kindergarten that takes 4.5 year olds?

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP- OP here...we are at Gerorgetown Hill -NRC now so maybe that will work our for us..
I appreciate your kind , helpful response.
I was the youngest in my class (my brother the oldest) he just ended up driving all his friends around and I ended up being driven around by friends- honestly it all works out in the wash. Both of us are successful and happy people- that is all one can ask for.
Thanks again for your comments- much appreciated.

Side comment:

Not sure that I will use this site again- too many unwanted, negative, even nasty posts out there.....

[Anonymous]

Hi OP-

I was always the youngest in my class (Dec. birthday) and the only time I remember it being REMOTELY an issue was when I was in college and everyone else turned 21 before me! I had other friends who had October and November birthdays as well, so it was not like I was that much younger. Now, it is almost a bonus because I am the youngest of all my friends from high school and college. That said, it seems much more strict these days to have kids start school early. But I am sure in the right environment, your child would be fine!

[Anonymous]

OP - if you don't want posts that disagree with you, then you may want to ask these questions on a yahoogroups site. This is an anonymous, online forum and people will speak their minds. I would suggest if you continue using not to take it too personally.

Also, I think times are very different from when you and me were growing up and unless there is a very very good reason, I don't see why you would want to send your child to kindergarten at 4.5 years old. Both my boys just miss the cut off, so they will be almost 6 years old when they start. I'm just letting it be.

You don't have to answer, but I wonder what your motivation is for making your child start so early? Do you just think that b/c it worked out for you that it will work out for her? Doesn't sound to me like a very good reason.

Just keep in mind, your child will be in school - at 4 years old - with 6 year old kids. She WILL be at a disadvantage whether you want to believe it or not.

[Anonymous]

I had an October birthday and was started at age 4 and never had a single issue. The only time I even noticed my age relative to that of my peers was when it came time to drive.
However, I know that there were quite a few other kids with fall birthdays in my classes. It was much more the norm to start at 4 when we were children. It was completely NOT the norm to be 6 in the fall of kindergarten.
Today things are much different. I have twins with September birthdays and will likely hold them until they are 5 going on 6 (we're in the district where the cut off is sept. 30th). If the "norm" is to be on the older side, I want to give my kids every advantage at being on par with their peers. 4.5 is incredibly young when at least 25% (up to 50% in some privates) will be 6 by December.

The realities of the classroom is so different today that I'm not sure our experiences as kids are even relevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was much more the norm to start at 4 when we were children. It was completely NOT the norm to be 6 in the fall of kindergarten.

When I started K back in 1980, you had to be 5 by the first day of school (maybe they had an official cutoff like Sept. 1, but I always remember my mom saying 5 by first day of school) so we did have 6 year olds in our Kindy class. It just seems normal to me - hasn't kindergarten always be meant for 5 turning 6 year olds?

Or was there a time (though not in my school district...) when it was meant for 4 turning 5's?

[Anonymous]

When I was a kid (started K in '78) it varied a lot by state. Some had Dec. 31 cutoffs, but I know other states had Sept. 1 cutoffs. So in a Dec. 31 state, it would be normal to have 4s/5s when they start. Now, of course, most states have moved to earlier cutoffs.

[Anonymous]

When I started kindergarten in 1979 we had to be 5 by Dec. 31st.
I was an Oct. birthday, my brother was mid Dec, my cousins were both mid. Nov. and I had many peers in class with Oct/Nov. birthdays. I remember because there were a lot of cupcakes being brought in right around my birthday so those birthdays stood out in my elementary school mind. We all started at age 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I started kindergarten in 1979 we had to be 5 by Dec. 31st.
I was an Oct. birthday, my brother was mid Dec, my cousins were both mid. Nov. and I had many peers in class with Oct/Nov. birthdays. I remember because there were a lot of cupcakes being brought in right around my birthday so those birthdays stood out in my elementary school mind. We all started at age 4.

Yeah but keep in mind that was when K was a half day w/ painting, blocks and dress-up. That doesn't exist anymore in most public schools. If they haven't switched to all day K yet, they will soon. Then it is all day academics w/ a special thrown in. And maybe no recess. I wouldn't subject a 4 yr old to that (heck, I don't even think that is developmentally appropriate for most 5 yr olds either but that is another post).

