This age discrepancy due to "redshirting" is ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Wow, 1 to 60 days older appears to make a huge difference, sexually speaking. Really, PP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a former first grade and K teacher, I think the child benefits much more from redshirting than being held back.. There is a much greater stigma to repeating with peers, etc.

A child who is held back from starting kindergarden is basically in the same category as a child repeating a great.

Ok then.

[Anonymous]

They're 1-60 days older than the next oldest kids, not than the entire class. So a redshirted kid with an August birthday could be 13 months older than another kid with a September birthday in the correct year. You don't think that can make a difference in middle school? This is why I asked if there were any middle school teachers on the thread who might weigh in.

[Anonymous]

Any middle school teachers on this thread? I am not one, but I know two Fairfax county middle school teachers who HATE redshirting--has created a weird vibe with big, sexually mature boys and younger, less aggressive girls. One teacher discussed at length how she thinks redshirting is hurting the GIRLS since they are either intimidated or that the boys are taking a ton of the teacher's attention to control.

That's really odd. Have you ever looked at 6th graders? The girls are usually much more mature than the boys-size and attitude.

[Anonymous]

For my son - he is young in his class - I knew he would be challenged academically - even if he wasn't chosen for AAP.

[Anonymous]

Once more. It's up to the parent--with some input from Preschool teacher. You know your child best. This shouldn't be done to make your kid the "best" in the class. It should be done so that he can fit in properly and do what is expected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once more. It's up to the parent--with some input from Preschool teacher. You know your child best. This shouldn't be done to make your kid the "best" in the class. It should be done so that he can fit in properly and do what is expected.

I absolutely agree. The problem is that many parents are definitely trying to game the system. 60 minutes did a segment on this not too long ago. This is why people get prickly about it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57390128/redshirting-holding-kids-back-from-kindergarten

Summary: (CBS News) Kindergarten "redshirting" is on the rise. That's the practice of parents holding their children back from kindergarten so they can start school at age 6 - older, bigger, and more mature than their 5-year-old peers. Some research shows that redshirting will give these youngsters an edge in school, and maybe even in life. But is it fair? After all, as Morley Safer reports, boys are twice as likely to be held back as girls. Whites more than minorities. And the rich redshirt their kids more than the poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're 1-60 days older than the next oldest kids, not than the entire class. So a redshirted kid with an August birthday could be 13 months older than another kid with a September birthday in the correct year. You don't think that can make a difference in middle school? This is why I asked if there were any middle school teachers on the thread who might weigh in.

Oh good lord. Let's set up separate classes for each month of age. And just to be totally precise, let's base it on gestational age. That's right, every mother should submit their LMP date so that no child is forced to consort with a child whose parents conceived them outside of the same 30-day window. Then all the children will be safe from exposure to other children whose cells began dividing in a different month. This will be good for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're 1-60 days older than the next oldest kids, not than the entire class. So a redshirted kid with an August birthday could be 13 months older than another kid with a September birthday in the correct year. You don't think that can make a difference in middle school? This is why I asked if there were any middle school teachers on the thread who might weigh in.

Oh good lord. Let's set up separate classes for each month of age. And just to be totally precise, let's base it on gestational age. That's right, every mother should submit their LMP date so that no child is forced to consort with a child whose parents conceived them outside of the same 30-day window. Then all the children will be safe from exposure to other children whose cells began dividing in a different month. This will be good for everyone.

Better yet, let's just set up a separate what-the-hell school where parents can just decide for themselves what class they'd like their kids to be in. Three, four, five, six, sure, whatever the parents want will work out great!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're 1-60 days older than the next oldest kids, not than the entire class. So a redshirted kid with an August birthday could be 13 months older than another kid with a September birthday in the correct year. You don't think that can make a difference in middle school? This is why I asked if there were any middle school teachers on the thread who might weigh in.

Great point, PP and I the the PP you quoted. Precisely why we waited...no need for our DC to be 361 days younger than the oldest, in theory, in the class. And no...I don't think it makes that much of a difference in Middle School; our DC is 4 days older, hypothetically. No real difference from the next oldest. Now, if you want to change the topic from why parents wait for their children to BE 5 before entering KG and instead ask why parents they send 4 yr olds to KG and what the effect is in Middle School, I am right there with you. Again, we are ONLY talking about a handful of kids that are born in Aug/Sep and would BE 4 at the start of KG and so their parents make the choice to wait until their child IS 5 before entering KG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For KG you have a few options...just turned 5 during the summer and will turn 6 after KG is over, turned 5 during PreK and will turn 6 during the KG year, or will not turn 5 until after KG begins, and will not turn 6 until after 1st grade begins. Our DC was in the last boat and we redshirted. Why? KG is full day, I am a SAHM, and only did PreK for 1 year. Best decision we ever made. DC was always beyond in academics, even as a toddler; however, we felt that being the youngest in academia would not be right or just for DC. DC is brilliant and could go to college in lieu of HS, but we won't send to college early, either, as there are too many negatives when it comes to being the youngest. If you can afford to wait another year, hold 'em back and enjoy them. For many on this board it is really about money and free day care, er KG, when deciding on summer or early fall birthdays and redshirting

I really don't see any reason for this child to have been held back. By County standards he should have started Kindergarten when he was almost 5 and it sounds like he was well and ready.

[Anonymous]

I really don't see any reason for this child to have been held back. By County standards he should have started Kindergarten when he was almost 5 and it sounds like he was well and ready.

But, it is HER child and HER choice. Why do you care. I think she did the right thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They're 1-60 days older than the next oldest kids, not than the entire class. So a redshirted kid with an August birthday could be 13 months older than another kid with a September birthday in the correct year. You don't think that can make a difference in middle school? This is why I asked if there were any middle school teachers on the thread who might weigh in.

13 months older...as opposed to the 12 months older that a September 1 child would be to an August 31st child if both went to kindergarten the same year. Explain please how that 12 month difference is not a problem but a 13 month one is?

[Anonymous]

So how do you anti-redshirters all feel if a child moves from a county where the cut-off date is September 1 or earlier (and therefore started kindergarten just as he turned 6 at the beginning of September) into your school district in the upper grades --Are you going to begrudge kids like him too as red-shirters and complain they don't belong in that grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
But, it is HER child and HER choice. Why do you care. I think she did the right thing.

But if it's her choice, it doesn't matter whether you think she did the right thing, either.