"redshirting" - holding kids back a year just to gain an advantage

[Anonymous]

Re: What people call "redshirting" - holding kids back a year just to gain an advantage. If one is going to do this, when should it be done? Start a child in K at 6 or 6.5 instead of 5?

[Anonymous]

Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

I think most parents who do the would only go back to January. Is there a big difference between May and Jan?

[Anonymous]

There is no advantage to holding your kid back. It hurts the kids and shows lazy parents or teachers who only care that their lives are easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

Same kids end up incessantly complaining about the immaturity of their classmates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

Same kids end up incessantly complaining about the immaturity of their classmates.

How can that be? The parents of the 4 year old kindergarteners swear up and down they are the brightest and most mature in the class.

[Anonymous]

To answer your question, some repeat PreK. Some do K somewhere, then repeat it at a new school where they intend to stay.
I'm not opposed to it for the right kid and the right reason. It can be a hard call. My July son went on time and I'm really glad he did. There are 3 boys in his grade a full year older than him who also have summer birthdays, but I think they're in the right class TBH. This comes up for boys more than girls. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

Same kids end up incessantly complaining about the immaturity of their classmates.

How can that be? The parents of the 4 year old kindergarteners swear up and down they are the brightest and most mature in the class.

Nope, nice try though. We're talking about on time kids. Who yes might be bright and mature kindergarteners, since kindergarteners are supposed to start at 5.

[Anonymous]

We held our daughter back by moving to private school - the DCPS cutoff is Sep 30, DC privates (most of them) is Aug 30. She has a September bday so repeated K. She first did K in DCPS and now is doing K in private. It was right for us. In her class there are no kids held back (Bday before Sep 1). In the grade of over 60, there are only 5 that have bdays before Sep 1. All are boys with summer birthdays.

[Anonymous]

So, at kindergarten it's called "holding them back"

If you are really asking about redshirting which of course is for sports, many families do this in 8th grade. Want their kid a year older, bigger, stronger for all 4 years of HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, at kindergarten it's called "holding them back"

If you are really asking about redshirting which of course is for sports, many families do this in 8th grade. Want their kid a year older, bigger, stronger for all 4 years of HS.

Everyone calls it redshirting in kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Generally done by awful people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

Same kids end up incessantly complaining about the immaturity of their classmates.

The kids held back are the immature ones as they are being based off the younger kids age in terms of maturity and it makes them look and feel more mature when they aren't.

[Anonymous]

Our school cutoff is September 30 and our daughter has an October birthday so we didn’t technically redshirt but complied with the policy and had her be one of the oldest in kindergarten. Many other parents with fall birthday kids petitioned to have their kids go ahead because they were all so very smart and reading Harry Potter at 5. We doubted ourselves at the time but now she’s in 8th grade and it is so much better academically, socially, and athletically to be among the older ones. I’m really glad she didn’t go ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: What people call "redshirting" - holding kids back a year just to gain an advantage. If one is going to do this, when should it be done? Start a child in K at 6 or 6.5 instead of 5?

If I'd redshirted my kid would have started K as a 5 yo instead of as a 4 yo.