PreK teacher recommending redshirting my son

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.

Why?

- August birthday child who excelled academically

DP. They've changed school since we were kids, made it more stressful and less enjoyable. They also have greater EF expectations earlier and expect kids to be self-sufficient without teaching them how.

We didn't redshirt our August boy and academically he's doing fine - but am extra year of maturity would have benefitted him significantly.

Stop expecting so little of your child. If he's doing fine, he's doing fine, and no one wants your 18 year old man in school with their 17 year old daughter.

My daughter will be 18 all senior year because of her Sept birthday. It's normal to be 18 all year. Stop spewing this nonsense that it's not. If a cutoff is 9/1 or 9/30 what do you think happens to kids who happen to be the oldest? It's by design.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.

Why?

- August birthday child who excelled academically

DP. They've changed school since we were kids, made it more stressful and less enjoyable. They also have greater EF expectations earlier and expect kids to be self-sufficient without teaching them how.

We didn't redshirt our August boy and academically he's doing fine - but am extra year of maturity would have benefitted him significantly.

Stop expecting so little of your child. If he's doing fine, he's doing fine, and no one wants your 18 year old man in school with their 17 year old daughter.

My daughter will be 18 all senior year because of her Sept birthday. It's normal to be 18 all year. Stop spewing this nonsense that it's not. If a cutoff is 9/1 or 9/30 what do you think happens to kids who happen to be the oldest? It's by design.

It's literally not normal. People like you have made it common, but common is not normal.

[Anonymous]

Redshirting is hotly contested on DCUM, but I’m of the opinion there’s no right (or wrong) answer. Kids are different. Moreover, every child is multi-dimensional with varying strengths and weaknesses. They may simultaneously be precocious, on grade level, and behind on different criteria.

I think parents know their kids best and should go with their gut. A teacher’s perspective an be a valuable data point and should be considered, but ultimately do what seems best for your child and family.

Whichever way you go, there will almost certainly be problems that might have been better going the other way. Just know that if you’d gone the other way, you’d have had other issues to deal with. Pick a path and deal with where you are, without second guessing yourself.

I feel that as concerned as you are to be seeking advice about this issue, you’ll provide your son the support he needs to succeed regardless of your choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.

Why?

- August birthday child who excelled academically

DP. They've changed school since we were kids, made it more stressful and less enjoyable. They also have greater EF expectations earlier and expect kids to be self-sufficient without teaching them how.

We didn't redshirt our August boy and academically he's doing fine - but am extra year of maturity would have benefitted him significantly.

Stop expecting so little of your child. If he's doing fine, he's doing fine, and no one wants your 18 year old man in school with their 17 year old daughter.

My daughter will be 18 all senior year because of her Sept birthday. It's normal to be 18 all year. Stop spewing this nonsense that it's not. If a cutoff is 9/1 or 9/30 what do you think happens to kids who happen to be the oldest? It's by design.

It's literally not normal. People like you have made it common, but common is not normal.

It's common and normal for everyone with a birthday in September. Are you dense?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So he’s already 5 now and turning 6 this May? Send him — a kid turning 7 in kindergarten is ridiculous.

K success is about learning how to learn, and it sounds like he’s got that. His social skills are on point, he’s got solid pre-literacy skills, and he’s able to follow directions and get/stay with the day’s program of activities. He’s ready for a new challenge, and will be bored out of his mind with another year of preschool. Keeping him back when he’s already been kept back (shouldn’t he have started K this past September, at age 5.5?) is not a kindness.

- Parent of May birthday boy, middling height and weight, started K at 5; now varsity athlete, excellent student, great friend

No my son is 4 and will turn 5 this May.
If we hold him back, he would turn 7 his kinder year. Otherwise he will turn 6 the last month of school.

7 in K is too old. 18 his entire senior year is WAY too old.

We are leaning towards sending him. This is just the norm in our area to redshirt May to Aug kids.
March/April it is common to redshirt as well. I know a few Jan or Feb kids held back for no reason. It’s just extremely common. That’s why a lot of people push it because the gap is so big if you send on time especially for the younger kids. There could be kids 14 months older than him
in his class. We have another son who is 2 years older and also May that went on time. I do see the advantage some of his older classmates have. We hoped to keep our kids two grade levels apart though. It’s also hard to explain to one why he was held back and the other wasn’t when they have the same birthday. Any second is actually a week earlier in May.

I guess you shouldn't have held your first back. Don't punish DS2 for the mistake you made with DS1.

