Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who don’t know, redshirting is the practice of delaying a fall-born child’s Kindergarten entrance until they’re almost 6 instead of almost 5. This is something I’m thinking about doing with my son, who will be 4 in November and will be eligible for Kindergarten in the fall of 2022. There are many studies that show that kids who are redshirted do better in school as well as later in life, and honestly, you don’t have to be a scientist to see why this makes sense. Kids who start older are going to be more mature and ready to handle the challenges of school. This means they’ll get better grades, get into better colleges, and get better jobs.

You’d think that based on this information, any parent with a fall-born child who could afford an extra year of daycare would redshirt without hesitation. But this is not the case. When I think of all people I know who have fall birthdays and are from affluent families, the vast majority started Kindergarten at 4. As tempted as I am to redshirt my son, I can’t help but feel that there must be a reason why so few parents do it.

If you have a fall-born child who you could afford to redshirt but didn’t, why not? And if you could do it over again, would you redshirt?

I did it with one of my kids. She's totally fine. My younger one, I sent and she's totally fine too. I don't really think it matters.

Anonymous wrote:For those of you who don’t know, redshirting is the practice of delaying a fall-born child’s Kindergarten entrance until they’re almost 6 instead of almost 5. This is something I’m thinking about doing with my son, who will be 4 in November and will be eligible for Kindergarten in the fall of 2022. There are many studies that show that kids who are redshirted do better in school as well as later in life, and honestly, you don’t have to be a scientist to see why this makes sense. Kids who start older are going to be more mature and ready to handle the challenges of school. This means they’ll get better grades, get into better colleges, and get better jobs.

You’d think that based on this information, any parent with a fall-born child who could afford an extra year of daycare would redshirt without hesitation. But this is not the case. When I think of all people I know who have fall birthdays and are from affluent families, the vast majority started Kindergarten at 4. As tempted as I am to redshirt my son, I can’t help but feel that there must be a reason why so few parents do it.

If you have a fall-born child who you could afford to redshirt but didn’t, why not? And if you could do it over again, would you redshirt?

Anonymous wrote:I’m redshirting my July daughter

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have kids, but I feel confident in saying that if I did, I would not redshirt. This is because I was redshirted and, contrary to what the studies say, developed a massive inferiority complex because of it. Usually, when a classmate found out my age, they would ask me why I was in their grade and not in the grade, and what grade I repeated, causing me to sink into shame depression. One example that I remember well is when I turned 12 a week into 6th grade. One of my teachers had a policy of handing out homework passes on students' birthdays, and when I got mine, someone next to me asked how old I was, and when I said I was 12 they said, "Why are you in 6th grade? Were you held back?" and I spent the rest of my birthday feeling ashamed and embarrassed. None of my classmates seemed to understand me when I explained that starting school a year late wasn't my choice, and many of them seemed to think there was something wrong with me, like I was slow and dumb.

After 6th grade, I stopped having birthday parties, because I didn't want to keep giving other kids a chance to shame me. In high school, I even put off getting my driver's permit, and subsequently my driver's license, by several months to avoid drawing attention to my age. When I turned 21 in September of my junior year of college, I knew I might be able to get popular by offering to buy beer for my classmates, but I didn't, because I didn't want them to asking me why I wasn't a senior. I wouldn't want to put my child through this.

This is a bit dramatic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have kids, but I feel confident in saying that if I did, I would not redshirt. This is because I was redshirted and, contrary to what the studies say, developed a massive inferiority complex because of it. Usually, when a classmate found out my age, they would ask me why I was in their grade and not in the grade, and what grade I repeated, causing me to sink into shame depression. One example that I remember well is when I turned 12 a week into 6th grade. One of my teachers had a policy of handing out homework passes on students' birthdays, and when I got mine, someone next to me asked how old I was, and when I said I was 12 they said, "Why are you in 6th grade? Were you held back?" and I spent the rest of my birthday feeling ashamed and embarrassed. None of my classmates seemed to understand me when I explained that starting school a year late wasn't my choice, and many of them seemed to think there was something wrong with me, like I was slow and dumb.

