Very bright 4.5yo and waiting a Whole Other Year to start K

[Anonymous]

My 4.5 yo is very smart. He has been at a daycare with an accredited preschool for over 3 years and 90% of his classmates are 5 or will be soon, and are starting Kindergarden this fall. He is a late winter (February) kid so no way that he'll start this year.

But, he is reading, he is a very clear illustrator, and he is ahead of his classmates in motor skills and logic. I also worry that he'll be bored (like DH was throughout school) and will end up acting out in elementary/middle/high school because he isn't learning fast enough.

His class is mostly girls and has been for years, and he is most definitely not behind the curve socially. In fact, I have kids in the class above him asking for playdates.

For those of you who have been-there-done-that, what helped during this 'lag year'? More reading practice (which he asks to do)? Just let it slide?

[Anonymous]

We tried to focus on other stuff and found preschool that had junior k to help keep the academics at and above the level he was at previously. Not sure what to tell you about elementary. Totally depends on what school he is going to and what his personality is. My friend with a boy like yours loves it that he's so confident and he has lots of friends and does well in school, but she doesn't really care that he gets "ahead of the curve". Mine needed just a little more help socially, so the extra year was good for him and he hasn't been bored in school but it isn't his personality to be bored either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 4.5 yo is very smart. He has been at a daycare with an accredited preschool for over 3 years and 90% of his classmates are 5 or will be soon, and are starting Kindergarden this fall. He is a late winter (February) kid so no way that he'll start this year.

But, he is reading, he is a very clear illustrator, and he is ahead of his classmates in motor skills and logic. I also worry that he'll be bored (like DH was throughout school) and will end up acting out in elementary/middle/high school because he isn't learning fast enough.

His class is mostly girls and has been for years, and he is most definitely not behind the curve socially. In fact, I have kids in the class above him asking for playdates.

For those of you who have been-there-done-that, what helped during this 'lag year'? More reading practice (which he asks to do)? Just let it slide?

Yes, and so are 99.99% of all the other kids in the same situation.

And as for the older kids, they generally like younger kids and I had older kids often ask my very shy younger child for playdates. It's not a sign of your child's maturity that he plays with older kids but it's actually the opposite. A sign of maturity of the older child to be able to recognize that your child is younger both age wise and developmentally and to change the rules of play and games to accommodate for that. The older kid also gets the thrill of being in charge, being able to win at games etc easier, etc

[Anonymous]

What is the class above if he is currently at a daycare and in the class with the 5 year olds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the class above if he is currently at a daycare and in the class with the 5 year olds?

Troll alert

[Anonymous]

We're sending ours to public PreK and not worrying about it too much at this point, especially since there is still so much social stuff going on at this age, along with the whole adjusting to a large school setting.

It is also helpful to remember that very few decisions we make are truly irreparable, so it is helpful to focus on today's problems today without getting too far ahead. Is there a decent chance your kid will in fact be bored in school? Of course. But at worst that means finishing out a year and then making alternate plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the class above if he is currently at a daycare and in the class with the 5 year olds?

Troll alert

Have you considered DC joining Peace Corps, or at least a gap year abroad?

[Anonymous]

I think the silver lining is that he gets an extra year to be a kid. If he started k this year, he'd be off to college sooner. Childhood is so short as it is.

I'd deal with any loss of interest issues as they come up, if any do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're sending ours to public PreK and not worrying about it too much at this point, especially since there is still so much social stuff going on at this age, along with the whole adjusting to a large school setting.

It is also helpful to remember that very few decisions we make are truly irreparable, so it is helpful to focus on today's problems today without getting too far ahead. Is there a decent chance your kid will in fact be bored in school? Of course. But at worst that means finishing out a year and then making alternate plans.

OP here. They have an accredited Kindergarten at his daycare too. It's not huge, so at the end of the day they all play together. The older kids are bonding with him over legos and star wars and transformers. My DH buys him toys way above his age range, but he loves them. Nothing like reading 'The Lego Star Wars Encyclopedia' for a bedtime book. (I still hate my parents for getting him that!)

I thought pre-K programs were mainly for low-income - like the Head Start sort of thing they have in DC. Or does it depend on the area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the class above if he is currently at a daycare and in the class with the 5 year olds?

Troll alert

Have you considered DC joining Peace Corps, or at least a gap year abroad?

HILARIOUS!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the class above if he is currently at a daycare and in the class with the 5 year olds?

Troll alert

Have you considered DC joining Peace Corps, or at least a gap year abroad?

HILARIOUS!!!!!!

OP - yes this is pretty funny If ONLY I could get someone to take him...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're sending ours to public PreK and not worrying about it too much at this point, especially since there is still so much social stuff going on at this age, along with the whole adjusting to a large school setting.

It is also helpful to remember that very few decisions we make are truly irreparable, so it is helpful to focus on today's problems today without getting too far ahead. Is there a decent chance your kid will in fact be bored in school? Of course. But at worst that means finishing out a year and then making alternate plans.

OP here. They have an accredited Kindergarten at his daycare too. It's not huge, so at the end of the day they all play together. The older kids are bonding with him over legos and star wars and transformers. My DH buys him toys way above his age range, but he loves them. Nothing like reading 'The Lego Star Wars Encyclopedia' for a bedtime book. (I still hate my parents for getting him that!)

I thought pre-K programs were mainly for low-income - like the Head Start sort of thing they have in DC. Or does it depend on the area?

I don't think star wars legos are way above his age range.

If there is a kindergarten at the daycare, why not ask the daycare about including him in with the kindergarten class if he is really so far advanced. That way he gets the kindergarten curriculum, but you can still send him to public kindergarten on time next year.

[Anonymous]

Let him be a kid with no worries for another year!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're sending ours to public PreK and not worrying about it too much at this point, especially since there is still so much social stuff going on at this age, along with the whole adjusting to a large school setting.

It is also helpful to remember that very few decisions we make are truly irreparable, so it is helpful to focus on today's problems today without getting too far ahead. Is there a decent chance your kid will in fact be bored in school? Of course. But at worst that means finishing out a year and then making alternate plans.

OP here. They have an accredited Kindergarten at his daycare too. It's not huge, so at the end of the day they all play together. The older kids are bonding with him over legos and star wars and transformers. My DH buys him toys way above his age range, but he loves them. Nothing like reading 'The Lego Star Wars Encyclopedia' for a bedtime book. (I still hate my parents for getting him that!)

I thought pre-K programs were mainly for low-income - like the Head Start sort of thing they have in DC. Or does it depend on the area?

WHAT in the WORLD? I have never heard this about PreK in my life. ??????????

[Anonymous]

Op, DC & Arlington counties have public pre-k programs at the elementary schools. Perhaps, other areas do too. Head start is totally different and is income-based.