"redshirting" - holding kids back a year just to gain an advantage

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

Are you a private school parent in DC?

Because many/most kids with summer birthdays are pretty much forced to redshirt for DC privates.

I am, and in our experience it is very dependent on the school.

Which DC privates don't redshirt summer kids?

I think it’s up to the parents not the schools. However, many of these schools have group “play dates” and observe the kids and obviously the older children are going to stand out more especially at three years old, so yes, maybe indirectly the schools are pushing this practice. (how was a child that is 3 1/2 going to compete with a 4 1/2 year-old at a play date)

No, schools are directly telling parents that they will offer admission for summer kids iff they are redshirted. Parents can decide to send their kids there or not, but they are being forced to redshirt their kids if they want them to attend.

Then why do the schools have a Sept. 1 cut off? They should just make it June 1, or April 1 or whatever they decide, but then be done with it. Don't make parents of summer kids have to figure it out. They don't know, they don't see classes full of kids and know what is "normal" and schools can't tell from a single playdate, either.

My mother told me when she growing up Philadelphia the elementary schools had 2 start dates: September and January. Made sense.

[Anonymous]

FFS there is no advantage. I was forced by school to hold mine back for maturity and delays. If you want advantages plan to strike it rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

Are you a private school parent in DC?

Because many/most kids with summer birthdays are pretty much forced to redshirt for DC privates.

I am, and in our experience it is very dependent on the school.

Which DC privates don't redshirt summer kids?

I think it’s up to the parents not the schools. However, many of these schools have group “play dates” and observe the kids and obviously the older children are going to stand out more especially at three years old, so yes, maybe indirectly the schools are pushing this practice. (how was a child that is 3 1/2 going to compete with a 4 1/2 year-old at a play date)

No, schools are directly telling parents that they will offer admission for summer kids iff they are redshirted. Parents can decide to send their kids there or not, but they are being forced to redshirt their kids if they want them to attend.

Then why do the schools have a Sept. 1 cut off? They should just make it June 1, or April 1 or whatever they decide, but then be done with it. Don't make parents of summer kids have to figure it out. They don't know, they don't see classes full of kids and know what is "normal" and schools can't tell from a single playdate, either.

My mother told me when she growing up Philadelphia the elementary schools had 2 start dates: September and January. Made sense.

Makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

Same kids end up incessantly complaining about the immaturity of their classmates.

How can that be? The parents of the 4 year old kindergarteners swear up and down they are the brightest and most mature in the class.

Nope, nice try though. We're talking about on time kids. Who yes might be bright and mature kindergarteners, since kindergarteners are supposed to start at 5.

Well, they start all turning 6 on October 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Careful, you just entered a DCUM war zone. Prepare for the wave of parents who say they are doing what's best for their kids, completely ignoring that redshirting inevitably puts younger kids at a disadvantage. Holding your kid back, no matter how "shy" or "immature" he or she is, will always, always skew a class demographic.

I wish private schools would set a cut off and stick with it, but that would piss off too many monied families who don't want their kid to be on the younger side. Make April or May cut offs, I don't care, but let it be a real thing and stop creating grades that span 18+ months.

Are you a private school parent in DC?

Because many/most kids with summer birthdays are pretty much forced to redshirt for DC privates.

I am, and in our experience it is very dependent on the school.

Which DC privates don't redshirt summer kids?

I think it’s up to the parents not the schools. However, many of these schools have group “play dates” and observe the kids and obviously the older children are going to stand out more especially at three years old, so yes, maybe indirectly the schools are pushing this practice. (how was a child that is 3 1/2 going to compete with a 4 1/2 year-old at a play date)

No, schools are directly telling parents that they will offer admission for summer kids iff they are redshirted. Parents can decide to send their kids there or not, but they are being forced to redshirt their kids if they want them to attend.

Then why do the schools have a Sept. 1 cut off? They should just make it June 1, or April 1 or whatever they decide, but then be done with it. Don't make parents of summer kids have to figure it out. They don't know, they don't see classes full of kids and know what is "normal" and schools can't tell from a single playdate, either.

Do private schools have cut-off dates listed somewhere? I never saw that back when we were submitting apps for our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FFS there is no advantage. I was forced by school to hold mine back for maturity and delays. If you want advantages plan to strike it rich.

You were not forced, you choose to in order to go to a specific school. However, maybe the issue was a bad school fit.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is a July birthday in a NYC private and everyone is older. I think redshirting is ridiculous in so many respects and unfair.

They do just fine in public which lacks the redshirting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is a July birthday in a NYC private and everyone is older. I think redshirting is ridiculous in so many respects and unfair.

They do just fine in public which lacks the redshirting.

Why do you pay to send your child to a school you think operates unfairly? That makes literally no sense, especially because you think everyone does fine in public.

[Anonymous]

I have to wonder about schools who cannot teach age appropriate kids age appropriate skills and need them older so it’s easier on them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to wonder about schools who cannot teach age appropriate kids age appropriate skills and need them older so it’s easier on them.

So don’t pay to go to one of them. 🤷‍♀️

[Anonymous]

I don’t get this. Our daughter’s birthday is in September. The school we had applied to last year suggested she needs to be redshirted. And I am against it. Now I see that some parents go out of their ways to do this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is a July birthday in a NYC private and everyone is older. I think redshirting is ridiculous in so many respects and unfair.

They do just fine in public which lacks the redshirting.

Why do you pay to send your child to a school you think operates unfairly? That makes literally no sense, especially because you think everyone does fine in public.

Reading comprehension is not your strong suit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is a July birthday in a NYC private and everyone is older. I think redshirting is ridiculous in so many respects and unfair.

They do just fine in public which lacks the redshirting.

Why do you pay to send your child to a school you think operates unfairly? That makes literally no sense, especially because you think everyone does fine in public.

Reading comprehension is not your strong suit.

Okay, so why do you pay for a private school you think is so unfair? Why can’t you answer the question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get this. Our daughter’s birthday is in September. The school we had applied to last year suggested she needs to be redshirted. And I am against it. Now I see that some parents go out of their ways to do this

A few privates we looked at wanted me to hold my September kid back and couldn't give me any good reason given they had all top grade and test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get this. Our daughter’s birthday is in September. The school we had applied to last year suggested she needs to be redshirted. And I am against it. Now I see that some parents go out of their ways to do this

A few privates we looked at wanted me to hold my September kid back and couldn't give me any good reason given they had all top grade and test scores.

Okay, I assume you didn’t go then, correct?