After 6th grade, I stopped having birthday parties, because I didn't want to keep giving other kids a chance to shame me. In high school, I even put off getting my driver's permit, and subsequently my driver's license, by several months to avoid drawing attention to my age. When I turned 21 in September of my junior year of college, I knew I might be able to get popular by offering to buy beer for my classmates, but I didn't, because I didn't want them to asking me why I wasn't a senior. I wouldn't want to put my child through this.

for the opposite view-- I was redshirted in the 70s and had none of these issues. seriously.

That PP has posted before and I think has a host of issues unrelated to redshirting.

Blames her parents for failing at life due to redshirting. And as another counterpoint my husband was redshirted in the 70s and had none of these problems and is successful.

I never said I was failing at life. But you can't argue that none of my classmates would have shamed me being for in their grade had I not been redshirted. I never once said that redshirting has negatively impacted my adulthood. A lot of things in life are about the journey, not the destination.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have kids, but I feel confident in saying that if I did, I would not redshirt. This is because I was redshirted and, contrary to what the studies say, developed a massive inferiority complex because of it. Usually, when a classmate found out my age, they would ask me why I was in their grade and not in the grade, and what grade I repeated, causing me to sink into shame depression. One example that I remember well is when I turned 12 a week into 6th grade. One of my teachers had a policy of handing out homework passes on students' birthdays, and when I got mine, someone next to me asked how old I was, and when I said I was 12 they said, "Why are you in 6th grade? Were you held back?" and I spent the rest of my birthday feeling ashamed and embarrassed. None of my classmates seemed to understand me when I explained that starting school a year late wasn't my choice, and many of them seemed to think there was something wrong with me, like I was slow and dumb.

After 6th grade, I stopped having birthday parties, because I didn't want to keep giving other kids a chance to shame me. In high school, I even put off getting my driver's permit, and subsequently my driver's license, by several months to avoid drawing attention to my age. When I turned 21 in September of my junior year of college, I knew I might be able to get popular by offering to buy beer for my classmates, but I didn't, because I didn't want them to asking me why I wasn't a senior. I wouldn't want to put my child through this.

for the opposite view-- I was redshirted in the 70s and had none of these issues. seriously.

That PP has posted before and I think has a host of issues unrelated to redshirting.

Blames her parents for failing at life due to redshirting. And as another counterpoint my husband was redshirted in the 70s and had none of these problems and is successful.

Anonymous wrote:I don't have kids, but I feel confident in saying that if I did, I would not redshirt. This is because I was redshirted and, contrary to what the studies say, developed a massive inferiority complex because of it. Usually, when a classmate found out my age, they would ask me why I was in their grade and not in the grade, and what grade I repeated, causing me to sink into shame depression. One example that I remember well is when I turned 12 a week into 6th grade. One of my teachers had a policy of handing out homework passes on students' birthdays, and when I got mine, someone next to me asked how old I was, and when I said I was 12 they said, "Why are you in 6th grade? Were you held back?" and I spent the rest of my birthday feeling ashamed and embarrassed. None of my classmates seemed to understand me when I explained that starting school a year late wasn't my choice, and many of them seemed to think there was something wrong with me, like I was slow and dumb.

After 6th grade, I stopped having birthday parties, because I didn't want to keep giving other kids a chance to shame me. In high school, I even put off getting my driver's permit, and subsequently my driver's license, by several months to avoid drawing attention to my age. When I turned 21 in September of my junior year of college, I knew I might be able to get popular by offering to buy beer for my classmates, but I didn't, because I didn't want them to asking me why I wasn't a senior. I wouldn't want to put my child through this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We sent our fall kid to K when they were turning 5. I don't see any disadvantage. I cannot imagine my child being a year younger and as it is they are academically ahead of grade level and doing well both academically and socially. I see zero reasons to hold back a child. If it meets your needs to hold back your child, go for it. It doesn't make them smarter, just older.

