Strollerderby

I made it into kindergarten a "year" younger than everyone in my class, because my parents were able to argue against the cutoff, and was always the youngest until I took a year off in college b/c of a medical condition.  I got great grades in highschool and grade school, was socially fine - and frankly, I always felt a little smart because hey - I was younger than everyone else and doing the same things they were!  So NOT redshirting doesn't mean a terrible academic experience by any means!

I've wondered about this, especially for boys, who might have a harder time sitting still in class (and why do they have to do that in kindergarten, anyway?!!). I just hate the thought of a late-August boy being expected to behave the same way as a September-born girl- a whole year plus normal developmental differences could make a big difference!

I also wonder about this, but in the opposite context.  My daughter's birthday is a week after the cutoff for our district.  So, if we go with the cutoff she will be up to a year older than those who make the cutoff and in light of the "redshirt" debate, could be almost two years older than some.  She was an early talker and enjoys being with children her age or older much more than those younger than her.  I worry that she will end up one of those bored, discipline problems (which I was at some point in elementary school before my mother got me into accelerated classes).  Since I lived the boredom until I could take different classes, with older kids or other kids in advanced placement, I worry that she will suffer the same fate and be deprived of a certain love of learning that comes when you are appropriately challenged.

It is a tricky issue that I think could be made easier if there was a national cutoff day for entering school.  We used to live in Indiana where the cutoff date was July 1st and where we live now it is Sept 1st but some dates are even later.  I wish that it was consistent so that when you move you don't have to deal with being the oldest instead of youngest or whatever.  3 of my 4 kids have July birthdays so it is an issue I think about a lot.  I don't want to hold one back and not the others for instance, but I think every kids is different and needs to be decided on the individual.

I was also an older one for my class, the cutoff was Sept 15 and my birthday is Oct 1.  I was a naturally smart kid, I could read when I started kindergarten.  And yes I defintely dealt with boredom, and I did get into trouble for not paying attention due to that boredom, but things leveled out by 5th or 6th grade and I wouldn't change it.  I had a friend whose birthday was Oct 11 but was a full year younger than me.  She was crazy advanced and they bumped her up to my class in first grade.  Academically she excelled (she's working on her PhD from Harvard today) but I think socially she suffered.  There was awkwardness in elementary school, and then in middle/highschool we all "developed" before her, we were driving before her, we turned 18 and 21 before her.  She always seemed a year younger then us, she never truly caught up.  

I think you definitely have to treat it on an individual basis, but I personally lean towards red shirting.  I'm due in July, so I'll have to decide in a few years!

"Holding back" a boy born on the day before the deadline is a no-brainer for me.  You do realize, if you send him this year, he will turn 5 on 8/31 and a boy in his class will turn 6 on 9/2 as will many more in the first part of the year.  I object to "redshirting" when it is clearly done to gain some unspoken advantage, for example with the boy's birthday is in April.  Notice most extracurricular sports teams now require a birth certificate and require you to play your age.

I have a boy who was born on August 16 2002 and he went on to kindergarten when it started in July 2007 (it's year-round) so he actually started before he was five.  So far he's doing great, no behavior problems or academic problems.  Of course I can't rule out the possibility that it's going to be an issue later, but right at the moment we have no regrets and I did worry about this before he started.  I don't think it's the same for every kid or even every boy.  

Diera, I am in the same situation as you. My boy is early August and I lamented the decision but decided to put him through in August (the cutoff where we are is Dec. 31). He is the youngest boy in his class. There are some that are over a year older. He is thriving. I couldn't imagine him not doing what he's doing this year and waiting another year until.... but that was our choice for our son. Everyone is different. Every school is different and you have to base your choice, not only on your child but on how the classrooms are run and if your child could handle it. The reality is that people could enroll them and try it out. You can always pull them out or put them through a second year of kindergarten if they are not ready for first grade at the end of the year.

There is a private school here that has two kindergarten classrooms. One is for the older kids, one is for the younger kids closer to the cutoff. They are evaluated during the year to determine if they go on to first grade or go to the other kindergarten room. I think that's  logical and should be more widely practiced.

My son was born September 2, the cutoff here is the 1st.  We will probably not start him in kindergarten until he is 6, but not because I want him to be big and bad.  The latest research indicates that boys tend to do better when they wait a year.  And if we started him when he was 5, he be more than a full year younger than some of his classmates, and that is such a huge difference.  I dn't doubt he'll be ready academically at 5, but his maturity needs an extra year to catch up.

When I see "red shirting," I think of the Red Shirts on Star Trek, who are always disposable...

My brother and I both started a "year" early - our birthday is december and cut-off was september - and we both did great. Every kid is different but these people who hold their kids back trying to gain some sort of advantage (which is NOT the people who feel their close to the cutoff child is not developmentally ready for school yet, and wait a year) are trying to politicize about the last thing in the world that should be politicized and exploited.

I am holding my daughter back.  She needs the year to mature socially.  I think pushing kids to atten dschool too early is not the best idea for some.  I went a year early and although I was quite smart I was very small and had a difficult time socially.  I truely see no advantage to starting a child when they are not socially ready.  If they are bored in school they can take enrichement courses or skip a grade later when they are better able to handle the social challenges.  Starting them early does not make them smarter or mean they are smarter.  I means you want them to be smarter.

I don't think people that start their kids earlier want them to be "smarter" as Autumn states. That is like saying that everyone that red shirts wants their kid to have an "upper hand." There reasons for each are just as diverse as the families that make this difficult choice. For me, I wanted to start my son when he was ELIGIBLE but only because he was READY both socially and intellectually.

I think pushing forward those who aren't ready is just as significant as red shirting kids who are ready.... it's the same either way. You just have to hope you make the right choice for your child. Period.

If we get on our high horses touting that "my" choice is the best choice for everyone then here we are once again judging each other and creating guilt! It's a tough choice, really, one that can cause continuous grief whatever you decide....no one needs outside influences to add to their self induced guilt!  I

f I have another, I'm going to make sure it's a spring time baby so the choice is made for me!!