Based on my experience with my sister, I would do everything in my power to have them in different grades. I was the older child, my sister has confidence issues to this day.

Separate them, do not compare them and cherish their individuality.

Anonymous wrote:Just send them at the same time, unless dd is behind and needs an extra year. It’s not a big deal.

Thus, ask for separate classes.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, if you think he could handle it, I’d look into the cutoff for kindergarten and see if the district has an exception. Otherwise, both your kids will be on the older side for their grade. If you could do that, then brother would be in Kinder this year and sis could do PK4.

This. September 30th is the cutoff for DC and Fairfax. While you can redshirt in Fairfax, if your son needs it, you can no longer do so in DC.

Anonymous wrote:So much politics to this. Ignore it all.

I’ve never had Irish twins in the same grade. I was friends with Irish twins in different grades, both girls, and there was so much competition. I would try hard to establish separate identities and maybe separate schools. I would pick the grade that is right for each kid.

This may have to be in private. School politics may be too ferocious to do what’s right for an individual kid in public.

So much politics to this. Ignore it all.

I’ve never had Irish twins in the same grade. I was friends with Irish twins in different grades, both girls, and there was so much competition. I would try hard to establish separate identities and maybe separate schools. I would pick the grade that is right for each kid.

As someone with 14 years experience in academia, I can tell you your child WOULD NOT be the first with a September birthday. In all likelihood, he wouldn’t be the only one with a September birthday who starts slightly early (4 years, 11 months).

You ultimately have to make the decision that is in the best interest of your kids. If your son is not ready for K5, then there is nothing wrong with having him start K4 this year. If your daughter is ready for K4 this year, then start her out.

I can tell you that the rules for K4 and/or PK4 are more strict. Oftentimes, a child who is 5 will not be allowed in the K4 class (as this is not required by law), so I think you’d just be delaying your concern by a year (I can promise you, when the school sees your child will be 5, they are going to enroll them in K5. If you ask for K4, they are going to want evidence of some sort of learning delay or disability that would make it allowable for them to get money).

I’m not here to argue with others, just giving you the information from someone who has experience dealing with these financial decisions in education and the laws are fairly strict for some of the funding.

Where do you live and when is your school cutoff?

I would absolutely give them a year apart if at all possible. I’ve sent 3 kids to school in Maryland and my youngest, who has an early September birthday, is never the oldest in his class. There are a bunch of kids with July/august birthdays and then a handful between may and June. So in reality, sending your DD now would put her in a class with kids more than a year older than she is. While she might be able to keep up academically, I’ve seen the rails come off socially as girls hit middle school. (Boys too, but they struggle more with sports.)

Don’t punish his sister for existing.

Making her wait a year if she’s ready to go to kindergarten is bad parenting. Simply request that the children are placed in different classes. They’re less than a year apart. It’ll be hard for your daughter to always be the oldest especially if she’s also taller than all the other kids. There will be kids with summer birthdays who are a full year younger than her.

Put them in the grade you would if they were singletons.

Don’t send a four year old boy to kindergarten. His sister shouldn’t be part of this decision you need to consider what’s best for each kid on their own. They’ll be in different classes.

Don’t put them in the same grade if you can avoid it.

Just send them at the same time, unless dd is behind and needs an extra year. It’s not a big deal.

Honestly, if you think he could handle it, I’d look into the cutoff for kindergarten and see if the district has an exception. Otherwise, both your kids will be on the older side for their grade. If you could do that, then brother would be in Kinder this year and sis could do PK4.

Do not put them in the same grade. It’ll be competitive forever because girls mature faster and might pass up your son, even though he’s older.

Start your son in K at age 5 about to turn 6 (right?) and the daughter the next year.

I have "Irish twins" - boy born early September of 2020 and girl born July 2021. We could have them be in the same grade or have DS start K4 this year and then DD start next year so there would be a year in between but she would be a little older for her grade. DS is signed up to go but we can't decide what to do with DD. What's it like having two kids in the same grade but they are not twins?