FWIW, one parent's take on redshirting (sort of) now that DS has started K in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Given the redshirting/holding back/testing to start K early threads, FWIW, here's my take now that DS has started K.

DS has a September birthday, so technically I didn't hold him back since MCPS requires students to be 5 by September 1st. DS will turn 6 later this month. Like some other parents of September babies, I worried about how we would handle the K cutoff --- should we have him tested? Should we just go with the flow?

Last year we opted to send him to fullday pre-K rather than have him tested to see if he could start K early. We weren't sure if we were making the right decision THEN --- after all, he was bright, happy, coordinated, well mannered, etc. so he probably could have started early. But we decided not to buck the system and sought out a good fullday pre-K program that would be fun yet academic so that he would be engaged and challenged. The transition to pre-K was tougher than I anticipated. He was tired and started napping again (they still nap in pre-K, but not K). He was hungry and needed a mid-morning snack (they still get snacks in pre-K, but not at my son's K class). He was sometimes tearful or clingy during the morning drop-off. After a while he settled in and thrived, and we were relieved.

He started K a couple weeks ago and I can say with confidence that he was ready. He climbed on the bus with a smile on his face and there were no tearful goodbyes. Since he had a solid foundation from the "rigors" of pre-K he can easily sit still, pay attention, follow directions, etc. He isn't tired or hungry during the day the way he was last year.

Having agonized over this for so long, I'm relieved that the choice we made for our son seems to be the right one. I'm just sharing my two cents in case any other parents in a similar situation might find it helpful to hear from someone who was once in their shoes.

HTH - Best of luck to all the parents of September babies!

[Anonymous]

I have a young 5yo son (early August BD) who just started K.

After reading all these threads in the last month or so, I'm glad we live in Fairfax County instead of Montgomery County. It sounds to me like MontCo has unduly rigid and grownup expectations of of 5yos. No snack? No centers for hands on learning? It's crazy.

My local half-day K has snacks, centers, and when he goes to after care, naps if they can make him (though I think that'll be tough).

Of course, we're only in day 2 over in VA. We'll see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a young 5yo son (early August BD) who just started K.

After reading all these threads in the last month or so, I'm glad we live in Fairfax County instead of Montgomery County. It sounds to me like MontCo has unduly rigid and grownup expectations of of 5yos. No snack? No centers for hands on learning? It's crazy.

My local half-day K has snacks, centers, and when he goes to after care, naps if they can make him (though I think that'll be tough).

Of course, we're only in day 2 over in VA. We'll see.

We're in MCPS where the K class my daughter is in allows an afternoon snack and they have learning centers. I guess it depends on the school and the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Son started K in MCPS last week. No pre-K experience. He has stayed at home since birth. He is 5. He turns 6 next year May 2010. So far no issues. He really enjoys going to school (perhaps since he can now join his older brother who is in Grade 3). He just started reading a couple months ago (simple words and picture books). He has already mastered double digit addition and subtraction with carrying as well as multiplication tables. He has already fullfilled the academic objectives for the Kindergarten year but since this is his first foray into formal schools we are content to supplement any needs at home. I must admit the second child is much easier than the first vis-a-vis anxiety. They both started the public school system at about the same chronological age.

[Anonymous]

This is not a case of redshirting. Your son just happens to be one of the oldest in the class.

[Anonymous]

You played by the County rules. No red shirt here. Agree with above, you child is one of the oldest in the class based on the 12-month spread.

[Anonymous]

OP, thanks for the report.

Given how frequently redshirting discussions discuss August and September birthdays, the OP's son seems like a valid data point for the discussion as a whole.

All of Arlington has full-day K. Our school does snack, but I don't know about others. I assume they do, because Arlington is accommodating like that.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for posting, OP, this is really good information.

[Anonymous]

It is good date.

OP's son has one of the OLDEST kids in the kindergarten class; and it is going really well for him. It's not too hard for him, being one of the OLDEST.

It is good to be an OLDER boy in kindergarten.

My child was one of the oldest boys in kindergarten 2 years ago, and he had a fairly easy time of it.

The boys who were on the youngest side -- the August birthday boys -- had the harder time of it.

[Anonymous]

PP: he happens to be older and this happens to be a good thing for him. But still, this is not a case of redshirting. He is just older by virtue of the natural cutoff dates. He is not older due to any actions taken on the part of the school and or parents themselves.

[Anonymous]

Right, but that's arbitrary at the margins.

In other counties, OPs son would be in first grade now. My son, if he were in the same class with OPs son, would be 11 mo younger. I thought seriously about redshirting, but my pre-K teacher said he's ready, he was ready months ago.

It's kind of a big thing if you're at cusp.

[Anonymous]

I say, parents should mind their own business about other parent's decisions for their children! For God's sake, is it really killing your child to have a classmate who is (gasp!) a full year older? If anything, I think it benefits the younger child who can perhaps follow the leadership example of the older child, and the older child can gain leadership skills. And for those who are not familiar with child development, age is the last factor one should consider when selecting an appropriate school program, environment, grade for their child. Social-emotional development should be a huge factor.

The PP who lives in Virginia hit it on the head. MoCo over here, is ridiculous. In most kindergartens, it's a full day, filled with writing, sitting at desks, hiking to and from point a to b in a large building (cafeteria, PE, art, recess, etc) No wonder parents feel their 5 year old is not quite ready.

So, parents who are starting this 'redshirting' debate, hush up. You don't know my kid, I don't know yours. Don't judge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is good date.

OP's son has one of the OLDEST kids in the kindergarten class; and it is going really well for him. It's not too hard for him, being one of the OLDEST.

It is good to be an OLDER boy in kindergarten.

My child was one of the oldest boys in kindergarten 2 years ago, and he had a fairly easy time of it.

The boys who were on the youngest side -- the August birthday boys -- had the harder time of it.

I guess one of the points is that if everyone wants to be one of the "oldest" then it starts to screw up the system. In my son's kindergarten last year the youngest boy had an April birthday (and the youngest girl wasn't far behind).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Son started K in MCPS last week. No pre-K experience. He has stayed at home since birth. He is 5. He turns 6 next year May 2010. So far no issues. He really enjoys going to school (perhaps since he can now join his older brother who is in Grade 3). He just started reading a couple months ago (simple words and picture books). He has already mastered double digit addition and subtraction with carrying as well as multiplication tables. He has already fullfilled the academic objectives for the Kindergarten year but since this is his first foray into formal schools we are content to supplement any needs at home. I must admit the second child is much easier than the first vis-a-vis anxiety. They both started the public school system at about the same chronological age.

i think he's a genius. but maybe not in MoCo...

[Anonymous]

OP here. Yes, I realize my son's situation isn't exactly redshirting --- and that's why I clarified the title by saying "redshirting (sort of)." FWIW, had my son been born a couple weeks earlier, this would have met the very high redshirting standards employed by the sticklers for exact language in this thread

I merely posted this as just one small example from a BTDT mom who agonized over when her September baby should start K. That's all.

Also FWIW, my kid loves K in MCPS and according to him all they do is "play all day" (which I'm sure isn't the case, but he seems to think so nonetheless --- which is great). They do have learning centers and seem to be working on normal K stuff --- so perhaps the strenous MCPS curriculum is merely an urban legend (or maybe they're just easing the kids into things).

And FWIW, the younger boys were the ones crying and holding onto their parents at drop-off and from what I've heard from some friends with kindergarteners on the younger side they seem to be the ones who come home exhausted and cranky. Of course, such sweeping generalizations need not apply to your child --- just take the comment as my two cents.