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When to send your kid to Kindergarten???
Hi everyone! I have started thinking about kindergaren for Keefer and am considering holding him back a year. His Birthday is August 15 and while I feel he will be ready on the academic front after two years of preschool, I worry about him falling behind in maturity down the road. He also seems to have a leader personality and I worry that him being the youngest will now allow that to develop. Anyone with experience or insight with this? I have been obsessing over it lately even though I won't have to register him until spring.
On another note, if I decide not to send him, any recommendations on a program I could put him in as an alternative? He did two day a week pre-school last year and is in 3 days a week this year, but I won't send him again next year because he would be bored. I would look for a 5 day pre-k program with a more advanced curriculum. TIA!
-Abbey
Re: When to send your kid to Kindergarten???
Yes, I have a lot of insight to this. Here is a great article about why red-shirting does NOT help a child. I think if your child truly isn't ready, you'll know. I worried about DD only going to pre-school / daycare 2 days a week and being behind in knowing things her other classmates knew. (her bday is in late May). She's been in K for 2 months now and I am amazed at what she knows and she is totally on track with her classmates!
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/09/youngest-kid-smartest-kid.html?mobify=0
FWIW, in my state the cut off is December 1st. So there would be hardly any August kids held back in my area. So that would definitely not be a concern where I live. I know of some people who are holding back boys with late November birthdays which I can understand. I think December is a pretty late cutoff! I like the idea of starting K as long as they are 5 by the beginning. But I also know quite a few kids that started this year that didnt turn 5 until after the school year!
Anyways, personally I don't think August is terrible but i know there is more cpncern with being the youngest flr bots. But having a girl probably skews me. I I would wait to see how he is doing in the spring and I would ask the pre-k teachers if they think he is ready.
In our experience, K was as much about teaching kids about how to behave in school as it was about learning the alphabet. No kid goes in to K totally prepared and they come in at many different levels.
You know your kid best, but I would wait until spring to make a decision to see how he changes. And I would definitely take into account the recommendations of his pre-k teachers. Kids act differently in school than the do at home. My kid who routinely gives us grief and talks back at home is insanely good at school. So unfair. ;-)
I think the others have given great advice. And I would definitely wait until January or February to make the decision.
That said, there is a full-time Pre-K program in Wexford. I looked into it for Gavin at one point..can't remember why, though.
It's only 3 hrs a day, though...
http://www.wdacademy.org/
I know Gavin's parochial school offers full day, 5 day/week Pre-K 3 and 4, and DH is hesitant to start Conall there next year. However, he's more than ready.
In the end, only you can decide. Good luck!
My three sons!
My daughter's preschool offers 3 and 5 day pre-k. What area do you live in?
With that said, I started my DD in K last year at age 4, despite his recommendation... She is now in first grade and has done great so far. She does great both socially and academically. I am glad with my decision to start her early. Good luck!
Thanks for all the feedback. I really have to stop obsessing until it's time to actually make a decision. My Mom sent my brother who has a July B-day right after he turned 5 and she keeps talking about how she has always regretted it. She's a 4th grade teacher and also is throwing all kinds of examples at me saying we should definitely hold him back. We live in Baden and work in Cranberry if that makes a difference. Currently the Sewickley YMCA is the only place I have in mind to send him next fall if we don't do kindergarten.
-Abbey
I'm a young one for my class (July bday) - the only way I was scarred was when my friends turned 21 during Junior year of college and I couldn't go to the bars with them.
I honestly think that with a leader personality, that doesn't go away unless adults are squelching it. Kids, at this young of an age, all feel they are on equal ground. At least, this is what I think.
Hang in there - you'll make the right decision for Keefer!
My three sons!
I don't really have any advice, but I agree with your approach to give it some time. Good luck!
Our school has full day Pre-K (8:30- 3) plus pre/after school but we are in the north hills (St Sebastian) so that may be a haul from Cranberry. Check into the other Catholic schools around you - many may have full day preschool or the Montessori schools.
My youngest is a late June bday and he is small so we'll confront the same issue in a few years. I will say that for boys it seems to be the norm to hold back & with girls they get sent ahead. Which seems to drive stereotypes that girls mature quicker, boys need to be bigger for sports or to not get picked on. I know Caileigh has boys in her class that turned 8 before the girls turned 7. We have a 9/30 cut off date.
How time flies! Caileigh (9), Keira (6) & Eamon (3)
Ditto. I also started kindergarten at 4 (with a late September birthday.) I had no problems either. My brother has a March birthday, and when he was in 1st grade - they moved him up to 2nd grade because he was so bored. That meant that he was at least a year younger or more than this classmates. He also did great and graduated at the top of his class.
I'm not a fan of holding kids back, so it's not something I'd really consider unless I really thought my child wasn't ready.
-Abbey