S/o...what happens to my June birthday DS if I don't redshirt?

[Anonymous]

I posted earlier about having a young kindergarten boy doing ok despite his small size and less than stellar fine motor skills. I should also mention that I redshirted an older boy--not totally on purpose--the dates were changing back then and he ended up barely making the deadline. At the time, about eight years ago, I hadn't even heard the word redshirt. So many of his classmates actually missed the deadline that his preschool added a temporary "bridge" junior kindergarten to deal with all these kids who were done with preschool and yet were not allowed to attend MCPS kindergarten. That no longer exists at the school. I decided to keep my son in that group with his friends--he was maybe five days older than those who technically missed the cutoff. Anyway, public school didn't go so well--he really seemed so much older and was easily frustrated by his peers. He was bored academically too. Just a real obvious maturity difference, and he struggled to find friends he truly related to, insomuch as kindergarten and first and second grade boys do with one another. He moved to private and everyone skewed older there. He did much much better socially. I wonder now if he would have been fine in public with an older peer group. I probably should have sent him ahead back then--it might have been a lot cheaper anyway in the long run!

[Anonymous]

Op here...thanks for all the feedback and for those of you who posted and said you did not red shirt. My hunch tells me he will be fine. I just wish schools didn't require a deposit in March when there can be so much development by the summer!

[Anonymous]

May boy sent on time. Very smart and social. Extremely rowdy. Was smaller when he was younger prob due to genetics but is now average among his peers. No problems whatsoever.

I think you should send him unless he is struggling with meeting milestones. I think parents who redshirt may encourage you to redshirt because they don't want to believe their child is slow or behind. It makes them feel better about their choice. Parents who do not red shirt will want you to send your child on time so they don't have a much older child with their child. So asking for advice is not going to be helpful bc everyone will be biased.

[Anonymous]

Late-July DS, sent on time, average, fcps hs student body president.

[Anonymous]

wow, you must really be a paranoid person.

Anonymous wrote:May boy sent on time. Very smart and social. Extremely rowdy. Was smaller when he was younger prob due to genetics but is now average among his peers. No problems whatsoever.

I think you should send him unless he is struggling with meeting milestones. I think parents who redshirt may encourage you to redshirt because they don't want to believe their child is slow or behind. It makes them feel better about their choice. Parents who do not red shirt will want you to send your child on time so they don't have a much older child with their child. So asking for advice is not going to be helpful bc everyone will be biased.

[Anonymous]

I am struggling with the decision of whether to red shirt. My son has a late summer birthday - has good social relationships with other children at school most of the time, but does occasionally get into physical fights, even with other boys he likes. He has good fine motor skills, did terrific on his WPPSI, but a LOT of trouble sitting still and listening, and his frustration tolerance is very, very low.

[Anonymous]

Ask yourself carefully, would he fit in better with younger children? There is your answer. If no, then start him in the Fall.

[Anonymous]

My son is the youngest boy in his grade at a Big 3 and is doing fine - he's been there for 5 years now. Yes, there are maybe 3 or 4 boys in his grade who are more than a full year older than he is, but it really hasn't been a problem for him. He is on the small side, but there are plenty of boys who are around his size. If anything, I think it would be weird for the few older boys, some of whom tower over the rest of the kids. When I look at the boys in the grade behind him, I realize that we made the right decision. They really do seem a lot younger socially than he does.

[Anonymous]

Op here, thanks for all the responses on here. DS got into the private school we wanted for the appropriate grade so we are not red shirting him....he will be one of the youngest and smallest boys but I honestly don't think that is going to bother him. He is ready for the structure and academics and I feel great with our decision. Everybody has to do what is right for their child and I know we are doing that.

[Anonymous]

This redshirting is getting insane if May, June, and July kid are considering being redshirted. If your child is Sept or August, give it some thought whether they'd be ready or not. Otherwise, I don't even know why redshirting would be on a parent's mind.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't redshirt him.

We didn't redshirt our late August birthday child and he's doing fine. He actually is the smallest, but he's just petite like his parents are and I don't think that would change if we waited a year. Plus, he'd have been bored stiff.

[Anonymous]

Send him. My ds is late June bday and he's done fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Send him. My ds is late June bday and he's done fine.

I have a July boy and a September boy.

Both on time.
They needed OT for handwriting (both)
but they would have needed that anyway.

That is kind of the worst thing that can happen.
It isn't so bad.

[Anonymous]

I'm redshirting my August boy. He tested 98% WISPI, but has some anxiety issues. Maturity wise there is a world of difference between him and peers 6 months older. Quite simply his personality is much better suited to being the oldest in the class vs the youngest.

We considered our decision very carefully. I visited multiple elementary schools and read a lot of the research (most of which wasn't helpful). I'd recommend you call your elementary and ask what % of kids were age 6 when K started. Visit your school and see the kids yourself.
I discovered that only 4 kids in 6 classrooms were redshirted at our K. However, Rockville and Bethesda schools told me it was "quite common" and that 30% were redshirted. One administrator privately urged me as soon as she heard I had a boy and he was a summer birthday. Another said that the schools are starting to push back and actively discouraged it.

In your case, if you think he's ready I would send him.
But if you are truly concerned you could call/visit your school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember, four months is about 20per cent of his lifetime.

If you're talking about a 1.5 year old. How are you doing this math?