Redshirting a March birthday boy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. So many bad takes here. OP, this is a private school. They can do what they want. If you want to attend the school, you can either accept this or go to another school. You can argue with the school if you want, maybe it will work, maybe it won’t. The school is certainly under no obligation to admit your child in the grade you want, versus what the admissions team wants. They’ll just go to the next person on the list if you seem difficult.

OP already has another child at currently enrolled there, they aren’t new to the private school world or this school specifically.

I know. That still does not mean the school is under any obligation to admit the sibling in the grade that OP prefers. If the school has a wait list — and many do — the school is not going to spend a lot of time worrying about the decision. OP is of course free to ask for reconsideration politely, but the school has no obligation to admit according to what OP wants. All the hyperventilating in this thread is useless.

Thank you. OP here. What I was hoping to get from this thread was the opinion of parents of older children. There aren’t many March redshirted kids at our school and I worry that my son will feel “less then” or perhaps other kids will make fun of him. He is also tall for his age and quite athletic (for an almost 5 year old).

I appreciate some some of the apps that mentioned that in middle school this becomes a non issue, but I am afraid of my son being embarrassed of turning 7 in K with some of his friends still being 5 and much smaller than him.

We are not very tall people (though my husband’s family has very tall people) so it’s likely his growth will slow down (it happened with my older kids).

He may be embarrassed in K about being older, and then at a huge advantage in middle in high school. From the perspective of a high school son this seems like a no brainer to me, the red shirted boys have a leg up.

I actually think it gets more embarrassing as the kids age. I didn’t have a clue how old kids were until middle school when someone turned 13 in 6th grade and my DD turned 11 in August.

I agree. There was a kid who turned 15 in 8th grade when most kids were 13 and it was embarrassing for him bc people assumed he had failed a grade or something…it indicates that you’re not that smart if you’re that much older than others in your grade who are doing the same level school work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. So many bad takes here. OP, this is a private school. They can do what they want. If you want to attend the school, you can either accept this or go to another school. You can argue with the school if you want, maybe it will work, maybe it won’t. The school is certainly under no obligation to admit your child in the grade you want, versus what the admissions team wants. They’ll just go to the next person on the list if you seem difficult.

OP already has another child at currently enrolled there, they aren’t new to the private school world or this school specifically.

I know. That still does not mean the school is under any obligation to admit the sibling in the grade that OP prefers. If the school has a wait list — and many do — the school is not going to spend a lot of time worrying about the decision. OP is of course free to ask for reconsideration politely, but the school has no obligation to admit according to what OP wants. All the hyperventilating in this thread is useless.

Thank you. OP here. What I was hoping to get from this thread was the opinion of parents of older children. There aren’t many March redshirted kids at our school and I worry that my son will feel “less then” or perhaps other kids will make fun of him. He is also tall for his age and quite athletic (for an almost 5 year old).

I appreciate some some of the apps that mentioned that in middle school this becomes a non issue, but I am afraid of my son being embarrassed of turning 7 in K with some of his friends still being 5 and much smaller than him.

We are not very tall people (though my husband’s family has very tall people) so it’s likely his growth will slow down (it happened with my older kids).

That is because it’s not a thing. It’s really weird.

[Anonymous]

Hi, private school parent here who redshirted a summer birthday. One of his friends is a redshirted spring birthday. No one cares. One thing about starting in PK or K is that the kids all know each other. Social groups are well established before that stuff is on their radar. It’s a non-issue.

And I can’t help but laugh at everyone who says that they’re trying to bill you for extra money. They are not. We were recommended for an extra year when we were on a ton of financial aid. They definitely lost money on us. Believe me, as another poster said, they filled their classes just fine. They don’t have to try and squeeze an extra year’s tuition out of anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, just do public. Apply again later.

+1. This. What if you redshirt him and then they counsel him out by 4th or 5th? Why is the school advising this? Surely they will be able to provide you with some insights and surely you have an idea. This is not a usual request. Also, did you apply for pre-k last year and get rejected?

At the elite all boys school near where I live redshirting in early years is common but I have only seen it go as far as late April birthdays. Usually it’s because the boys are small and either not academically or developmentally ready. For example, a late April kid was redshirted because he was small and needed a 3 hour nap every day at age 4 and going to school until 3 pm in PreK - the first entry year - wouldn’t allow for a 3 hour nap. These are not great reasons to me but they are reasons.