I somewhat agree with this. The only advantage I can see is socially- for boys, it better for them to be older than younger once puberty hits. But academically, unless you are heavily tutoring your kid on the side, they are going to be at the same academic level as whatever grade they are attending. Your 14 yr old 8th grader isn’t going to be academically align with 14 yr old 9th graders because they are being taught 8th grade material all day everyday. And so on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have kids, but I feel confident in saying that if I did, I would not redshirt. This is because I was redshirted and, contrary to what the studies say, developed a massive inferiority complex because of it. Usually, when a classmate found out my age, they would ask me why I was in their grade and not in the grade, and what grade I repeated, causing me to sink into shame depression. One example that I remember well is when I turned 12 a week into 6th grade. One of my teachers had a policy of handing out homework passes on students' birthdays, and when I got mine, someone next to me asked how old I was, and when I said I was 12 they said, "Why are you in 6th grade? Were you held back?" and I spent the rest of my birthday feeling ashamed and embarrassed. None of my classmates seemed to understand me when I explained that starting school a year late wasn't my choice, and many of them seemed to think there was something wrong with me, like I was slow and dumb.

After 6th grade, I stopped having birthday parties, because I didn't want to keep giving other kids a chance to shame me. In high school, I even put off getting my driver's permit, and subsequently my driver's license, by several months to avoid drawing attention to my age. When I turned 21 in September of my junior year of college, I knew I might be able to get popular by offering to buy beer for my classmates, but I didn't, because I didn't want them to asking me why I wasn't a senior. I wouldn't want to put my child through this.

for the opposite view-- I was redshirted in the 70s and had none of these issues. seriously.

That PP has posted before and I think has a host of issues unrelated to redshirting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have kids, but I feel confident in saying that if I did, I would not redshirt. This is because I was redshirted and, contrary to what the studies say, developed a massive inferiority complex because of it. Usually, when a classmate found out my age, they would ask me why I was in their grade and not in the grade, and what grade I repeated, causing me to sink into shame depression. One example that I remember well is when I turned 12 a week into 6th grade. One of my teachers had a policy of handing out homework passes on students' birthdays, and when I got mine, someone next to me asked how old I was, and when I said I was 12 they said, "Why are you in 6th grade? Were you held back?" and I spent the rest of my birthday feeling ashamed and embarrassed. None of my classmates seemed to understand me when I explained that starting school a year late wasn't my choice, and many of them seemed to think there was something wrong with me, like I was slow and dumb.

After 6th grade, I stopped having birthday parties, because I didn't want to keep giving other kids a chance to shame me. In high school, I even put off getting my driver's permit, and subsequently my driver's license, by several months to avoid drawing attention to my age. When I turned 21 in September of my junior year of college, I knew I might be able to get popular by offering to buy beer for my classmates, but I didn't, because I didn't want them to asking me why I wasn't a senior. I wouldn't want to put my child through this.

for the opposite view-- I was redshirted in the 70s and had none of these issues. seriously.

Anonymous wrote:I don't have kids, but I feel confident in saying that if I did, I would not redshirt. This is because I was redshirted and, contrary to what the studies say, developed a massive inferiority complex because of it. Usually, when a classmate found out my age, they would ask me why I was in their grade and not in the grade, and what grade I repeated, causing me to sink into shame depression. One example that I remember well is when I turned 12 a week into 6th grade. One of my teachers had a policy of handing out homework passes on students' birthdays, and when I got mine, someone next to me asked how old I was, and when I said I was 12 they said, "Why are you in 6th grade? Were you held back?" and I spent the rest of my birthday feeling ashamed and embarrassed. None of my classmates seemed to understand me when I explained that starting school a year late wasn't my choice, and many of them seemed to think there was something wrong with me, like I was slow and dumb.

After 6th grade, I stopped having birthday parties, because I didn't want to keep giving other kids a chance to shame me. In high school, I even put off getting my driver's permit, and subsequently my driver's license, by several months to avoid drawing attention to my age. When I turned 21 in September of my junior year of college, I knew I might be able to get popular by offering to buy beer for my classmates, but I didn't, because I didn't want them to asking me why I wasn't a senior. I wouldn't want to put my child through this.

Anonymous wrote:We sent our fall kid to K when they were turning 5. I don't see any disadvantage. I cannot imagine my child being a year younger and as it is they are academically ahead of grade level and doing well both academically and socially. I see zero reasons to hold back a child. If it meets your needs to hold back your child, go for it. It doesn't make them smarter, just older.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We didn't redshirt because we didn't want to waste a year of our son's life.

+1, its different to be taking about a 5 year old vs. 18/19 year old. They will not remember being 5, they will remember being held back as a Senior.