · September 2011

softskate31:
I turned 6 during kindergarten (january b day) and if they held me back for a whole year so I turned 7 in K I would have been even more bored than I already was. It depends on the child. My mom is an educator/curiculum developer/principal and feels that 5 yo belong in K, but 4yo do not. Preschool is for 3/4 and 4 turning 5, but most kids are ready for K when 5 turning 6. Some are ready sooner, some later.

This exactly, right down to the Jan B-day

I was actually almost moved up to 1st grade early because I was reading at a 1st grade level by 4, but my parents wanted me to be more socialized with children specifically my age because I didn't go to Pre-K. Super glad they made that decision.

FusionLMT · September 2011

We'll be homeschooling. If this one is a girl I will likely be teaching the two the same things at the same times since girls are almost always more neurologically ready for school earlier. I'm not a fan of public schools, and Texas schools in particular are not known to be that great. We have an amazing secular home school association that is rather large in the area and I plan on spending some major money on extra-curricular activities and curriculum. I am actually quite looking forward to it!

246baje · September 2011

Unless my child has some kind of developmental delay they will be going to kindergarten at 5.

April isn't an early birthday- here the cut-off date is September. April is pretty late in the school year and unless a child has an issue I think it is ridiculous to hold them back.

And by issue I don't mean you want your child to be the best, biggest and strongest, not by virtue of achievement but just by being older.

In my home country we start school at 4 and the curriculum is much more rigorous. We will definitely be supplementing at home.

FusionLMT · September 2011

I did want to say, I know a lot of parents here will specifically "redshirt" their sons to try to give them an advantage to be bigger and stronger later on in middle and high school for sports. That's Texas for ya Yes

funkymonkeyohyeahhh · September 2011

FusionLMT:
I did want to say, I know a lot of parents here will specifically "redshirt" their sons to try to give them an advantage to be bigger and stronger later on in middle and high school for sports. That's Texas for ya

Ha, I was just about to mention this! It's usually in 8th grade from what I've seen, if the boy hasn't hit puberty/grown "big enough" for high school football.

BigAppleBiggerBelly · September 2011

I have never heard of holding a kid back as a strategic move. That's crazy to me. This April kid will already be in the middle of the class age range (5.5 at start), which sees like enough of an advantage. Like PP, I started at 4 (mid-October birthday) with no preschool, and I remember being so bored. My mom was a SAHM who taught me to read, add and subtract before Kindergarten started. She did not, however, tell me if I was left- or right-handed, which led to all sorts of first day embarrassment!

Ximena M · September 2011

The funny thing is I was thinking about this on my way to work today.

Ideally I would start at 5. That being said the most important thing is that the child is ready. I also plan on preschooling. Kinder in my state is mandated and under the last govener there was a push for preschool. The kids that went to preschool are definately ahead socially then those who didn't. Our school has hosted two preschool classes for the past 6 years. There was a significant difference in readiness with the students that went to preschool.

As a teacher I have seen year after year of kinders not ready for school. I can't imagine the trauma those kiddos go through getting dropped off at school for the first time and never had an experience like that before. These kids are just pushed throught the door and given no time to adjust. There are two or three kiddos this year that are coming to school everyday crying and trying to leave the classroom. It truly breaks my heart.

vtwd40 · September 2011

DH and I are both teachers. I plan on sending this baby to school at 5. A lot of the reason that teachers are finding kindergarten students less prepared than they used to be at 5 is because the standards have changed. No more fingerpainting and plays in kindergarten. Now they do the curriculum that we were taught in 1st grade. Regardless, given adequate preschooling to acclimate to the social climate and sitting for periods of instruction, most five and a half year olds should be prepared for kindergarten. Boys are usually a bit more immature and may have a more difficult time of it, but I think that most should at least try. Despite the stigma, there's nothing wrong with holding a child back in early grades if they need it. Most kids should only be held back in kindergarten if there are social issues, since most of the curricular issues are raising hands and standing in line...school procedures. If there are academic issues, children are usually recommended to continue on to first grade, then if there are still problems, retain in first grade.

Anyways, I'm totally for 5 year old in kindergarten.

ADub09 · September 2011

well eligibilty depends on where you live in Canada. Where I live & teach a child has to be in Grade 1 the Sept of the year they are turning 6. Our cut off is March 1, so for us our baby will have an early birthday in their school grade. And even though I am a teacher I would NEVER homeschool my children.

adamstodrake · September 2011

After working in the schools and preschools here, I am absolutely open to giving my kids a grace year if needed. I prefer to think of it as another year to just enjoy being a kid before starting school and to let them mature a bit more rather than 'holding back'. I was the youngest in my grade most of the time and I hated being the last to do everything like driving and going to college the month I turned 18. We'll take it as it comes, but for now I am leaning towards giving my kiddos a grace year.

Vattica · September 2011

gisa886:
I was homeschooled until 10th grade, but I will not be homeschooling. We stopped doing any school work at 5th grade because my dad is a total psycho who wanted to work on our character instead of teaching us the fundamentals. I don't really know the proper protocol for sending your child to school.

