Why is redshirting so common around here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

There are no drawbacks to the gift of another year of childhood. Holding my son back was one of the best things we have done for him.

The gift of another year of childhood? Your son turned 18 18 years after he was born, just like everybody else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My kid has a late August birthday. He would either be on the younger end of the class or the older. But not drastically to make a huge difference one way or the other. He is physically smaller and is very innocent compared to peers (especially those with older siblings or in daycare) so he's always seemed younger. He was in a great preschool program and we wanted him to stay for the third year of the program. After touring our elementary school we realized how different K is now - sitting most of a very long day - didn't seem age appropriate. Why push him into that before we had too - let him enjoy another year of learning and growing in a more nurturing environment. Gave him another year of childhood.

And now that he's started school we are very happy with our decision. He's happy and doing fine.

THOSE were our reasons.

I never understand that. Kindergarten is not the end of childhood.

There are a lot more responsibilities - even in K. Nightly homework, activities, etc. All after a very long day. Very little time for play now.

I am not getting the argument for little play. What exactly does that mean? We are the 5 year old in a prek that is academic. We get homework. It is 6-8 sheets to last a week. It takes us 20 minutes the day we get it. It is not a big deal and people are being overly dramatic or lazy. We are also in three weekly activities and OT. My kid still has plenty of play time, video game time, birthday party time, play dates, playground daily when the weather is nice and more. Is the issue really play time or parents are busy with their own lives/working full-time that they just don't want to assist their kids and expect the teachers to pick up the slack?

When my son was in preschool he was only there from 9-1 and had zero homework. So he had plenty of time to enjoy a healthy lunch at home (vs. a rushed 20 min lunch at school) and then play at home, at the playground, go to the library, take classes, have a play date, etc. And even more time on weekends. Tons of unstructured playtime.

Now in K he leaves earlier (to catch the bus) and doesn't get home until 4pm. Then he has a snack and only has a small window of time to do homework, play, etc. before we have dinner and bedtime. It's tough to squeeze in play dates or activities during the week. Very little unstructured playtime.

So he went from 3+ hours per day of playtime down to maybe 1 hour. And really none on those days that he has activities (we cut back to just one now after realizing this).

I have no idea what you mean about being busy and not having time to assist my kid. ??

My son is in preschool 9-3. We still manage to get in an activity (2 during the week, one weekend) or something else (or relax), homework, bath, dinner, reading before bed, etc. Its not a tight squeeze at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There are no drawbacks to the gift of another year of childhood. Holding my son back was one of the best things we have done for him.

The gift of another year of childhood? Your son turned 18 18 years after he was born, just like everybody else.

don't be obtuse. the gift of another year before starting school. obviously we can't just add an extra year to someone's life....

[Anonymous]

"The gift of another year before starting school" doesn't sound as nice as "the gift of time" or "the gift of another year of childhood", though.

To say nothing of whether the recipient is grateful for the gift, now or later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"The gift of another year before starting school" doesn't sound as nice as "the gift of time" or "the gift of another year of childhood", though.

To say nothing of whether the recipient is grateful for the gift, now or later.

The important thing is to work "gift" in there somehow.

We gave our September birthday boy the gift of knowing that his parents believed he could rise to the occasion. (Also, we're in Arlington, where K does not seem to be the sweatshop it is for some of you.)

[Anonymous]

It sounds like at least some redshirters do so because they feel 5 is too early to be in school, prefering to wait until 6. Perhaps we shouldn't make Kindergarten mandatory before entering first grade. That way parents who like Kindergarten can send their children at the appropriate time, and parents who wish to keep their children out of formal education a little bit longer can start their children in first grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like at least some redshirters do so because they feel 5 is too early to be in school, prefering to wait until 6. Perhaps we shouldn't make Kindergarten mandatory before entering first grade. That way parents who like Kindergarten can send their children at the appropriate time, and parents who wish to keep their children out of formal education a little bit longer can start their children in first grade.

In Virginia, it's not. You can send your 6 year old straight into 1st grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like at least some redshirters do so because they feel 5 is too early to be in school, prefering to wait until 6. Perhaps we shouldn't make Kindergarten mandatory before entering first grade. That way parents who like Kindergarten can send their children at the appropriate time, and parents who wish to keep their children out of formal education a little bit longer can start their children in first grade.

That is the case in VA -- K isn't mandatory. But it might be tough for kids in play-based schools to jump into 1st grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It sounds like you were worried he would be behind.

My children in DCPS kindergarten had few worksheets and no homework.

I'm not worried about him academically. He seems bright.

Aren't worksheets that they bring home to complete homework? Or do they not send them back in?

If we had a gentle, half-day K program here then we might have sent him on time.

"Aren't worksheets that they bring home homework?" Yes... but my kids didn't have those. They did not have any homework in kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

My son is in preschool 9-3. We still manage to get in an activity (2 during the week, one weekend) or something else (or relax), homework, bath, dinner, reading before bed, etc. Its not a tight squeeze at all.

So when does your kid ever play? You know, in between video games and homework?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We sent our August birthday child to kindergarten when he was barely 5. Later on, we opted to have him repeat eighth grade. He came into high school with extra hs math credits, an extra year of a foreign language and hs science (all of which he took in his second go round in eighth grade) and is now well positioned in tenth grade to take lots of AP's. You're foolish if you think the best way to give your kid an advantage is in kindergarten. This is a much better strategy.

I knew someone who did this when they moved. They had tried to get their son to repeat the grade for years. Mom said she wished they had done it in K--however, it ended up working out very well. He was young for the grade.

We've thought about this, but then your child has to make all new friends in high school and doesn't get the benefit one of the oldest socially and physically when he's younger. Do you think your child was affected by being the youngest in the earlier grades?

[Anonymous]

We've thought about this, but then your child has to make all new friends in high school and doesn't get the benefit one of the oldest socially and physically when he's younger. Do you think your child was affected by being the youngest in the earlier grades?

The kid I knew who did this was moving due to Dad's job change. It was a great decision on the part of the family--kid made the choice, too. He made lots of friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To all the people who want to control other families' decisions about how to educate their kids:

1) lobby for an iron-clad cutoff date
2) find a private school that agrees with your philosophy, or
3) stfu.

Jesus, the whining from you people is unbelievable. You can't decide if redshirted kids are stupid and slow, in which case they're not actually advantaged, or if they're unfairly advanced.

If you put half the energy into your OWN kid's education as you do into criticizing others' choices, your kids will be just fine in a mixed-age classroom.

Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To all the people who want to control other families' decisions about how to educate their kids:

1) lobby for an iron-clad cutoff date
2) find a private school that agrees with your philosophy, or
3) stfu.

Jesus, the whining from you people is unbelievable. You can't decide if redshirted kids are stupid and slow, in which case they're not actually advantaged, or if they're unfairly advanced.

If you put half the energy into your OWN kid's education as you do into criticizing others' choices, your kids will be just fine in a mixed-age classroom.

Well said.

I think #1 is the best one out of these. Most districts do have an iron-clad cutoff date. I think the lack of one is causing the problem.

[Anonymous]

Most districts do have an iron-clad cutoff date.

Actually, no. They do have one for early admittance.