September 6 birthday girl - Early Entrance to K? WWYD?

[Anonymous]

Also know a girl whose mom started her early in private because she was so smart. Years later, Mom asked: Why didn't anyone tell me about high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:]Mom insisted on sending very bright Sept bday boy against the advice of Preschool teacher. K teacher also recommend another year in K, but mom refused as he had excellent academics. He was a GT kid and tested into old GT center. Mediocre performance in high school. College drop out.
This kid is extremely bright. He is a good kid—not in trouble. I can’t help but wonder what another year would have done for him. We will never know. He was socially immature, though.

Correct. Just as we'll never know what would have happened if my mother hadn't insisted on sending me to school early against the advice of the principal. (Quick summary of the results of my mother's decision: things turned out fine.) If we only made decisions with 100% certainty about the future, we would never make any decisions.

[Anonymous]

ps. I know there are also success stories. I'm just saying, as a former K teacher, that I really think I would wait. But, every child is different.

[Anonymous]

I think the advantages of waiting outweigh the disadvantages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the advantages of waiting outweigh the disadvantages.

Surely this depends on the individual child.

And, as the PP said, if the OP lived somewhere else, it would not even be a question of waiting. OP would send OP's child to kindergarten on time in 2015 at 4-almost-5.

[Anonymous]

DD has October 1st birthday, which, in Virginia, meant she was the absolute oldest (the cutoff is September 30th). I was very worried, as she was quite advanced (yes, I know, all parents say that). Well, she thrived in elementary and in high school. She developed amazing leadership skills and was unafraid to become involved in all sorts of activities. She's now at one of the HYP universities. I don't think waiting a year harmed her in any way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD has October 1st birthday, which, in Virginia, meant she was the absolute oldest (the cutoff is September 30th). I was very worried, as she was quite advanced (yes, I know, all parents say that). Well, she thrived in elementary and in high school. She developed amazing leadership skills and was unafraid to become involved in all sorts of activities. She's now at one of the HYP universities. I don't think waiting a year harmed her in any way.

But she didn't wait a year. She went on time.

[Anonymous]

But she didn't wait a year. She went on time.

PP's DD missed by one day. OP is talking about sending her child early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But she didn't wait a year. She went on time.

PP's DD missed by one day. OP is talking about sending her child early.

PP's DD went on time, by one day.

OP's DD would either go early, by seven days, or go on time, by seven days.

[Anonymous]

Except for a few other PPs who have suggested that September and October birthdays should redshirt.

[Anonymous]

Don't make it an academic question. Focus on where she is socially, and what social strengths you want to foster. If she is already a strong individual who stands up for herself, she is probably ready.

[Anonymous]

My son also has early Sept birthday, but in DC with late Sept cut off. I would NEVER have been able to hold him back another year. He was so ready for school, socially and academically. Much better to be the younger than the oldest if your kid is ahead of the curve.

[Anonymous]

Much better to be the younger than the oldest if your kid is ahead of the curve.

Not if the child is not socially "ahead of the curve".......

[Anonymous]

I guess that there are some people who believe that no child should ever start school early. If the cut-off is September 1, and you were born at 12:01 am on September 2, then you must go to school a year later than if you were born 2 minutes earlier, or your life will be ruined -- I guess?

Or should the guiding principle be more generally that your child must never be the youngest child in the class? That's a prescription for an arms race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If she'd been born a week earlier, it wouldn't be early entrance, it would be going on time. Or would you recommend redshirting?

I would seriously consider it.

You do realize just 8yrs ago the cut off date was in November? Other states have December cut offs. Yet you could consider waiting until you child was 6 to start K?