kindergarden year early?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t do it. I started K at 4 (December birthday) in a private so I could do public 1st at 5. K was fine.

The real $hit$how was 4th-10th. Academically, I was fine. But it SUCKS when you’re behind physically and socially during adolescence. Stupid things like shaving legs, getting my period, going places alone, watching R rated movies, dating, driving, working... I was behind in all that stuff. My parents kept treating me like x years old and my peers were x+1 or for boys x+2. My parents would freak out when I was 13 in 9th and had a 16 yo boyfriend who had a job and a car. They didn’t think that far ahead when they decided I was “ready for k” at 4. I also think being 17 going away to college was fine but not something I’d repeat. I never felt fully “caught up” until I took a year off between junior & senior year of college.

I sent my son on time with a very late birthday. He was a kid that hit puberty early. I am so glad we did not hold him back but no one can really predict that at 5. We just followed the rules.

[Anonymous]

If you send a kid early, they will go to college at age 17. If you wait, they will turn 18 well before senior year ends, and can drop out if they want to.

I have a November birthday and started early because of where we lived. It was good for me, but I was smaller and behind when trying out for high school sports.

[Anonymous]

I have an August birthday and hated being the youngest. On the flip side I went through puberty very early so I’m glad I wasn’t a school year lower if it would have been that much worse. I think social maturity also matters. I was mature for my age so did fine socially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holding your kid back can potentially cost your kid a year of lost earnings (80k starting salary 15 yrs from now?) by getting to the workforce a year later.

You win for most WTF-y-est response in the thread. A kid whose parent is trying to get around a cut-off date for early K admission is going to be footing the bill through college and likely grad school. That one year late to the entry-level job will have less impact than an early K start could.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holding your kid back can potentially cost your kid a year of lost earnings (80k starting salary 15 yrs from now?) by getting to the workforce a year later.

You win for most WTF-y-est response in the thread. A kid whose parent is trying to get around a cut-off date for early K admission is going to be footing the bill through college and likely grad school. That one year late to the entry-level job will have less impact than an early K start could.

I don't understand your point.

A kid starting K at 4 almost 5 graduates college at 21.
A kid starting K at 5 almost 6 graduates college at 22.

That's 1 year of income difference for the kid. If they do grad school it's still 1 year difference. Plus the parents have to foot another 10-20k bill of daycare/transitional K at age 4/5. So yes, there are real financial impacts that apparently nobody considers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holding your kid back can potentially cost your kid a year of lost earnings (80k starting salary 15 yrs from now?) by getting to the workforce a year later.

You win for most WTF-y-est response in the thread. A kid whose parent is trying to get around a cut-off date for early K admission is going to be footing the bill through college and likely grad school. That one year late to the entry-level job will have less impact than an early K start could.

I don't understand your point.

A kid starting K at 4 almost 5 graduates college at 21.
A kid starting K at 5 almost 6 graduates college at 22.

That's 1 year of income difference for the kid. If they do grad school it's still 1 year difference. Plus the parents have to foot another 10-20k bill of daycare/transitional K at age 4/5. So yes, there are real financial impacts that apparently nobody considers.

I'd rather use that extra year to pay for graduate school vs. preschool/day care. Lots of different financial impacts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holding your kid back can potentially cost your kid a year of lost earnings (80k starting salary 15 yrs from now?) by getting to the workforce a year later.

You win for most WTF-y-est response in the thread. A kid whose parent is trying to get around a cut-off date for early K admission is going to be footing the bill through college and likely grad school. That one year late to the entry-level job will have less impact than an early K start could.

The extra year of preschool/day care and pay for a year (or part) of graduate school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you send a kid early, they will go to college at age 17. If you wait, they will turn 18 well before senior year ends, and can drop out if they want to.

I have a November birthday and started early because of where we lived. It was good for me, but I was smaller and behind when trying out for high school sports.

We are talking a month or two generally. I have a September kid, so they will turn 18 a few weeks after starting college. No big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t do it. I started K at 4 (December birthday) in a private so I could do public 1st at 5. K was fine.

The real $hit$how was 4th-10th. Academically, I was fine. But it SUCKS when you’re behind physically and socially during adolescence. Stupid things like shaving legs, getting my period, going places alone, watching R rated movies, dating, driving, working... I was behind in all that stuff. My parents kept treating me like x years old and my peers were x+1 or for boys x+2. My parents would freak out when I was 13 in 9th and had a 16 yo boyfriend who had a job and a car. They didn’t think that far ahead when they decided I was “ready for k” at 4. I also think being 17 going away to college was fine but not something I’d repeat. I never felt fully “caught up” until I took a year off between junior & senior year of college.

