Entering Kindergarten at 6

[Anonymous]

FWIW, our non-DC private counsels all spring babies to hold back. We held our APRIL kid back because they told us he would be the youngest child in his class by MONTHS if we didn't. All the other past-January kids don't go.

I am not about to disadvantage my own kid to make some point.

[Anonymous]

And back on track.....

OP you need to speak with the Principal. We moved from out of state where everyone redshirts. My #3 was going to enter Kindergarten as a 6 year old which wasn't even the oldest in our previous school. When I went to register they said I had to put him in 1st grade which freaked me out. I met with the Principal who said they would start him in 1st and if he needed to move down they would move him but their policy is no redshirting. He stayed in 1st grade and was fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, our non-DC private counsels all spring babies to hold back. We held our APRIL kid back because they told us he would be the youngest child in his class by MONTHS if we didn't. All the other past-January kids don't go.

I am not about to disadvantage my own kid to make some point.

Okay but in DCPS you child would NOT be at a disadvantage because there is a cut off and April kids do start on time. My own March child started on time.

So, no, you don't get to call disadvantage when it actually isn't and just you trying to make it revolve around you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But my point is that if anyone can redshirt for any reason then what is stopping someone with an october 1 cutoff from doing it? And then there is a 7 year old with newly 5 year olds.

It depends on the school rules but yes, there can be a 7 year old in K. Lets say you have a fall kid who didn't go early entry and then is held back by parents another year, they can be 7.

It really depends on the kid. Mine does better being the youngest and struggling a bit to keep up. We found it was best to send them despite the cut off.

Getting held back and redshirting for no apparent reason are two totally different things and not comparable.

You don’t get to be the arbiter of the reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But my point is that if anyone can redshirt for any reason then what is stopping someone with an october 1 cutoff from doing it? And then there is a 7 year old with newly 5 year olds.

It depends on the school rules but yes, there can be a 7 year old in K. Lets say you have a fall kid who didn't go early entry and then is held back by parents another year, they can be 7.

It really depends on the kid. Mine does better being the youngest and struggling a bit to keep up. We found it was best to send them despite the cut off.

Getting held back and redshirting for no apparent reason are two totally different things and not comparable.

You don’t get to be the arbiter of the reason.

I don't think I should be. Doctors and schools should be. As I have said before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, our non-DC private counsels all spring babies to hold back. We held our APRIL kid back because they told us he would be the youngest child in his class by MONTHS if we didn't. All the other past-January kids don't go.

I am not about to disadvantage my own kid to make some point.

THIS.IS.EXACTLY.MY.POINT

We red-shirted because of the advantage. If you can provide your child with an advantage, do it. If not, work on it. Again, life is not fair but you try to find loopholes where you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, our non-DC private counsels all spring babies to hold back. We held our APRIL kid back because they told us he would be the youngest child in his class by MONTHS if we didn't. All the other past-January kids don't go.

I am not about to disadvantage my own kid to make some point.

THIS.IS.EXACTLY.MY.POINT

We red-shirted because of the advantage. If you can provide your child with an advantage, do it. If not, work on it. Again, life is not fair but you try to find loopholes where you can.

The mental gymnastics you are doing to make this seem okay is exhausting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should have a rule about it. Unless there is a documented reason by a school or doctor, there should be no red shirting.

What’s it to you?

Jerk.

What's it to me? People who red shirt for no specific documented reason put the other, age appropriate kids in that class at a disadvantage throughout schooling.

Yup, my kid is a young K who is still 5 until the end of the summer and a K classmate of his turned 7 three months ago. Unless there's a good reason (and I admit I don't know it), I'm not thrilled with the age spread.

In what world are kids turning 7 in January of their K year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, our non-DC private counsels all spring babies to hold back. We held our APRIL kid back because they told us he would be the youngest child in his class by MONTHS if we didn't. All the other past-January kids don't go.

I am not about to disadvantage my own kid to make some point.

THIS.IS.EXACTLY.MY.POINT

We red-shirted because of the advantage. If you can provide your child with an advantage, do it. If not, work on it. Again, life is not fair but you try to find loopholes where you can.

Yikes. Your poor kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should have a rule about it. Unless there is a documented reason by a school or doctor, there should be no red shirting.

What’s it to you?

Jerk.

What's it to me? People who red shirt for no specific documented reason put the other, age appropriate kids in that class at a disadvantage throughout schooling.

Yup, my kid is a young K who is still 5 until the end of the summer and a K classmate of his turned 7 three months ago. Unless there's a good reason (and I admit I don't know it), I'm not thrilled with the age spread.

In what world are kids turning 7 in January of their K year?

A redshirted one. Have you read the thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, our non-DC private counsels all spring babies to hold back. We held our APRIL kid back because they told us he would be the youngest child in his class by MONTHS if we didn't. All the other past-January kids don't go.

I am not about to disadvantage my own kid to make some point.

THIS.IS.EXACTLY.MY.POINT

We red-shirted because of the advantage. If you can provide your child with an advantage, do it. If not, work on it. Again, life is not fair but you try to find loopholes where you can.

Man, you people. I worry about your children. And mine who will be their peers in high schools and colleges and workplaces some day.

[Anonymous]

If everyone would just send their kid to school when they are supposed to, we wouldn't have these large age gaps is the classroom. My kid entered kindergarten at 4 and turned 5 two weeks later. If you hold yours back it creates unfair age gaps for those of us who follow the rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I red-shirted and don't care if other parents are upset. Someone will always be able to do something that someone else can't do. Fun fact: Life is not fair nor equitable. I wish I was born a Hilton, but I'm not, so I carry on and work with the normal life granted to me.

Talk with your daughter about advocating/standing up for herself or alternatively speak with the child's parents. However, realistically she'll be fine.

Can you share what research you found that supports the idea of red shirting? I'm researching and I can't find unbiased sources to support it.

there's REAMS of research showing that young-for-grade kids have higher rates of ADHD diagnoses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But my point is that if anyone can redshirt for any reason then what is stopping someone with an october 1 cutoff from doing it? And then there is a 7 year old with newly 5 year olds.

It depends on the school rules but yes, there can be a 7 year old in K. Lets say you have a fall kid who didn't go early entry and then is held back by parents another year, they can be 7.

It really depends on the kid. Mine does better being the youngest and struggling a bit to keep up. We found it was best to send them despite the cut off.

Getting held back and redshirting for no apparent reason are two totally different things and not comparable.

You don’t get to be the arbiter of the reason.

I don't think I should be. Doctors and schools should be. As I have said before.

Lol. Yeah. I guarantee 100% that this PP does not abdicate parenting decisions to "doctors and schools." Ha ha ha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If everyone would just send their kid to school when they are supposed to, we wouldn't have these large age gaps is the classroom. My kid entered kindergarten at 4 and turned 5 two weeks later. If you hold yours back it creates unfair age gaps for those of us who follow the rules.

I don't understand how the age gaps disadvantage your child.

We redshirted our early summer birthday kid because it was obvious she wasn't ready for K when she had just turned 5. No diagnosis, so we couldn't have gotten a letter from the doctor or "proved" that red shirting was correct, it was just obvious to us and her preschool teachers. Fast forward several years, she has an IEP for a learning disability and is academically one of the weakest kids and is absolutely in the right grade. I don't understand how her presence is hurting your kid.