New Poster -- September Birthday -- Private vs. Public

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted about my dd's August birthday. She started 1st, and even her teachers didn't realize she was the youngest. However, we noticed a huge gap in physical and social development for middle school. She was 10 years old in 5th grade, and there were girls as old as 12 by the end of the school year. I didn't like their influence on her, quite frankly, although her close friends tended to be younger, too.

That said, if the private you want her to attend thinks it would be better for her and her classmates to repeat PK, I would strongly consider it. One other thing to consider - you don't know that you will want her to stay at one school, and some schools have younger kids repeat a year when they are old enough to notice that they are repeating. I have friends with daughters at Sidwell and NCS who entered the schools in late elementary and were asked to repeat, and those were kids with early September birthdays. I don't know that that is policy, but thought I would share the anecdotes anyway.

OP here -- Thank you so very much for this information. So good to know. I really appreciate your response.

[Anonymous]

I have a kid with a birthday just past the cut off and one just before. No private we asked was willing to budge for the late birthday, so we kept her in pre-K another year (at a preschool that was set up for that - none of them really knew how old the other kids were and the kids who had to stay stayed together as a class). The one with the late summer birthday went ahead because the pre-school thought she was ready, although I could have kept her there another year.

If I had it to do over again, I probably would have looked harder at holding the one who is the youngest in the class back, not pushing to send the one with the late birthday ahead.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Anonymous]

Sept birthday, 99%wppsi

It stinks when you get to middle school and everyone is larger and older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid with a birthday just past the cut off and one just before. No private we asked was willing to budge for the late birthday, so we kept her in pre-K another year (at a preschool that was set up for that - none of them really knew how old the other kids were and the kids who had to stay stayed together as a class). The one with the late summer birthday went ahead because the pre-school thought she was ready, although I could have kept her there another year.

If I had it to do over again, I probably would have looked harder at holding the one who is the youngest in the class back, not pushing to send the one with the late birthday ahead.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

OP -- Thank you for the information.

[Anonymous]

My dc has a Sept. birthday, and he is by no means the oldest kid in the class. One of his friends is about 9 months younger, and, while he is extremely bright, he is much less mature and it is quite noticeable (to the teachers, as well, based on comments by his Mom). Our school has a JK program, and that's where they start the younger kids. Seems to work well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid with a birthday just past the cut off and one just before. No private we asked was willing to budge for the late birthday, so we kept her in pre-K another year (at a preschool that was set up for that - none of them really knew how old the other kids were and the kids who had to stay stayed together as a class). The one with the late summer birthday went ahead because the pre-school thought she was ready, although I could have kept her there another year.

If I had it to do over again, I probably would have looked harder at holding the one who is the youngest in the class back, not pushing to send the one with the late birthday ahead.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

OP -- Thank you for the information.

We have a DS w/September b-day. We did hold him back one year at the Pre-K level. He's now in high school. By no means is he the oldest but there's not doubt that he is much more mature; takes school, classes, homewrk, extra curriculars, including sports, very seriously. We're glad we did it. So much so, we did the same thing with his younger birthday who has an October birthday. Would highly recomment it (we put both in privates).