Redshirting girls?

[Anonymous]

It's much more common in private school than public school. We have two neighbors who redshirted their girls and both of them are in private school. The only other girl we know that was redshirted has significant behavioral problems (possibly ADHD, I have no idea). We know a decent number of boys that were redshirted, but this is also first grade, who were the first kids back in person after Covid, so a LOT of kids were redshirted who wouldn't normally have been. Still mostly boys though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the absence of providing some reason, I would be suspicious that the school just wants another year of tuition.

I wouldn't do it unless you think she's going to struggle in her age cohort.

We really don't. She's 3 so it is hard to know far ahead. She is currently in a montessori preschool for 3-6 year olds. Her teachers have no concerns. We've had two conferences and there was nothing mentioned regarding her development, focus, or maturity. I went to observe her in class and she was doing great. She didn’t notice I was there until another student told her. She enjoys school and learning. She does get bored easily. She's in gymnastics, swimming, and ice skating so we've had a chance to see how she follows instruction and all that outside of a school setting. No concerns from us, but again she does get bored easily. She's told her gymnastics instructor a couple of times that she was bored with the lesson. She is not some child prodigy though. She doesn't know all of her letters or letter sounds.
Just a 3 year old who picks up on things quickly and isn't shy. She's also small. Like 15 %tile height.

Honestly, OP, a small girl is going to stay small. My daughter has a friend who was held back a year because she was very small and she is still very small - she's 14 months older than my daughter and my daughter, who is not a giant by any means, she's pretty average) is much bigger. In fact, this little girl is getting usurped by her brother who is two years younger than her. Small's gonna small, and skipping a grade of school won't help. It's also a really stupid reason to hold a kid behind.

[Anonymous]

Holding an intelligent child, ready to learn back a year from school because he or she is smaller is such a poor reason. Some kids are short and will stay short. Others may grow.


I have two DDs and both were small, less than 10th percentiles for height and weight when they started kindergarten. One, by mid year, had shot up to 60th and 70tj percentiles and was slightly bigger than average. The other stayed small and as an 8th grade is still short. It just is such a silly reason. What will you do if you hold her back and after she repeats pre-K she is still small? Hold her back again?

With pediatric obesity rates I think children who are bigger, heavier, and a foot taller than peers because they are a year or more older are probably much more apt to be teased than a kid who is smaller. But really, all kids tease and are teased. It’s part of being a kid, and as parents we work to teach right and wrong when it comes to teasing. Same for sense of self and confidence — if your kid is extra small or gigantic, but ready for school, send them so they can learn and be a good parent that teaches them to accept themselves and others who may look different. Isn’t that the goal here?

[Anonymous]

Still can't believe people are considering letting their child be SEVEN in kindergarten. I was in 2nd grade at that age. Redshirting is an insane UMC arms race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still can't believe people are considering letting their child be SEVEN in kindergarten. I was in 2nd grade at that age. Redshirting is an insane UMC arms race.

And have high school seniors who are 19 before the end of the school year. What if there is an off (or not so off chance at 7%) that your red shirted student needs to legitimately be held back as s/he progresses through school? You’d have a TWENTY year old in high school. Or forced to withdraw and do a GED or home school if the district has an age cut off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still can't believe people are considering letting their child be SEVEN in kindergarten. I was in 2nd grade at that age. Redshirting is an insane UMC arms race.

And have high school seniors who are 19 before the end of the school year. What if there is an off (or not so off chance at 7%) that your red shirted student needs to legitimately be held back as s/he progresses through school? You’d have a TWENTY year old in high school. Or forced to withdraw and do a GED or home school if the district has an age cut off.

It’s creepy that someone else’s decision about their own child angers you so much. Find a hobby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Still can't believe people are considering letting their child be SEVEN in kindergarten. I was in 2nd grade at that age. Redshirting is an insane UMC arms race.

And have high school seniors who are 19 before the end of the school year. What if there is an off (or not so off chance at 7%) that your red shirted student needs to legitimately be held back as s/he progresses through school? You’d have a TWENTY year old in high school. Or forced to withdraw and do a GED or home school if the district has an age cut off.

It’s creepy that someone else’s decision about their own child angers you so much. Find a hobby.

Yeah, this is really concerning.