[Anonymous]

Yeah but keep in mind that was when K was a half day w/ painting, blocks and dress-up. That doesn't exist anymore in most public schools. If they haven't switched to all day K yet, they will soon. Then it is all day academics w/ a special thrown in. And maybe no recess. I wouldn't subject a 4 yr old to that (heck, I don't even think that is developmentally appropriate for most 5 yr olds either but that is another post).

Yes, I agree. I'm the immediately previous poster and am also the former poster who is planning on sending my twins at 5 going on 6.
I was just saying that back when I was a child (in my experience), 4 was more the norm and 6 was a rare occurence. Quite different from today when 6 is often the norm and kindergarten is longer and more rigorous. Hence we will not send ours at 4.

[Anonymous]

OP here- As a current MCPS employee who is in the K classes everyday I know what goes on in the rooms....you could argue it both ways. A 4.10 year old or a almost 6 year old could have problems (pr not). My 2nd child will be 5 on Sept 1- so he will be the youngest but I can't change his birthday and I can't change that he will be in a class with 5.10 year olds either.

I wasn't asking what your opinions were on my 4.10 going into K. I was asking if anyone knew ofprivate K's that took them. Two different questions in my mind.

I do appreciate all the comments that helped answer my question-.

Next time I post I will have to expect many comments not related to what I asked....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - if you don't want posts that disagree with you, then you may want to ask these questions on a yahoogroups site. This is an anonymous, online forum and people will speak their minds. I would suggest if you continue using not to take it too personally.

Also, I think times are very different from when you and me were growing up and unless there is a very very good reason, I don't see why you would want to send your child to kindergarten at 4.5 years old. Both my boys just miss the cut off, so they will be almost 6 years old when they start. I'm just letting it be.

You don't have to answer, but I wonder what your motivation is for making your child start so early? Do you just think that b/c it worked out for you that it will work out for her? Doesn't sound to me like a very good reason.

Just keep in mind, your child will be in school - at 4 years old - with 6 year old kids. She WILL be at a disadvantage whether you want to believe it or not.

[Anonymous]

Have you considered Montessori? Montessori classrooms mix 3, 4 and 5 year olds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- As a current MCPS employee who is in the K classes everyday I know what goes on in the rooms....you could argue it both ways. A 4.10 year old or a almost 6 year old could have problems (pr not). My 2nd child will be 5 on Sept 1- so he will be the youngest but I can't change his birthday and I can't change that he will be in a class with 5.10 year olds either.

I wasn't asking what your opinions were on my 4.10 going into K. I was asking if anyone knew ofprivate K's that took them. Two different questions in my mind.

I do appreciate all the comments that helped answer my question-.

Next time I post I will have to expect many comments not related to what I asked....

LOL - I think we would get along. Anyway, PP (01:11) here. I've learned to be vague with acquintances about my intentions to avoid the exact debate you are getting. My mom by the way teaches at a school in a different state and has K-3rd grade for various classes and has also taught in middle school so I trust her opinion and she agrees with me.

To answer your question - I called a ton of places near where I live in Montgomery County and visited lots of websites and the only places that would use anything other than the MCPS cutoff were certain Montessori schools. There are a few non-Montesorri places that may make an exception if you are really really close to the cutoff but the minute I said November - that was it. I could also find a few schools in VA (because my friend has the same situation with an October birthday) but that wasn't really a feasible commute for me. I even checked to see if DCPS had a different early entrance policy than MCPS but as of when I checked DCPS didn't have an exception policy. I posted on another mom's board to get schools and someone there had pointed me to Montessori schools. There was one other school in D.C. that was mentioned but that school used an October 31st cutoff and when I called they didn't seem like they didn't make exceptions (and to be honest that commute would have been a real sacrifice/commitment). I don't know how it works, but maybe if a Montessori has space now - they may consider taking your child for the 2nd half of the semester and then continue to next year. Also, while not ideal - if you or the Montessori school didn't feel your child was ready to attempt early entrance 1st grade, you would have that option to remain at the Montessori another year and since the learning is tailored to your child he/she could get some work that may be considered 1st grade level.