Is a march birthday too old to redshirt?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I had a child with a March who I seriously thought wasn't ready for K, I would have them professionally evaluated. Good luck.

+1

[Anonymous]

I held my April boy back. He's now in HS and he sometimes comments about his age. But no way would he have been successful at 5. Even at 6, his teachers could barely stand him through ES. Of course he had a few years where he had amazing people working with him, but the norm was very difficult. It took until 7th grade for him to catch up and since then he's done great. But I'm not sure that he ever would have caught up had I tried to keep him on some artificial time table. You gotta do what's right for your kid.

Also, once you start school, if you think you made a mistake, you're stuck. You don't get to hold your kid back absent some severe needs. So you have to call it right now.

[Anonymous]

I held back my March birthday DS without hesitation, but I also knew he had special needs that he was not going to grow out of in a year. It was definitely the right choice, even though he is the oldest and tallest kid in his class now (3rd grade).

There is another March b-day boy a few days younger than DS who also seems to be a good fit for the current class. He doesn't have any obvious special needs but is socially immature.

What do your DS's preschool teachers say?

[Anonymous]

Really bad idea, unless you get a specific medical diagnosis.
All the K teachers say all the boys are squirmy. It's normal.
It will be embarassing for your son on every birthday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I held back my March birthday DS without hesitation, but I also knew he had special needs that he was not going to grow out of in a year. It was definitely the right choice, even though he is the oldest and tallest kid in his class now (3rd grade).

There is another March b-day boy a few days younger than DS who also seems to be a good fit for the current class. He doesn't have any obvious special needs but is socially immature.

What do your DS's preschool teachers say?

+1. Is your DS in preschool now? if so, have there been complaints? Although I am not a fan of red shirting, I do think it's funny that people are calling your boy born in March too old to redshirt when most people on dcum would defend the right of a boy born 3 months later to be redshirted.

[Anonymous]

It is ridiculous to hold back a March Birthday in general, and especially because of the wiggles. If Kindergarten really is that terrible, you can hold back or send to private for another year of Kindergarten and then to first grade.

[Anonymous]

Ridiculous, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is ridiculous to hold back a March Birthday in general, and especially because of the wiggles. If Kindergarten really is that terrible, you can hold back or send to private for another year of Kindergarten and then to first grade.

She also said he is a slow learner. And many people can't afford a year of private and school is not going to hold him back absent really significant issues.

[Anonymous]

Pre-K retaining your kid would be insane. If he's really far behind he needs services ASAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Although I am not a fan of red shirting, I do think it's funny that people are calling your boy born in March too old to redshirt when most people on dcum would defend the right of a boy born 3 months later to be redshirted.

Everyone send your kids on time and we'll all have nice, one year cohorts.

[Anonymous]

Send him - he won't be the only kindergarten who can't sit still. They are there to learn. He will be learn faster being in a group of peers his age + older vs kids a year younger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is ridiculous to hold back a March Birthday in general, and especially because of the wiggles. If Kindergarten really is that terrible, you can hold back or send to private for another year of Kindergarten and then to first grade.

She also said he is a slow learner. And many people can't afford a year of private and school is not going to hold him back absent really significant issues.

Can you really tell this in preschool? Has he had early intervention? If there are actual issues then special education services are available.

IMHO it seems like many parents are afraid of kindergarten. There are many active boys and girls at all different levels.

[Anonymous]

March, are you fricking kidding me???

YES! Way too old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although I am not a fan of red shirting, I do think it's funny that people are calling your boy born in March too old to redshirt when most people on dcum would defend the right of a boy born 3 months later to be redshirted.

Everyone send your kids on time and we'll all have nice, one year cohorts.

Nope. I don't advocate June red-shirting as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Although I am not a fan of red shirting, I do think it's funny that people are calling your boy born in March too old to redshirt when most people on dcum would defend the right of a boy born 3 months later to be redshirted.

Everyone send your kids on time and we'll all have nice, one year cohorts.

I don't really perceive birthday tidiness as one of the primary goals of schooling.