I hate these threads. It always deteriorates into people posting about kids with special circumstances that justify holding them back or waiting another year to start. No one is saying that is a problem at all. People object to parents holding back kids just so that they can be better at sports, older, or more mature than other kids in the class. It is the trend of doing that which bothers those of us who had no choice (financially) but to send our kids on time. No one objects to particular kids who may have valid reasons to have been redshirted.

Yes, I hate it when other people do things for reasons that I consider invalid! People need to stop doing that!

People can do what they want as long as it doesn't affect me and my family adversely, which this does. My son is in first grade and a number of his classmates turned 8 in the fall. This creates a difficult environment in his classroom, because there is bullying, the kids are bored, and there is inappropriate behavior.

I bet these kids are going to be awesome at lax.

I just went to a 7th birthday party last weekend for one of my K daughter's classmates. I have volunteered in class several times and had no idea this child was significantly older. No big deal.

Anonymous wrote:I hate these threads. It always deteriorates into people posting about kids with special circumstances that justify holding them back or waiting another year to start. No one is saying that is a problem at all. People object to parents holding back kids just so that they can be better at sports, older, or more mature than other kids in the class. It is the trend of doing that which bothers those of us who had no choice (financially) but to send our kids on time. No one objects to particular kids who may have valid reasons to have been redshirted.

Yes, I hate it when other people do things for reasons that I consider invalid! People need to stop doing that!

Anonymous wrote:I hate these threads. It always deteriorates into people posting about kids with special circumstances that justify holding them back or waiting another year to start. No one is saying that is a problem at all. People object to parents holding back kids just so that they can be better at sports, older, or more mature than other kids in the class. It is the trend of doing that which bothers those of us who had no choice (financially) but to send our kids on time. No one objects to particular kids who may have valid reasons to have been redshirted.

Well some people are judging which reasons are appropriate to hold back versus send on time. So your statement is not entirely true. However, I agree these threads never end well.

Anonymous wrote:I hate these threads. It always deteriorates into people posting about kids with special circumstances that justify holding them back or waiting another year to start. No one is saying that is a problem at all. People object to parents holding back kids just so that they can be better at sports, older, or more mature than other kids in the class. It is the trend of doing that which bothers those of us who had no choice (financially) but to send our kids on time. No one objects to particular kids who may have valid reasons to have been redshirted.

+1, it isn't about an individual child, but about looking for an advantage, going with a trend that others are doing or assuming your child is "immature" although I'm not sure exactly what that means in a 4-5-6 year old as they are not supposed to be mature and are supposed to learn those things they are lacking as being part of a group at school. Most preschools are strictly play based and do not give that guidance or academics and just leaving them on their own sets them up to fail. If your child needs social skills, put them in a class. If they are struggling with concepts, work with them at home. If you do not work with your kids to prepare them for K., you cannot complain they are behind or immature, a you didn't give them the tools they need. (not talking about low income where parents have to work huge hours, etc) K. is not that difficult. Parents, who complain, just don't want to do their share and work with their kids and expect the school to teach them everything from reading to writing to all the other basics. At 3-4, parents should spend a few minutes every few days preparing their kids. For a middle class - upper middle class family, there is no excuse baring special needs (and even in that situation not always an excuse depending on the SN), parents cannot work with their kids for a few minutes teaching the basics.

I hate these threads. It always deteriorates into people posting about kids with special circumstances that justify holding them back or waiting another year to start. No one is saying that is a problem at all. People object to parents holding back kids just so that they can be better at sports, older, or more mature than other kids in the class. It is the trend of doing that which bothers those of us who had no choice (financially) but to send our kids on time. No one objects to particular kids who may have valid reasons to have been redshirted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MYOB.

This.

Our friend's child had her perfectly normal looking, social 7 year old in kindergarten. The child spend the prior 18 months undergoing cancer treatments.

This is a different situation but why not have the school provide a tutor is she cannot go or homeschool and then she could be in 1st with kids her age.

Because cancer treatments were all that child needs to worry about?!

Seriously WTF.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MYOB.

This.

Our friend's child had her perfectly normal looking, social 7 year old in kindergarten. The child spend the prior 18 months undergoing cancer treatments.

This is a different situation but why not have the school provide a tutor is she cannot go or homeschool and then she could be in 1st with kids her age.

Because cancer treatments were all that child needs to worry about?!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son spent an extra year in preschool and has been the star of the class for two years in a row. We don't push him. He is mature and he handles himself well. Furthermore, he's not much bigger than the kids who are younger.

It wasn't a mistake. It was actually a way to ensure he would do well.

We had our reasons to start him a year later.

Then that makes no sense if he is mature and the star for two years in a row.

Yes, it does. He would have been an immature mess if we started him in K on time. He's a year ahead of the rest and can therefore handle the longer days. He doesn't act out, and he listens.

K isn't what it used to be. It's very academic. We weren't pushing our kid into an environment he couldn't handle. One extra year "to cook" did him some good.

Learning colors, numbers, shapes, basic reading, writing and math is too academic. I found it very slow paced. I don't see how it is so academic.

K used to be just that. Now, it's half of the 1st grade material from when I was in a math/science magnet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my DD's kindergarten class a boy turned 7 in February, and it does not impact the class in any way. The boy is repeating K and I applaud the family for looking out for their child's best interest long-term. After all, they could have refused the recommendation and sent him to 1st, but they chose to focus on his needs. No big deal to his current (and former) classmates.

Seriously? So he'll turn 8 in K?

No - he just turned 7 in February. He will turn 8 next February in 1st grade.

If the child is struggling that much, I'd be far more concerned about what is going on that they need to be held back that much. Child need and IEP and parents need to supplement academics at home and get him services. I know my child will struggle with some concepts and needs more support, so we heavily work with him at home and during the summer. We can see the different it makes.

The child in question was held back once. For K. Its hardly a travesty

More is going on if a child is held back from K. The school failed him by not giving him enough support and services. Its impossible to guess home life but the requirements for K. are very basic so there is far more going on and someone failed this child by not helping as much as they could. If he has SN, they need to be address vs. failing him.

Do you have any clue how many kids go into kindergarten without knowing any letters, numbers, shapes or colors? K teachers are great, but they aren't miracle workers.

Anonymous wrote:I cannot imagine any first grade or Kindergarten class where the teacher does not acknowledge the child's birthday. I taught both K and first grade, and, while I did have it on the calendar and brought it up in circle, it was the rare birthday child who didn't come in the door telling everyone that it was his/her birthday. As far as the age, we would clap the number. This was a few years ago when it was the custom to "spank" the birthday child--yes, I am old. I would always let the child pick a friend to do the "spanking"--which was "pretend". I doubt I would do this if I were teaching today, but it did used to be the custom.

However the majority of redshirted kids are summer birthdays. Therefore the teacher won't be announcing their birthdays.

When we first came to the US, I was 7 years old and did not speak ANY English. They put me in kindergarten, then in the afternoon, they transferred me to 1st grade. Needless to say, I didn't understand what anyone was saying. I must've repeated 1st grade cause I remember having 2 1st grade teachers. Back then, I had no clue what people were saying to me so they put me in ESOL (English as a second language). By the end of 1st grade, I started to understand sentences. I can't say I was a bad kid because I won the best behavior awards several times a year from 1st grade-3rd grade.
So, maybe that kid is behind in something.