I had a similar experience, but mine was over at 5th grade and I was dumped into public school at 6th grade with NO social skills. It took me until probably my junior year to catch up to the other kids socially. Even when done "correctly" I still don't believe in home schooling my children.

dixee.deluxe · September 2011

Yeah, as PP's mentioned, this doesn't seem like an issue for an April baby. Now, my September baby....

biblionerd · September 2011

Oh geez. I never would have thought about this. I had no idea that people were holding them back longer than 5. I started when I was 4 and then turned 5. I was always the 2nd youngest in my class and never suffered. ::cough:: graduated 4th in my class ::cough cough:: :P

Monkeybabe · September 2011

I was a May baby and started the Fall after I turned 5 and did just fine. I also knew how to read before I was in kindergarten, however. I'm not an educator, but I feel like a lot of it depends on how you prep your kids before they start school.

jeffsjayme · September 2011

Wow -- didn't even think of this. I'm born in August, so I started when I turned 6. I'm of the opinion that the older, the better, so I'll probably wait til they're 6.

atotheizzo · September 2011

I will hold back my October and May boys. It will be important for sports as well as social reasons. We will see about the April baby.

Tambcat · September 2011

I am a May baby and started when I was five. I excelled in school. I'll be starting my kids as soon as they are able, as long as I feel they are ready.

CJPowers · September 2011

I think it is silly to even think of holding a child back YEARS before they would even enter school (let alone the fact that are not even born). I would never start my child late in school. If my child had a developmental delay I would not hold them back from school, I would start them EARLY!! The earlier children go to school the better prepared they will be for life, social issues, communication, etc. I teach preschool special education and I think that parents do their child a disservice by trying to hold them back. If my child is not learning in kindergarten at the rate they should be learning, I would consider repeating kindergarten. But how horrible would it be if you didn't start them in school till 6/7 and then they had to repeat kindergarten and they were 8 years old in kindergarten!! I mean why don't we just wait till they hit puberty and then send them to school. I just think the whole issue is BS. The research shows EARLY INTERVENTION is the key!

dixee.deluxe · September 2011

I don't know how it is where you guys live, but here in Maryland, we can't just pick to send our kids to school early.

Jbeadow · September 2011

OwlSLP:
This is an interesting thought I never had! I started kindergarten at age 4 and turned 5 in November. I never had problems because of it. But ever child is different. I guess I'll just have to see how my child is developing. I would hope they could go to kindergarten at 5. I'm a speech therapist getting a PhD in it, so I know there are plenty of children who need time.

I started at age 3 and turned 4 and I was just fine. However I just thought I would mention how ontario schools are all becoming full day Jk programs which means your child starting as young as three will go to school everyday all day. The learning is play based. My baby will luckily be 4 but all those sept-dec babies will just be 3. Crazy how young that seems.

SoonToBeMrsDTS · September 2011

We are holding our DD back because she only made the cutoff in our state by 6 days and she would have started at 4. (She's going to be 5 tomorrow!) DS has a summer birthday so we'll likely hold him back as well but I can't imagine holding an April kid back. I don't want my kids to turn 19 before they're even out of high school.

Ximena M · September 2011

CJPowers:
I think it is silly to even think of holding a child back YEARS before they would even enter school (let alone the fact that are not even born). I would never start my child late in school. If my child had a developmental delay I would not hold them back from school, I would start them EARLY!! The earlier children go to school the better prepared they will be for life, social issues, communication, etc. I teach preschool special education and I think that parents do their child a disservice by trying to hold them back. If my child is not learning in kindergarten at the rate they should be learning, I would consider repeating kindergarten. But how horrible would it be if you didn't start them in school till 6/7 and then they had to repeat kindergarten and they were 8 years old in kindergarten!! I mean why don't we just wait till they hit puberty and then send them to school. I just think the whole issue is BS. The research shows EARLY INTERVENTION is the key!

That is a great way of thinking. Public schools must provide services for students through 21. In my district we continue the year if the student starts school at age 21. That way they are not dropped in the middle of the year. Students with severe disablities get a lot of suports in the public schools. They will receive less if they age out sooner. There are a lot less suports for adults in particularly in the smaller communities.

NayNaysPlayPen · September 2011

I do not believe I will be making this choice until I am more familiar with my child. Ya know, wait and see the personality, learning abilities, etc. But always good to start thinking,never too early for research!

devious1031 · September 2011

Just like my current 3 children this one will attend pre-k when it's 4 and kinder when it's 5.

SteelCity44 · September 2011

Sorry that I bailed out after posting. I got sick shortly after posting and couldn't stay near the computer anymore. I found all of your responses quite interesting. The only ones that frustrate me are the ones that say, "Well, I started when I was __, so I know my child can start at that age." I have a June birthday and started at 5, graduated at 17. I think I turned out okay, graduating 4th in my class. But I know the rigor has changed dramatically since I was in school. And now, working with kindergartners, I can see that not all are ready for that rigor. Sometimes, it's a matter of they've never had to raise their hand, wait their turn, hold their pee, etc. Most kids are generally ready, and you're right, it's way to early to decide. I just wanted to see what your thoughts were. Thank you for sharing!

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