My daughter has a late April bday and she got into an elite private. She’s the second youngest in the grade though. But she’s in prek this year. That will probably change next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, private school parent here who redshirted a summer birthday. One of his friends is a redshirted spring birthday. No one cares. One thing about starting in PK or K is that the kids all know each other. Social groups are well established before that stuff is on their radar. It’s a non-issue.

And I can’t help but laugh at everyone who says that they’re trying to bill you for extra money. They are not. We were recommended for an extra year when we were on a ton of financial aid. They definitely lost money on us. Believe me, as another poster said, they filled their classes just fine. They don’t have to try and squeeze an extra year’s tuition out of anyone.

Your child must be young. The kids definitely talk about it by 3rd/4th grade and I’m sure your child will be asked why he was “held back” and it will be implied he’s stupid. This always happens. How naive to think that because kids went to the same preschool and their moms volunteered together on the PTA that they will not be aware of Larlo being 1.5 or 1 year older than the vast majority of the class. Ask me how I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, just do public. Apply again later.

+1. This. What if you redshirt him and then they counsel him out by 4th or 5th? Why is the school advising this? Surely they will be able to provide you with some insights and surely you have an idea. This is not a usual request. Also, did you apply for pre-k last year and get rejected?

At the elite all boys school near where I live redshirting in early years is common but I have only seen it go as far as late April birthdays. Usually it’s because the boys are small and either not academically or developmentally ready. For example, a late April kid was redshirted because he was small and needed a 3 hour nap every day at age 4 and going to school until 3 pm in PreK - the first entry year - wouldn’t allow for a 3 hour nap. These are not great reasons to me but they are reasons.

My daughter has a late April bday and she got into an elite private. She’s the second youngest in the grade though. But she’s in prek this year. That will probably change next year.

4 year olds should not be napping 3 hours a day. They need to go to bed earlier and given time to adjust to no naps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Redshirting is a huge advantage for boys both socially and with sports in middle and high school. Other parents will be mad because your son is bigger and more developed than theirs, but I would gladly do this for a March birthday boy.

You’re stupid. Plain and simple.

Wow, thanks. Sophisticated argument there. There is tons of data about how the oldest boys allowed on a team are likely to develop sooner and outperform, getting more playing time and reinforcing the advantage. If your son isn't athletic I don't see much of an advantage to red shirting, beyond the social skills and maturity. It is widely understood to be an advantage for athletes though.

They aren't developing sooner. They are developing before the kids in the same grade as they are a year or two older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Redshirting is a huge advantage for boys both socially and with sports in middle and high school. Other parents will be mad because your son is bigger and more developed than theirs, but I would gladly do this for a March birthday boy.

You’re stupid. Plain and simple.

Wow, thanks. Sophisticated argument there. There is tons of data about how the oldest boys allowed on a team are likely to develop sooner and outperform, getting more playing time and reinforcing the advantage. If your son isn't athletic I don't see much of an advantage to red shirting, beyond the social skills and maturity. It is widely understood to be an advantage for athletes though.

They aren't developing sooner. They are developing before the kids in the same grade as they are a year or two older.

No one is 2 years older than kids in the same grade. If March bday kid is redshirted (which would be the earliest bday I’ve ever heard of redshirting), they’d be AT MOST 1.5 years older than a few other kids in their grade (if you live somewhere w a September cut off…some privates have august or even July cut offs in which case the March bday kid could possibly be 16-17 months older than the youngest kids in the grade). There are not kids who are actually 24 months older than other kids in the same grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Redshirting is a huge advantage for boys both socially and with sports in middle and high school. Other parents will be mad because your son is bigger and more developed than theirs, but I would gladly do this for a March birthday boy.

You’re stupid. Plain and simple.

Wow, thanks. Sophisticated argument there. There is tons of data about how the oldest boys allowed on a team are likely to develop sooner and outperform, getting more playing time and reinforcing the advantage. If your son isn't athletic I don't see much of an advantage to red shirting, beyond the social skills and maturity. It is widely understood to be an advantage for athletes though.

They aren't developing sooner. They are developing before the kids in the same grade as they are a year or two older.

