Should we redshirt for Kindergarten?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Np here. It depends on how the child develops but if they are not on a healthy trajectory with appropriate interventions...there can be vast differences in academics and maturity--negative and positive--in high school. Abstract thinking may not kick in until later meaning he will be behind and not do well in Algebra....and we have data that shows the higher level of math you take, the less likely you are to drip out of collegr. But hey, this is not my kid so I don't have to deal with it. But I may have to deal with an immature college freshman in my office having a meltdown because they can't handle the demands of college. Then I get annoyed.

DH went to college at 17. It worked out for him because it was a highly structured environment with far more support that most institutions. However, he still thinks he was too young.

And on the other side of things, I went to college a few months after turning 17 and I did fine- not too young at all.

[Anonymous]

NP here. I went to college at 17 and did just fine. I actually never gave any of this much thought at all until everyone asks me if I will redshirt my summer birthday child (I won't!). The only noticeable difference was I couldn't go to the bars as early and I got my drivers license a little later. Otherwise, I barely noticed I was younger in high school and it was a complete non-issue in college. If you are struggling that much by college age you have other issues, the difference between 17 and 18 is nothing.

[Anonymous]

My birthday is in June so I graduated when I was 17. My daughter's is at the end of July, so she'll also graduate when she's 17. Neither of us had any problems in school, and both of us were at the top of our class every year. I see no reason to redshirt unless your child is truly not ready to go. Make your own decisions because you know your child better than anyone else does.

[Anonymous]

Wait? His preschool teachers are worried about him being an average of a few months younger than his classmates? That's absurd. And considering that there's almost a month between his birthday and the cutoff on top of the fact there will probably be fall kids who test in early, I doubt he'll even be the youngest. Hell, I went to school with a boy who had skipped two grades. He started high school when he was 12 and graduated when he was barely 16, and your son's preschool are worried about him being almost 18 when he graduates. This boy excelled academically but he was very socially awkward. Both him and his parents think that it was a mistake to skip him two grades and I agree. I can understand parents who don't want their child to be two years younger than classmates, even if that's where they belong academically, but I can't understand parents who are so freaked about their child being an average of a few months younger than their classmates. Fretting over a few months' difference is absurd and ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I have a son with a late September birthday who started on time with a September 30 cutoff. He had absolutely no problems academically or socially. He had some behavioral issues in K-2 (inability to sit still, not completing in-class assignments), but that was because he had untreated ADHD, not because he was a little younger. If he had started school later, he would have had those some issues until the ADHD was addressed. He's doing well in HS although doesn't have the best study habits or motivation - seems happy with an A- in everything which I can't really complain about. Again, this is not because of his age but because of who he is. Holding your child back will not turn him into the perfect student.

So far the biggest problem is that he likely won't be able to get a retail job this summer because he won't be 16 until after school starts up again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can always elect to repeat kindergarten or first grade. Be willing to reasses during the year. My daughter - October birthday - was okay in kindergarten but in spending time helping in the classroom it was clear to us that she was almost always following the lead of the older girls. We and her teacher kept an eye out and decided to repeat K. After we made that decision we learned that four other families had decided to do the same thing with their daughters. Another friend decided to stay and repeat first grade.

Everyone with older kids knows kids who did fine or okay being younger, and kids who clearly suffered. It is very kid specific. I encourage everyone to keep reevaluating their decisions. Our very good friends considered moving their early starting son to private school and repeating sixth grade. Their kid has things together now but he is 23. Middle school and high school were real struggles as he was just less mature than his peers all the way through and that is never fun.

Could the girls have done as well if they had not been held back? Possibly, but sports became a big thing for all of them. So, it would likely have been a very different experience.





The extra year for the girls gave them more maturity and confidence.

It is not accurate that you can elect to repeat K or 1st. The only way to do that at our MCPS is if the teacher/school wants you to, which is very, very rare. Parents can't just say "I think DC would do better to repeat."

Actually that's exactly what the parents can do. You have a conference with the teacher and then again with the teacher and VP or P and there is paperwork to be done, but parents can call this. I did it for my Sept birthday son so that he repeated 1st grade. He is now finishing 4th grade and it was the best choice for him.

Yep - I know two families who have been able to hold their kid back a year in MCPS - because the parent thought it was the best thing. The school apparently agreed.

[Anonymous]

This decision is so individual that you can't base your decision on all the anecdotes in this thread. OP - you know your son better than anyone - you know what's best for him. Proceed accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This decision is so individual that you can't base your decision on all the anecdotes in this thread. OP - you know your son better than anyone - you know what's best for him. Proceed accordingly.

Amen! However, she did ask for advice and opinions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This decision is so individual that you can't base your decision on all the anecdotes in this thread. OP - you know your son better than anyone - you know what's best for him. Proceed accordingly.

Amen! However, she did ask for advice and opinions.

true...

[Anonymous]

My son's birthday is at the end of August. We're sending him to K on time...he'll actually be 4 when he starts K. At the beginning of PK, he was by far the youngest kid in the class, mature-wise and academically. We started to consider having him repeat PK. But since February, he's been on fire. Developing, learning, making friends, playing, talking up a storm...so we're sending him to K and his teacher agrees with us. If you feel he's ready then send him on time.

FWIW, my H has a late December birthday and his school district had a calendar year cut-off date. He didn't turn 18 until after his first semester of college. And he's a smart, successful, amazing person (though I may be bias).

[Anonymous]

My current kindergartner turned 5 in Sept. of this school year--she's been one of the youngest since PK3, but it's been fine.

I turned 5 in October during kindergarten. Throughout my school and through college, I found that academics came easily to me. If my parents had held me back, I can't imagine how bored I would've been. Not saying I was a perfect student, but I wouldn't attribute any difficulties to being young.

There's another recent thread--I think in the private school forum--that also discusses this question. I mentioned there, as did other commenters, that more recent research doesn't really support redshirting. There are immediate physical and academic benefits, but those tend to wash out over time.

If faced with a choice, I'd rather my kindergartner have to work hard to keep up with older peers, than coast with younger peers.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the school as well. Some schools it's more popular to send on time or hold back.

[Anonymous]

If faced with a choice, I'd rather my kindergartner have to work hard to keep up with older peers, than coast with younger peers.

There are other considerations besides academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If faced with a choice, I'd rather my kindergartner have to work hard to keep up with older peers, than coast with younger peers.

There are other considerations besides academics.

Working hard to keep up with older peers can apply to other considerations besides academics.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think you nailed it when you said you wanted him to fit in. In school, there's nothing more important than blending in with your classmates. You don't want to do something to your child will cause them stand out, and since the vast majority of summer kids are 5 their entire Kindergarten year and 17 their entire senior year of high school, being 6 your entire Kindergarten year and 18 your entire senior year of high school is a recipe for awkwardness. There's nothing more important than making sure your child is in the majority, and the vast majority of students go on time.