And my 9/25 kid started on time and is thriving. No kids in her class were held back and she is one of a handful with September birthdays. I think redshirting is more about a specific DC demographic than "this area."

I have a 9/25 kid and just kinda assumed she would go "on time." I got LOTS of push back and it was basically assumed I would send her "late". When "late" becomes the norm you kinda have to go with the social flow of the school. I didn't realize how "young" she would of been if I sent her on time. Out of 27 kids, 10 of them would of been at least a year older then her! I moved from a location where people sent their kids on time but here they don't making it almost a disadvantage if you do. Its counter intuitive but just the way it is in this area.

Anonymous wrote:Don't don't do this to your kid. I know kids with July birthdays who will not start on time. So, your daughter would be the youngest by 15 months.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Just wait. I know it's hard to contemplate paying another damn year of daycare, but when I look back I see it wasn't as big a deal as I thought. It was better that way because we ended up moving DD to an immersion school for K, and she was better able to cope with the transition because she was old in the class.

I was also old in my class as a child and it's never been a bad thing. Especially as a physically small girl, and especially in the teen years where confidence and assertiveness are so important.

10/6 here. And so glad. A number of August/Sept parent requested their kid be held back for a second PK4 and were told no. Wait - it's harder on the pocket book but better for the kid.

My son missed the deadline by 13 days and we sent him on time and all is well. Surprisingly he is in the middle of pack age wise because so many kids are redshirted. I wouldn't worry about it.

I know someone who was told to lie on myschooldc and say her kid was born in Sept and then when you get into PS3, appeal to school principal for an exception. And suck up to school in advance so you'll get that exception. That said, this family is sill on the wait list so I don't yet know if their plan will work- but they say the school told them it will work. Seems a bit unfair for their school in particular since their is a long WL of inbounds kids.

My kid was also early Oct and we just waited it out.

Not for any school in the common lottery. I don't think any outside have it either.

Come on folks--just send your kid in his/her cohort. Stop trying to hold back or push forward. A cohort will always have children at varying stages of development. Some will be further along academically while less developed socially. Some will be further along with their physical development and others will be behind. In the end, it all evens out. But trying to game the system with red shirting and early entrance disrupts the cohort.

--mom of an AUgust boy and a November girl who sent on time. Both are doing great in all areas.

No flexibility. I researched this exhaustively for my own 10/2 DD and the answer was unequivocally no. Looking back, I think it was fine to have her as an older kid in the room-- teachers have been able to differentiate, and it has allowed her to handle violin and a sport as well as academics. I like that when she is a teenager she will be a little older and able to hold her own socially.

You might want to look at Montessori or schools that have mixed PK3-PK4 classrooms. We did a mixed PK3-PK4 and it worked out for us.

Don't don't do this to your kid. I know kids with July birthdays who will not start on time. So, your daughter would be the youngest by 15 months.

No. A cut-off is a cut-off.

Anonymous wrote:I know the age cut off is September 30 but DD was born October 1. Is there any way we can get an exception since she was born a mere 24 hours past the cut-off? What are our options for pre-k? Would she start pre-k3 when she's 4?

No. There is no flexibility on the age cut off for PK3 and PK4. She would start PK3 in August/September when she's 3 and would then celebrate her 4th birthday. She will not be the only child doing this. So your options are the same as someone whose child was born on December 1: enter her into the lottery when she is 3, knowing that she will turn 4 shortly after school starts.

Anonymous wrote:I know the age cut off is September 30 but DD was born October 1. Is there any way we can get an exception since she was born a mere 24 hours past the cut-off? What are our options for pre-k? Would she start pre-k3 when she's 4?

No clue about exceptions. But under the normal rule would start pk3 when she is 3 and 11 months (late August) and turn 4 about 5-6 weeks into the school year.

As the parent of kids that are youngest in their classes (Aug/Sept bdays) and now in middle school, I wish mine could have been the oldest. Guess grass is always greener.

I know the age cut off is September 30 but DD was born October 1. Is there any way we can get an exception since she was born a mere 24 hours past the cut-off? What are our options for pre-k? Would she start pre-k3 when she's 4?