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

[Anonymous]

My DS is a mid-June birthday. He is a happy boy, loves school, took the WISPI III for private school PreK and was in the 82% high average category....I don't think he will have any issues with academics or with social life. He is quite small for his age...in 20% tile for height...but other than that, just a normal happy 3 year old who will turn 4 in June.

He was accepted into a pre-k program that we will most likely send him to but my worry is if so many kids are being redshirted and turning 7 in kindergarden (as the other thread states) I am worried about my boy. Crazy thing is I would never think of red shirting and have no plans to do it but this forum is making me think my DS is going to be (in the correct grade) but 1.5-2 years younger than his peers and a lot shorter than the other boys in his class that were all red shirted! The whole idea is crazy unless there is a real social or academic reason....help me feel okay about letting my DS progress the way the system is set up for cut off dates.

[Anonymous]

Is he okay in social situations? Or is he behind?

[Anonymous]

Oh please. Do not play into this redshirting nonsense. Send your kid on time. Step away from these posts. You know your kid is ready.

--mom of a son who was born in mid-July and who is a middle schooler doing great socially and academically

[Anonymous]

I sent my June birthday boy in time. Now in 2nd grade in with a mixed age class (2nd, 3rd) and absolutely fine.

[Anonymous]

OP here...Typically he is fine in social situations. He is not a "rough and tumble" boy and tends to play with the girls more in preschool. However the teachers noted that it is more about the activity he wants to do rather than the child he wants to play with (if that makes sense). We are having him evaluated for OT issues with motor planning and core strength as teachers for two years have noticed that he is physically slower than others (always last in line) and tires quickly on the playground. But he is silly, happy, smart, and friendly to everyone I don't see a reason to redshirt him other than "everybody else is doing it". It makes me want to move out of this area!

[Anonymous]

I'm sending my kid on time. His birthday is in September.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here...Typically he is fine in social situations. He is not a "rough and tumble" boy and tends to play with the girls more in preschool. However the teachers noted that it is more about the activity he wants to do rather than the child he wants to play with (if that makes sense). We are having him evaluated for OT issues with motor planning and core strength as teachers for two years have noticed that he is physically slower than others (always last in line) and tires quickly on the playground. But he is silly, happy, smart, and friendly to everyone I don't see a reason to redshirt him other than "everybody else is doing it". It makes me want to move out of this area!

If you think he is ready, then send him on time. Not everyone is redshirting. It just seems that way because you are hypersensitive to it right now.

[Anonymous]

sent my DS to kindergarten at 4. November birthday. He cried after school because he was tired, but otherwise did fine. He is now at a Big three for high school and fits in well. He likes being 18 months younger than his classmates. Feels like he has a head start in life.

[Anonymous]

If he is ready--send him. I don't consider a June birthday to be a recommended redshirt month unless he is immature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see a reason to redshirt him other than "everybody else is doing it".

If the only reason to redshirt him is that "everybody else is doing it", then don't redshirt him! Also, I don't think that everybody else really is doing it. It may be very common among certain limited demographic groups -- I don't know, because I'm not part of them. But the boys in my kids' MCPS classes are not redshirted. The girls aren't either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If he is ready--send him. I don't consider a June birthday to be a recommended redshirt month unless he is immature.

What are the "recommended redshirt months" in your opinion?

[Anonymous]

He'll be the youngest and the smallest. Are you okay with that? Will you be okay with that when he's 10? 16?

[Anonymous]

My redshirted kindergartener will not turn 7 this year, nor will most. He is the oldest in his class by a whopping three weeks. Send your child on time if he is ready. We would have but our child was not ready. Worry about your child and not others!

[Anonymous]

He won't necessarily be the smallest at 10 or 16! I have a son like yours. I noticed the differences in prekindergarten but now in kindergarten it is evening out. He is drawn to other kids who play less rough, but temperamentally that might have been the case even if he skewed toward the older end of the class. I did do several sessions of OT at the recommendation of the school. That might not have been necessary had he not "seemed" younger--the OT said he was developmentally age-appropriate. Otherwise, all is great! He loves his buddies and is adjusting well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He'll be the youngest and the smallest. Are you okay with that? Will you be okay with that when he's 10? 16?

Go away troll. A kid with a June birthday will not be the youngest nor the smallest.

--mom of a late June boy who went on time and is towering over his 7th grade friends