Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What exactly constitutes as redshirting? My DS's birthday is 9/23 (he's currently 3YO), if I wait until he's 5 to have him start K (in fall 2022 and then he'll turn 6 during his K year), is that redshirting? Because he technically could have started K when he was only 4 (in falll 2021)?

In VA that is redshirting but I'd feel less stressed about the decision because in most areas the cut off is sooner so he wouldn't even be eligible in most states.

+1. They will quarantine classes or close individual schools but not an entire system.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What exactly constitutes as redshirting? My DS's birthday is 9/23 (he's currently 3YO), if I wait until he's 5 to have him start K (in fall 2022 and then he'll turn 6 during his K year), is that redshirting? Because he technically could have started K when he was only 4 (in falll 2021)?

Yes - if you wait and send him when he is 5-almost 6, it is considered redshirting.

+1, yes that’s redshirting.

Anonymous wrote:What exactly constitutes as redshirting? My DS's birthday is 9/23 (he's currently 3YO), if I wait until he's 5 to have him start K (in fall 2022 and then he'll turn 6 during his K year), is that redshirting? Because he technically could have started K when he was only 4 (in falll 2021)?

In VA that is redshirting but I'd feel less stressed about the decision because in most areas the cut off is sooner so he wouldn't even be eligible in most states.

Anonymous wrote:

Pretty much without fail the kids who are generally disliked or barely tolerated are always the youngest, though.

I thought I had seen some dumb statements on DCUM. This may be the worst.

Absolutely untrue. No correlation at all.


I taught K-1 for 12 years.

Thank you for providing some sanity! This hasn't been my experience, either.

Pretty much without fail the kids who are generally disliked or barely tolerated are always the youngest, though.

I thought I had seen some dumb statements on DCUM. This may be the worst.

Absolutely untrue. No correlation at all.


I taught K-1 for 12 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:a few spring/summer birthdays per class.

Pretty much without fail the kids who are generally disliked or barely tolerated are always the youngest, though.

I have no dog in this fight because my kids all went to school as scheduled but I have noticed this is true. The youngest girls like babyish things or just arent as socially attuned as the older girls and the youngest boys are smaller, less athletic, and less mature about winning/losing/teasing.

I have a rising 1st grader. She absolutely knew who the youngest girl is (Aug birthday) - and not in a good way.

If my daughter was a year younger, I'd assume that you were talking about her. She's a labor day birthday, a rising 2nd grader and our oldest child. She's well ahead of her grade academically, but behind socially and often ostracized. The pandemic closure hasn't helped--she's spent the past 4 months playing Frozen with her 4 yo sister. I'm sure that isn't out of bounds for all kindergarteners, but is young for a 2nd grader.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:a few spring/summer birthdays per class.

Pretty much without fail the kids who are generally disliked or barely tolerated are always the youngest, though.

I have no dog in this fight because my kids all went to school as scheduled but I have noticed this is true. The youngest girls like babyish things or just arent as socially attuned as the older girls and the youngest boys are smaller, less athletic, and less mature about winning/losing/teasing.

This is not true, and if it is, it's because your child is the bully and you are teaching your child horrific things.

My child is one of the youngest in her class and one of the most popular - 6th grade.

Anonymous wrote:What exactly constitutes as redshirting? My DS's birthday is 9/23 (he's currently 3YO), if I wait until he's 5 to have him start K (in fall 2022 and then he'll turn 6 during his K year), is that redshirting? Because he technically could have started K when he was only 4 (in falll 2021)?

In VA yes this would be redshirting, but in MD and other states with a 9/1 or earlier cutoff, it would not be.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What exactly constitutes as redshirting? My DS's birthday is 9/23 (he's currently 3YO), if I wait until he's 5 to have him start K (in fall 2022 and then he'll turn 6 during his K year), is that redshirting? Because he technically could have started K when he was only 4 (in falll 2021)?

Yes. My DC is also a September birthday and was 4 when kindergarten started.

Only really poor people with no other choices send kids to K with Aug or Sept birthdays.

I know I shouldn’t dignify this response with a reply because it is so asinine but my August bday boy who went on time is in AAP now. I felt sending on time was the best academic choice I could make for him.

Its not really about academics. The early grade academics are so easy for almost every middle class kid. People are talking about the social milieu.

Maybe the generalizations (let's be real - stereotypes) are helpful, but as usual stereotypes don't describe every case. To try and argue people into redshirting or trash choices based on a stereotype is silly. My February birthday DC is way more socially behind than my August and September birthday DCs. It's part personality, part birth order.

I agree with the birth order comment. I would feel better about sending a child with older sibling(s) to school as a young 5. They have had older kids around their whole lives to learn from. I would not feel good about sending an oldest or only with an August/September birthday on time unless perhaps they had spent a lot of time in mixed age day cares with older kids. It’s not just about K readiness either - it’s about the middle elementary years and middle school as well.