Harvard study about downside of redshirting

[Anonymous]

Seriously, diabetes as a reason to start late?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, diabetes as a reason to start late?

The point was that just because your child doesn't have a condition (be it developmental, physical, endocrinological, etc.) doesn't mean someone else's child doesn't have one either. Or that the condition doesn't exist. Or that you are in any way equipped to diagnose and treat it.

So just as you don't go about providing useless (at best, but more likely harmful) advice regarding other children's medical conditions, you should similarly keep your uninformed mouth shut regarding their developmental conditions. It's the parents' decision not yours and you are not entitled to the details of their decision-making process. These parents don't owe you a case history on their child.

[Anonymous]

I have family members who are diabetics. It is no way was debilatating for their ability to attend and excel in school. In fact, as I think about it, they were on the younger side of their respective classes, graduated from Ivies and have advanced degrees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This may have been said earlier--if so, apologies. I have no problem with individual kids being held back if that is what their parents/teachers deem best. The problem comes when enough people do it to essentially turn it into the de facto norm. There is an "arms race" sort of situation--i.e., people think "Well, X and Y were held back so my child will be small and young in comparison, so we'd better hold him/her back," etc., etc. Already many private schools have a de facto cut-off date of June 1 (some, such as Green Acres, make it official). Our son, who was not redshirted, has an early winter birthday (very early Dec.). Before he started school I was sure he would be one of the oldest--after all, with a Sept. 1 cutoff, he logically should have been among roughly the oldest quarter of kids. Well, not even close! He is smack in the middle of the age spectrum because of all the summer birthday kids being held back. I find that shocking. I agree with the PPs that it is a slippery slope--after all, *someone* has to be the youngest/smallest in the class. The line must be drawn before the norm becomes 6 for kindergarten.

I agree. But for the independent schools in the area, you cannot act as if there is any choice in the matter. The SCHOOLS are deciding where "accepted" kids are placed, and they have all decided "summer birthday" means "next year".

There are wide spreads in our independent private school. If many of the successful academics and athletes were redshirted we'd be Supermen. There has been a degree of poetic justice in the fact that many who gamed the system now have sons who peaked early. Yeah- social and athletic dominance in grades 5-8 .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have family members who are diabetics. It is no way was debilatating for their ability to attend and excel in school. In fact, as I think about it, they were on the younger side of their respective classes, graduated from Ivies and have advanced degrees.

(sigh)

Your family's medical and/or educational history is entirely orthogonal to the point.

It's called an ANALOGY.

You see, if you are not someone's doctor, you are not qualified to diagnose and treat their diabetes (or any other condition). Similarly, if you are not a child's parent and/or pediatrician you are not qualified to diagnose and treat their developmental issues.

Diabetes is an ANALOGY because it's called an "invisible condition" in that someone might suffer from it and you - as a random observer - do not necessarily know. Unless you see the person injecting insulin or modifying their diet or taking medication or are privy to their sugar levels or what-have-you, you do not know. As an outside observer you do not KNOW which people out there on the street have diabetes. And that's okay. Because you do not deserve to know. They do not owe it to you to tell you. It's not your business. Even if they choose to eat extra protein or skip the donuts or urgently need to eat a piece of candy and those are not the choices you would make with your diet? Even then it is STILL not your business.

Similarly, if there are developmental concerns about a child and his readiness for school, you do not necessarily know. Nor do you deserve to. The family does not owe it to you to explain their concerns to you and get your approval on when their child should start school. It's really none of your business. Even if you would start your child at a different age? Even then it is STILL not your business.

[Anonymous]

I notice this study doesn't take into account the incrediable rise of children being diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum.

I don't know about parents who have children with "normal" functioning brains however for those of us who have children that have special needs. Rushing them through the education process can cause some major problems down the road. My oldest son I would have put in kindergarten at 4 if I could have he was more than ready. however my youngest son, doesn't have communication skills for Kindergarten. Now the school says he is ready but they have to say that, for budget reason, it doesn't mean it's what's best for my son.
If the school truely went on a case by case base basis I would be more incline to believe them. But they have a set rule, it's not based on my son's best interest.