There's a wide range of birthdays it's not like everyone has a spring birthday. Fall birthdays are common meaning redshirted kids are only a few months older than a lot of kids. You are overstating the age gap and how many kids are at the tail ends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Redshirting is a huge advantage for boys both socially and with sports in middle and high school. Other parents will be mad because your son is bigger and more developed than theirs, but I would gladly do this for a March birthday boy.

You’re stupid. Plain and simple.

Wow, thanks. Sophisticated argument there. There is tons of data about how the oldest boys allowed on a team are likely to develop sooner and outperform, getting more playing time and reinforcing the advantage. If your son isn't athletic I don't see much of an advantage to red shirting, beyond the social skills and maturity. It is widely understood to be an advantage for athletes though.

They aren't developing sooner. They are developing before the kids in the same grade as they are a year or two older.

No one is 2 years older than kids in the same grade. If March bday kid is redshirted (which would be the earliest bday I’ve ever heard of redshirting), they’d be AT MOST 1.5 years older than a few other kids in their grade (if you live somewhere w a September cut off…some privates have august or even July cut offs in which case the March bday kid could possibly be 16-17 months older than the youngest kids in the grade). There are not kids who are actually 24 months older than other kids in the same grade.

Maybe not 2 years, but more than 18 months definitely possible. Unusual and I was surprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Redshirting is a huge advantage for boys both socially and with sports in middle and high school. Other parents will be mad because your son is bigger and more developed than theirs, but I would gladly do this for a March birthday boy.

You’re stupid. Plain and simple.

Wow, thanks. Sophisticated argument there. There is tons of data about how the oldest boys allowed on a team are likely to develop sooner and outperform, getting more playing time and reinforcing the advantage. If your son isn't athletic I don't see much of an advantage to red shirting, beyond the social skills and maturity. It is widely understood to be an advantage for athletes though.

They aren't developing sooner. They are developing before the kids in the same grade as they are a year or two older.

No one is 2 years older than kids in the same grade. If March bday kid is redshirted (which would be the earliest bday I’ve ever heard of redshirting), they’d be AT MOST 1.5 years older than a few other kids in their grade (if you live somewhere w a September cut off…some privates have august or even July cut offs in which case the March bday kid could possibly be 16-17 months older than the youngest kids in the grade). There are not kids who are actually 24 months older than other kids in the same grade.

Maybe not 2 years, but more than 18 months definitely possible. Unusual and I was surprised.

Yeah I don’t believe that you know any kids more than 18 months apart in the same grade. That is not believable and you are exaggerating (unless you’re talking about a kid w special needs)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Redshirting is a huge advantage for boys both socially and with sports in middle and high school. Other parents will be mad because your son is bigger and more developed than theirs, but I would gladly do this for a March birthday boy.

You’re stupid. Plain and simple.

Wow, thanks. Sophisticated argument there. There is tons of data about how the oldest boys allowed on a team are likely to develop sooner and outperform, getting more playing time and reinforcing the advantage. If your son isn't athletic I don't see much of an advantage to red shirting, beyond the social skills and maturity. It is widely understood to be an advantage for athletes though.

They aren't developing sooner. They are developing before the kids in the same grade as they are a year or two older.

No one is 2 years older than kids in the same grade. If March bday kid is redshirted (which would be the earliest bday I’ve ever heard of redshirting), they’d be AT MOST 1.5 years older than a few other kids in their grade (if you live somewhere w a September cut off…some privates have august or even July cut offs in which case the March bday kid could possibly be 16-17 months older than the youngest kids in the grade). There are not kids who are actually 24 months older than other kids in the same grade.

Maybe not 2 years, but more than 18 months definitely possible. Unusual and I was surprised.

Yeah I don’t believe that you know any kids more than 18 months apart in the same grade. That is not believable and you are exaggerating (unless you’re talking about a kid w special needs)

Nope, and not kids with special needs. You can choose not to believe me, but that doesn’t change facts. Sorry you don’t understand that you don’t know everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Redshirting is a huge advantage for boys both socially and with sports in middle and high school. Other parents will be mad because your son is bigger and more developed than theirs, but I would gladly do this for a March birthday boy.

You’re stupid. Plain and simple.

Wow, thanks. Sophisticated argument there. There is tons of data about how the oldest boys allowed on a team are likely to develop sooner and outperform, getting more playing time and reinforcing the advantage. If your son isn't athletic I don't see much of an advantage to red shirting, beyond the social skills and maturity. It is widely understood to be an advantage for athletes though.

