September 6 birthday girl - Early Entrance to K? WWYD?

[Anonymous]

have one who went on time but is on the older side and in some states could have started K a year earlier, although not in our state. He is a senior this year, and all I can say is that I am so glad that he is at home this year rather than already at college as he would be if we had lived in a different state when he started K. A kid who is a year more mature is likely to make better decisions and choices when senior year comes around.

And twelve years goes by in a flash. You will blink, and your child will be in high school.

+1000

[Anonymous]

We started my daughter early....she is still in a lower grade but so far no regrets. She was either going to be the oldest or the youngest and our preference was for her to be the youngest. Both my husband and I were the youngest in our classes and we both handled it fine. I would have really regretted it if we had not started her early. We are in Virginia so did not have to do the Early Entrance exam, we just had to pay for a private year in kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

I have three girls.
Late Sept.
Mid October
Late November

All three started kinder when they were four. All three wound up skipping a grade. All three are the absolute youngest in their grades, by a significant number of months. It's fine. Somebody has to be the youngest. Might as well be them. I have one in college, one in middle school and one in elementary school. I'd make the same decisions for all three again.

[Anonymous]

OP here. At fall preschool conference, teacher said nothing but good things about her social/emotional maturity. We mentioned that we had enrolled her in the 4s class because we may be considering starting her "early" for K. The teacher (Teacher B) was surprised that she was one of the youngest and said our daughter was fitting in really well.

Fast forward to when we made a request this January to talk to teachers re: daughter's progress, with an eye toward Early Entrance. Teacher A immediately launched into "as early childhood educators we could NEVER in good conscience recommend starting early." She then went into a fairly impassioned speech about it, including how she wished she'd held back her now adult spring-birthday son because he took five years to get through college. She absolutely did not look at my kid as an individual - she had a fixed position that was firmly held. She acknowledged that our daughter has advanced academic skills, but then expressed deep concern about her social skills. She have as an example that my daughter is "just now emerging from parallel play". Um, fascinating, seeing as how she seen well past that for about two years and is very social and chatty with friends. Her "social delays" popped up only after we indicated an interest in sending her to K. Teacher B also informed me that they ALWAYS write on the teacher report (required for Early Entrance app) that they see no benefit to advancing the student and recommend against it. So - I just don't get the sense that I'm going to get an objective read on my child on social/emotional. Teacher B did her best to dismiss the academic as well. Her goal was to talk us out of it entirely.

We will likely complete the application process and see where it goes.

We had a very similiar mid-year conference with my August DS's preschool teachers. It was like they were unable to consider our son as and individual, but instead spewed out opinions about how an extra year never hurt everyone and when their son started kindergarten in 1972 they were so glad he was the oldest. By the end of the year they begrudgingly admitted he might do okay. He was on track academically, tended to socialize with the oldest kids in the class, and had no problems sitting still and following directions, so we felt pretty confident about our decision to start him on time as one of the youngest in Kindergarten.

He's been thriving. At his K conference, his teacher was surprised to realize that he was one of the youngest in the class when we brought it to her attention. If you feel she is ready, I'd strongly consider sending her. I was one of the oldest in my class, and honestly, I think it was to my detriment. I did great in school, but coasted along without ever having to develop strong work habits. Socially, I always fit in better with older kids and remember feeling out of place a lot. People constantly commented on how 'mature' I was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's a reason for a cutoff date. Stick to that and move on.

Does that hold true for all the people who delay, also? What about people who live in states with Sept 30 cutoff dates and may be moving into Maryland in the future?
Kids are different. Sounds like this young lady's mom thinks she's ready for K. The school district will evaluate her and decide if the mom is right. No biggie.

[Anonymous]

Is the cut off in Virginia Sept 30th?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the cut off in Virginia Sept 30th?

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Wow, OP- I could have written this post four years ago (down to the same birthday). DD took the EEK and was accepted early (despite the K team leader recommending that she not be).

I don't have the benefit of being many years away from this choice but at this point DD is doing fantastically and has since day one. She reads three grade levels above and is one of the highest performers in her class (in a high performing school). In kindergarten older kids asked her for help with work (and she happily gave it). I would have no problem admitting if DD hadn't done well. There was a social learning curve first few months of kindergarten- but I noticed that with many of the older kids too. That's no longer a problem for DD- she's highly social (lots of parties, play dates, etc.).

I couldn't imagine her having another year of pre-k. She's also is very tall for her age- so no one suspects that she's the youngest. She HATES being the youngest though- she turned 8 in September and there are 10 y/o's in her class. She'll have milestones later than everyone else- but oh well. She'll have to just get over that.

Good luck, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I regret holding my child back. We are in a preschool where they are working on basics and he is far beyond that.

Oh please. Every parent feels that their child is special. So, if everyone moves up, then what's the purpose of a cutoff date?

There are a lot more kids redshirting that going early. My daughter has someone who turned 6 in April in her K class. Turning 7 in 3 months. And it is not a repeat child. He is a giant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the cut off in Virginia Sept 30th?

Yes.

It used to be in Maryland too. Actually in 2001 it used to Dec 31st. They slowly moved it back to Sept 1st in 2006. And yet there are still parents holding kids back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I regret holding my child back. We are in a preschool where they are working on basics and he is far beyond that.

Oh please. Every parent feels that their child is special. So, if everyone moves up, then what's the purpose of a cutoff date?

There are a lot more kids redshirting that going early. My daughter has someone who turned 6 in April in her K class. Turning 7 in 3 months. And it is not a repeat child. He is a giant.

You must mean turning 7 in K. Turning 6 in April means he is young for the grade.

[Anonymous]

Our DD is Sep 5th. currently in 1st grade. she is very advanced academically and on track social. she is doing great. She is the youngest in her class and that does bother her on some level but we have been working with her telling her that there is always some one who is older and who is younger and it is nothing special to be ether one. she gets it mostly. if we held her back i know i would be dealing with "i am bored" issue. you cant win in every aspect so pick you battles.

[Anonymous]

You must mean turning 7 in K. Turning 6 in April means he is young for the grade.

Not in K.

[Anonymous]

6 is now young for K? I really hope not.

[Anonymous]

the dec 31 cutoff made things alot more simple.

dd is in K and turned 5 in nov. fortunately we aren't in the american system.