What are you even talking about?
My older son is 6 and in first grade. He turns 7 the last week of school. What mistake did we make exactly? - OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.
However, in your son’s case I don’t hear any reasons to hold him. What you describe is a child who is academically, socially and behaviorally ready to move on to kindergarten. Almost every child struggles with the longer (or at least more structured) days until about mid-October, that is not reason enough to wait.
You know your child best, but my experience makes me lean towards sending him on time.

May isn't in the summer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.

Why?

- August birthday child who excelled academically

DP. They've changed school since we were kids, made it more stressful and less enjoyable. They also have greater EF expectations earlier and expect kids to be self-sufficient without teaching them how.

We didn't redshirt our August boy and academically he's doing fine - but am extra year of maturity would have benefitted him significantly.

Stop expecting so little of your child. If he's doing fine, he's doing fine, and no one wants your 18 year old man in school with their 17 year old daughter.

My daughter will be 18 all senior year because of her Sept birthday. It's normal to be 18 all year. Stop spewing this nonsense that it's not. If a cutoff is 9/1 or 9/30 what do you think happens to kids who happen to be the oldest? It's by design.

It's literally not normal. People like you have made it common, but common is not normal.

It's common and normal for everyone with a birthday in September. Are you dense?

Common and normal have different definitions. Learn them, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So he’s already 5 now and turning 6 this May? Send him — a kid turning 7 in kindergarten is ridiculous.

K success is about learning how to learn, and it sounds like he’s got that. His social skills are on point, he’s got solid pre-literacy skills, and he’s able to follow directions and get/stay with the day’s program of activities. He’s ready for a new challenge, and will be bored out of his mind with another year of preschool. Keeping him back when he’s already been kept back (shouldn’t he have started K this past September, at age 5.5?) is not a kindness.

- Parent of May birthday boy, middling height and weight, started K at 5; now varsity athlete, excellent student, great friend

No my son is 4 and will turn 5 this May.
If we hold him back, he would turn 7 his kinder year. Otherwise he will turn 6 the last month of school.

7 in K is too old. 18 his entire senior year is WAY too old.

We are leaning towards sending him. This is just the norm in our area to redshirt May to Aug kids.
March/April it is common to redshirt as well. I know a few Jan or Feb kids held back for no reason. It’s just extremely common. That’s why a lot of people push it because the gap is so big if you send on time especially for the younger kids. There could be kids 14 months older than him
in his class. We have another son who is 2 years older and also May that went on time. I do see the advantage some of his older classmates have. We hoped to keep our kids two grade levels apart though. It’s also hard to explain to one why he was held back and the other wasn’t when they have the same birthday. Any second is actually a week earlier in May.

I guess you shouldn't have held your first back. Don't punish DS2 for the mistake you made with DS1.

What are you even talking about?
My older son is 6 and in first grade. He turns 7 the last week of school. What mistake did we make exactly? - OP

"It’s also hard to explain to one why he was held back and the other wasn’t when they have the same birthday."

Sorry, misread. This sentence confused me since the younger one hasn't been held back yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.

Why?

- August birthday child who excelled academically

DP. They've changed school since we were kids, made it more stressful and less enjoyable. They also have greater EF expectations earlier and expect kids to be self-sufficient without teaching them how.

We didn't redshirt our August boy and academically he's doing fine - but am extra year of maturity would have benefitted him significantly.

Stop expecting so little of your child. If he's doing fine, he's doing fine, and no one wants your 18 year old man in school with their 17 year old daughter.

My daughter will be 18 all senior year because of her Sept birthday. It's normal to be 18 all year. Stop spewing this nonsense that it's not. If a cutoff is 9/1 or 9/30 what do you think happens to kids who happen to be the oldest? It's by design.

It's literally not normal. People like you have made it common, but common is not normal.

It's common and normal for everyone with a birthday in September. Are you dense?

Common and normal have different definitions. Learn them, please.

Oh, you're the insane poster from the other thread. Kindly eff off. It is both common and normal to turn 18 in senior year. Now put that in your pipe and smoke it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.

Why?

- August birthday child who excelled academically

DP. They've changed school since we were kids, made it more stressful and less enjoyable. They also have greater EF expectations earlier and expect kids to be self-sufficient without teaching them how.

We didn't redshirt our August boy and academically he's doing fine - but am extra year of maturity would have benefitted him significantly.

Stop expecting so little of your child. If he's doing fine, he's doing fine, and no one wants your 18 year old man in school with their 17 year old daughter.