Your parents should be concerned if you are 13 and dating a 16 year old. That has nothing to do with what grade you are in. Even if you are 14, you should not be dating a 16 year old. Sound like good parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Professionally, I am in risk management -- ask yourself looking at your kid, how much risk is there is sending them when they'd be the youngest vs oldest. How much risk are you willing to take to get to your goal.

We have a DS with a November birthday and one with a late August birthday. After seeing older son (now finishing his Freshman in HS year) be one of the oldest, wasn't a question about holding our other DC. He did K in a Montessori and then K at the neighborhood elementary school. He's "graduating" 6th grade this week and while definitely advanced academically, socially, and physically, I am still so so glad we gave him an extra year. Between the pandemic and everything else in life, I'm glad that he will be starting 7th in 10 1/2 weeks instead of 8th.

It's not really K readiness -- as other posters have said -- it's 4th grade, it's 7th, it's HS and beyond. We are in such a race to nowhere, if you can give your kid the gift of time, do it.

Your child isn't advanced, he's older. I don't get why people pretend their kid is advanced when they aren't. My kid started Algebra in 6th with a fall birthday (so started a year before yours did). That is advanced. So glad we helped with academics early on and saw his potential vs. holding him back. However, for the November child, no place would take your child early so its a non-issue but if you held back the August one, that would mean they aren't advanced and they are actually behind their real peers.

DP - I get what you're saying about older vs advanced, but in the school setting they aren't constantly adjusting the curve for when the kids' birthdays are. The older kid who appears to be advanced compared to the kid that is a year younger gets the advantages.

Not necessarily. It goes by ability. My young for the grade child started Algebra in 6th. It had nothing to do with age or grade, it had to do with ability (and the school offering the opportunity). If we held them back, how would that have made a difference except they'd be really bored in school having got be an extra year in ES. The advantage isn't often a real advantage as the smart kids will be on top academically regardless of age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD turns 5 in October missing the end of September deadline, any way around this rule? She has to wait the extra year no ifs and buts about it? Thank you.

Those kids who are at the old end of their class but not red shirted are in the best position for college and a lot of other things. I can't imagine sacrificing that to save a year of daycare unless I was desperate. Have you explored other options to pay for childcare? It seems so unfair a family would be forced to do this to their child because of money, so I hope you find a solution.

It's not necessarily about money. I have a kid with a September birthday, and he would just be bored out of mind doing preK for another year.

[Anonymous]

All OP asked was whether they could enroll their October-birthday child in kindergarten this coming year in an FCPS school. The child will not meet the age requirement of turning 5 by September 30. The answer is no. FCPS does not allow early enrollment in kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

These threads always devolve.

As others have said there is no early entry into FCPS kindergarten, but you can do a year at a private kindergarten and then enroll in first grade FCPS. My older daughter has an October birthday, and we did this a few years ago. She's in 6th grade now, and it's fine. Her sibling has a summer birthday, so made the cut-off and went on time.

[Anonymous]

I sent DD on time but she’s a young one (August bday). She’s been 6 for all of first grade. She had kids in her class turn 8 toward the middle to end of this year. I hate that she’s so much younger. She’s academically advanced but I think she’d be even more so if she was with peers closer to her actual age.
Don’t rush her into K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t do it. I started K at 4 (December birthday) in a private so I could do public 1st at 5. K was fine.

The real $hit$how was 4th-10th. Academically, I was fine. But it SUCKS when you’re behind physically and socially during adolescence. Stupid things like shaving legs, getting my period, going places alone, watching R rated movies, dating, driving, working... I was behind in all that stuff. My parents kept treating me like x years old and my peers were x+1 or for boys x+2. My parents would freak out when I was 13 in 9th and had a 16 yo boyfriend who had a job and a car. They didn’t think that far ahead when they decided I was “ready for k” at 4. I also think being 17 going away to college was fine but not something I’d repeat. I never felt fully “caught up” until I took a year off between junior & senior year of college.

Your parents should be concerned if you are 13 and dating a 16 year old. That has nothing to do with what grade you are in. Even if you are 14, you should not be dating a 16 year old. Sound like good parents.

NP. That sounds like a nice rule but try arguing with your 14 yo freshman or sophomore daughter about her junior boyfriend that she knows well because they have been in the same class together all year and they are in the same club together. Yes, as a parent you can say no to whatever you want. She’s still going to date him behind your back.