They aren't developing sooner. They are developing before the kids in the same grade as they are a year or two older.

No one is 2 years older than kids in the same grade. If March bday kid is redshirted (which would be the earliest bday I’ve ever heard of redshirting), they’d be AT MOST 1.5 years older than a few other kids in their grade (if you live somewhere w a September cut off…some privates have august or even July cut offs in which case the March bday kid could possibly be 16-17 months older than the youngest kids in the grade). There are not kids who are actually 24 months older than other kids in the same grade.

Maybe not 2 years, but more than 18 months definitely possible. Unusual and I was surprised.

Yeah I don’t believe that you know any kids more than 18 months apart in the same grade. That is not believable and you are exaggerating (unless you’re talking about a kid w special needs)

Nope, and not kids with special needs. You can choose not to believe me, but that doesn’t change facts. Sorry you don’t understand that you don’t know everything.

Ok so if no special needs you’re saying you know of kids born in January-February who were redshirted? And are therefore “more than 18 months” older than the youngest kids in the grade who went on time (August-September bdays). Is that what you’re saying? Because that’s the only possible way for kids in same grade to be more than 18 months apart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Redshirting is a huge advantage for boys both socially and with sports in middle and high school. Other parents will be mad because your son is bigger and more developed than theirs, but I would gladly do this for a March birthday boy.

You’re stupid. Plain and simple.

Wow, thanks. Sophisticated argument there. There is tons of data about how the oldest boys allowed on a team are likely to develop sooner and outperform, getting more playing time and reinforcing the advantage. If your son isn't athletic I don't see much of an advantage to red shirting, beyond the social skills and maturity. It is widely understood to be an advantage for athletes though.

They aren't developing sooner. They are developing before the kids in the same grade as they are a year or two older.

No one is 2 years older than kids in the same grade. If March bday kid is redshirted (which would be the earliest bday I’ve ever heard of redshirting), they’d be AT MOST 1.5 years older than a few other kids in their grade (if you live somewhere w a September cut off…some privates have august or even July cut offs in which case the March bday kid could possibly be 16-17 months older than the youngest kids in the grade). There are not kids who are actually 24 months older than other kids in the same grade.

Maybe not 2 years, but more than 18 months definitely possible. Unusual and I was surprised.

Yeah I don’t believe that you know any kids more than 18 months apart in the same grade. That is not believable and you are exaggerating (unless you’re talking about a kid w special needs)

NP but the entire premise of this thread is a school wanting to redshirt a March birthday. Well if he is redshirted, he would be 18 months older than any August birthdays in the class. So obviously it can happen. And according to OP, her son doesn't have special needs.

It's just weird to accuse someone of making up a scenario that is literally the scenario OP is proposing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Redshirting is a huge advantage for boys both socially and with sports in middle and high school. Other parents will be mad because your son is bigger and more developed than theirs, but I would gladly do this for a March birthday boy.

You’re stupid. Plain and simple.

Wow, thanks. Sophisticated argument there. There is tons of data about how the oldest boys allowed on a team are likely to develop sooner and outperform, getting more playing time and reinforcing the advantage. If your son isn't athletic I don't see much of an advantage to red shirting, beyond the social skills and maturity. It is widely understood to be an advantage for athletes though.

They aren't developing sooner. They are developing before the kids in the same grade as they are a year or two older.

No one is 2 years older than kids in the same grade. If March bday kid is redshirted (which would be the earliest bday I’ve ever heard of redshirting), they’d be AT MOST 1.5 years older than a few other kids in their grade (if you live somewhere w a September cut off…some privates have august or even July cut offs in which case the March bday kid could possibly be 16-17 months older than the youngest kids in the grade). There are not kids who are actually 24 months older than other kids in the same grade.

Maybe not 2 years, but more than 18 months definitely possible. Unusual and I was surprised.

Yeah I don’t believe that you know any kids more than 18 months apart in the same grade. That is not believable and you are exaggerating (unless you’re talking about a kid w special needs)

NP but the entire premise of this thread is a school wanting to redshirt a March birthday. Well if he is redshirted, he would be 18 months older than any August birthdays in the class. So obviously it can happen. And according to OP, her son doesn't have special needs.

It's just weird to accuse someone of making up a scenario that is literally the scenario OP is proposing.

March (month 3) is actually not 18 months before august (month 8). Another math genius..