My daughter will be 18 all senior year because of her Sept birthday. It's normal to be 18 all year. Stop spewing this nonsense that it's not. If a cutoff is 9/1 or 9/30 what do you think happens to kids who happen to be the oldest? It's by design.

It's literally not normal. People like you have made it common, but common is not normal.

Yes, it is normal. The age cutoff is Sept 1 nearly everywhere. The Sept-Dec kids will be 18 most of their senior year and that is normal

[Anonymous]

Every time I see size as a reason to redshirt I want to cry. I have a tiny 40lb second grade boy with a fall birthday (so already old for the grade). Not at all athletic. I guess he’s in for a world of pain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.

Why?

- August birthday child who excelled academically

DP. They've changed school since we were kids, made it more stressful and less enjoyable. They also have greater EF expectations earlier and expect kids to be self-sufficient without teaching them how.

We didn't redshirt our August boy and academically he's doing fine - but am extra year of maturity would have benefitted him significantly.

Stop expecting so little of your child. If he's doing fine, he's doing fine, and no one wants your 18 year old man in school with their 17 year old daughter.

My daughter will be 18 all senior year because of her Sept birthday. It's normal to be 18 all year. Stop spewing this nonsense that it's not. If a cutoff is 9/1 or 9/30 what do you think happens to kids who happen to be the oldest? It's by design.

It's literally not normal. People like you have made it common, but common is not normal.

Yes, it is normal. The age cutoff is Sept 1 nearly everywhere. The Sept-Dec kids will be 18 most of their senior year and that is normal

It is not normal. I just had my third kid graduate high school. The large majority of kids turn 18 just before graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.

Why?

- August birthday child who excelled academically

DP. They've changed school since we were kids, made it more stressful and less enjoyable. They also have greater EF expectations earlier and expect kids to be self-sufficient without teaching them how.

We didn't redshirt our August boy and academically he's doing fine - but am extra year of maturity would have benefitted him significantly.

Stop expecting so little of your child. If he's doing fine, he's doing fine, and no one wants your 18 year old man in school with their 17 year old daughter.

My daughter will be 18 all senior year because of her Sept birthday. It's normal to be 18 all year. Stop spewing this nonsense that it's not. If a cutoff is 9/1 or 9/30 what do you think happens to kids who happen to be the oldest? It's by design.

It's literally not normal. People like you have made it common, but common is not normal.

Yes, it is normal. The age cutoff is Sept 1 nearly everywhere. The Sept-Dec kids will be 18 most of their senior year and that is normal

It is not normal. I just had my third kid graduate high school. The large majority of kids turn 18 just before graduation.

Ok, so you are old. Maybe the cut off used to be Nov 1 when your adult kids were small. The cutoff is Sept 1 now and has been for many years. Many schools literally will not enroll your child in K if they are not 5 by Sept 1. Can you not understand this?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't hold back a spring birthday unless there were delays or a disability.

That being said, I'm holding back my summer boy. He's emotionally immature and just isn't there yet. I think holding kids back is less about how they're dong academically and more about how they're doing emotionally. Can they listen and sit well? Or will they fidget and be in trouble for the next 13 years of their life because they're young for the grade? So many boys with behavioral problems wouldn't have these problems if they were in the correct grade based on their brain maturity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently a preschool teacher, taught kindergarten for 20 years before making the move. I tend to err on the side of giving kids with summer birthdays the extra year of preschool.

Why?

- August birthday child who excelled academically

DP. They've changed school since we were kids, made it more stressful and less enjoyable. They also have greater EF expectations earlier and expect kids to be self-sufficient without teaching them how.

We didn't redshirt our August boy and academically he's doing fine - but am extra year of maturity would have benefitted him significantly.

Stop expecting so little of your child. If he's doing fine, he's doing fine, and no one wants your 18 year old man in school with their 17 year old daughter.

My daughter will be 18 all senior year because of her Sept birthday. It's normal to be 18 all year. Stop spewing this nonsense that it's not. If a cutoff is 9/1 or 9/30 what do you think happens to kids who happen to be the oldest? It's by design.

It's literally not normal. People like you have made it common, but common is not normal.

Yes, it is normal. The age cutoff is Sept 1 nearly everywhere. The Sept-Dec kids will be 18 most of their senior year and that is normal

It is not normal. I just had my third kid graduate high school. The large majority of kids turn 18 just before graduation.

All the kids have spring birthdays? How amazing and untrue.