Redshirting question

[Anonymous]

OP, there is going to be a story on every side. I think your plan is good. Keep an open mind, but, if in doubt I'd hold back.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand what your concern is OP. Roughly a third of their classmates(those born between September and December) will be younger than them. As they were born in 2014, they should be learning alongside other kids who were born in 2014, not kids who were born in 2015. Nothing is more important than being as similar to your classmates as possible. It's not good to be different. I can understand parents who want to redshirt Oct-Dec children, as they were born close to the cut-off(although I don't think it's justified even in that case as those parents could have easily conceived in Apr-Jun instead of Jan-Mar so their child would have been born in Jan-Mar if they wanted them to be the oldest), but August can hardly be considered borderline. They'll be far from the youngest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand what your concern is OP. Roughly a third of their classmates(those born between September and December) will be younger than them. As they were born in 2014, they should be learning alongside other kids who were born in 2014, not kids who were born in 2015. Nothing is more important than being as similar to your classmates as possible. It's not good to be different. I can understand parents who want to redshirt Oct-Dec children, as they were born close to the cut-off(although I don't think it's justified even in that case as those parents could have easily conceived in Apr-Jun instead of Jan-Mar so their child would have been born in Jan-Mar if they wanted them to be the oldest), but August can hardly be considered borderline. They'll be far from the youngest.

No. The cutoff is not December. I don't know where OP lives, but in VA the cutoff is Sept 30-----so the only kids younger would be those born in September --and, very likely, there may be some from that group who also choose to redshirt. They could very likely be the youngest in the class.

What is the cutoff in MD? DC?

[Anonymous]

I think it sounds like a fine plan. I sent my mid-August birthday son to public on time and academically he has done well. Socially has been a little tougher, but the difference did not really start to show until 3rd grade - he was fine till then. He just has more in common socially with boys a grade younger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand what your concern is OP. Roughly a third of their classmates(those born between September and December) will be younger than them. As they were born in 2014, they should be learning alongside other kids who were born in 2014, not kids who were born in 2015. Nothing is more important than being as similar to your classmates as possible. It's not good to be different. I can understand parents who want to redshirt Oct-Dec children, as they were born close to the cut-off(although I don't think it's justified even in that case as those parents could have easily conceived in Apr-Jun instead of Jan-Mar so their child would have been born in Jan-Mar if they wanted them to be the oldest), but August can hardly be considered borderline. They'll be far from the youngest.

No. The cutoff is not December. I don't know where OP lives, but in VA the cutoff is Sept 30-----so the only kids younger would be those born in September --and, very likely, there may be some from that group who also choose to redshirt. They could very likely be the youngest in the class.

What is the cutoff in MD? DC?

There are one or two anti-redshirt posters on here who continue to insist that the cutoff is 12/1 or even the end of the year, when in reality, that’s only the case in New York and a few surrounding areas. Yes, the cutoff in VA is 9/30 as it is in many other states. Maryland is 9/1. I believe DC is also 9/30 but so many kids in DC are in private schools that are free to set their own cutoffs, and often do set them much earlier.

[Anonymous]

If I had an August boy, I would 100% redshirt.

[Anonymous]

If I had to do it over, I would have had all of my kids born in August and I would have redshirted them. Even the girls.

[Anonymous]

I was a December birthday back when the cutoff was Jan 1. I always felt young compared to my peers and most of my friends were in the grade below.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I had to do it over, I would have had all of my kids born in August and I would have redshirted them. Even the girls.

Why not just have all your kids in January, so that they would be the oldest by default?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I had to do it over, I would have had all of my kids born in August and I would have redshirted them. Even the girls.

Why not just have all your kids in January, so that they would be the oldest by default?

Holy sh*t you are really not getting it. The cutoff isn’t 12/31 here!!!!! It’s only 12/31 or 12/1 in your little NYC-area bubble. The entire rest of the country has a cutoff of 9/30 or earlier. A kid with a January birthday is middle of the pack, birthday/age-wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:August birthday twin boys. We are considering putting them in private, play-based K the year they turn 5, then decide the next fall whether to put them in public K or public 1st. (Basically a way to kick the can down the road another year). Has anyone done this? What should I be considering?

Personally I think every K should be play based, and I think that is a great way to developmentally. However, where I live (not DC), the grade your child enters when starting public school is up to the discretion of the principal. Depending on the rules where you live, if you "kick the can" you might not get to decide. If they are old enough to be in 1st and have done K somewhere else, the principal might decide to stick them in 1st even if you disagree. In theory play based K is the most developmentally appropriate approach for preparing kids for school, but if you local public has a very academic K they may struggle a bit a first if they go straight to first.

Is this happening in a year? Can you schedule a meeting with the principal to try to get a feel? Or at least find out how placement works?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I had to do it over, I would have had all of my kids born in August and I would have redshirted them. Even the girls.

Why not just have all your kids in January, so that they would be the oldest by default?

Holy sh*t you are really not getting it. The cutoff isn’t 12/31 here!!!!! It’s only 12/31 or 12/1 in your little NYC-area bubble. The entire rest of the country has a cutoff of 9/30 or earlier. A kid with a January birthday is middle of the pack, birthday/age-wise.

Okay, so in that case, they should have all their kids in October. The bottom line, if you want child to be the oldest, you should have them right after the cut-off, whenever that is. Then you don't have to worry about redshirting. The point I'm trying to make is that parents who redshirt their kids are breaking the rules to fix a problem that they created for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Very few people (ok, there was 1 pp) ever says they made a mistake by holding their child back. Your issue is compounded because of the twins. You don't want to hold one back or have one that is lagging behind. Your plan is good, but talk to the teachers regarding readiness next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I had to do it over, I would have had all of my kids born in August and I would have redshirted them. Even the girls.

Why not just have all your kids in January, so that they would be the oldest by default?

Holy sh*t you are really not getting it. The cutoff isn’t 12/31 here!!!!! It’s only 12/31 or 12/1 in your little NYC-area bubble. The entire rest of the country has a cutoff of 9/30 or earlier. A kid with a January birthday is middle of the pack, birthday/age-wise.

Okay, so in that case, they should have all their kids in October. The bottom line, if you want child to be the oldest, you should have them right after the cut-off, whenever that is. Then you don't have to worry about redshirting. The point I'm trying to make is that parents who redshirt their kids are breaking the rules to fix a problem that they created for themselves.

You speak as if everyone can exactly time the births of their children. What about kids who were premature -- aimed for October, but got August? Or people struggling with IF? As for me, after two miscarriages, I would have taken a baby whenever it came. I am not an extreme advocate against or for redshirting. I can see situations where it makes sense. You seem very inflexible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:August birthday twin boys. We are considering putting them in private, play-based K the year they turn 5, then decide the next fall whether to put them in public K or public 1st. (Basically a way to kick the can down the road another year). Has anyone done this? What should I be considering?

Personally I think every K should be play based, and I think that is a great way to developmentally. However, where I live (not DC), the grade your child enters when starting public school is up to the discretion of the principal. Depending on the rules where you live, if you "kick the can" you might not get to decide. If they are old enough to be in 1st and have done K somewhere else, the principal might decide to stick them in 1st even if you disagree. In theory play based K is the most developmentally appropriate approach for preparing kids for school, but if you local public has a very academic K they may struggle a bit a first if they go straight to first.

Is this happening in a year? Can you schedule a meeting with the principal to try to get a feel? Or at least find out how placement works?

Personally I think it should be based on the child's needs not parents ideals. My child didn't thrive at a play based program. We removed him to a structured academic program and he thrived. Play based are probably why kids are not prepared for K. K. is not academic at all.