Redshirting August boy?

[Anonymous]

Experiences with redshirting? He is a late August boy and would be youngest in his class.

Also, should we redshirt him in his current daycare or rather have him repeat a year in a new school?

[Anonymous]

Does he have severe learning disabilities or illness? If yes, then redshirt. If not, do not redshirt. The older they get the age difference diminishes and happens in just few years.

[Anonymous]

Do you think he is behind or do you just feel you should because he would be the youngest?

This is very child specific and you don’t offer any detail about your child apart from is birthday.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the school - at our school, it's extremely common to redshirt even May and June boys. So we felt like we had to for our August boy. We did two years of Pre-K at his private school. Overall, we are happy with the decision.

[Anonymous]

He has trouble sitting still in daycare class and following instructions as well as his peer group.

I was reading that these differences become more pronounced in middle school when they need to rely more on executive functioning.

[Anonymous]

Do it.

- parent of a late August birthday kid who didn't redshirt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the school - at our school, it's extremely common to redshirt even May and June boys. So we felt like we had to for our August boy. We did two years of Pre-K at his private school. Overall, we are happy with the decision.

OP How did you "pitch" it to the little guy? Did he feel in any way bad relative to peers who progressed to K?

[Anonymous]

No, do not redshirt without any severe developmental delays. Age won’t matter and narrows before too long.

[Anonymous]

I have a September boy who missed the cutoff by 2 weeks. He’s in k and bored. Socially, he has friends and seems happy, but I wish I could have put him in 1st.

[Anonymous]

Definitely do it. And I guarantee the other August boys in his grade will have done it, too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has trouble sitting still in daycare class and following instructions as well as his peer group.

I was reading that these differences become more pronounced in middle school when they need to rely more on executive functioning.

No, it would not become more pronounced in middle school. There would not be an age disparity with development at that point anyway.

[Anonymous]

If this were a June bday it would be a closer question, but an August birthday I wouldn't think twice about redshirting.

[Anonymous]

OP

Would it be better to redshirt before he enters PreK or the PreK year?

I can have him do the 3s year at his current daycare and then move to private school or start attending private school in the 3s and then repeat the 3s or PreK4 if necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely do it. And I guarantee the other August boys in his grade will have done it, too

Nope, not this parent and have another in class with an August birthday who happens to be one of the brighter students. My brother was the absolute oldest and did not graduate on time. Do not redshirt your child if he is not developmentally disabled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP

Would it be better to redshirt before he enters PreK or the PreK year?

I can have him do the 3s year at his current daycare and then move to private school or start attending private school in the 3s and then repeat the 3s or PreK4 if necessary.

It doesn't matter.