Late Birthday Kids

For those of you that have kids with birthdays the end of Oct through December 31- are you planning on putting your child in kindergarten the year they are eligible (so when they are 4 turning 5) or holding them back? Those who are teachers please feel free to answer with your opinion also.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

DS's birthday is on October 16th. I've decided that I'm going to hold him for when he is 5 turning 6 to go to Kindergarten.

I was a December baby and was 5 when I started school, turned 6 in kindergarten.

I liked it because I was in all honor's/AP classes when I got older, and I never felt like I was behind. Didn't bother me one bit.

I think 4 for a boy is a little young to start kindergarten, plus, I'm not ready to send him to school in a year and a half.

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my DS's bday is 10/19 and I held him back. It was the best decision I've ever made.

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my dd's bday is Nov 22. I put her in. No regrets, other then being the shortest in the class, lol, she is doing excellant in school.

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My DD is 10/31 and she started kindergarten this past september when she was 4 and is doing wonderful. I have no regrets. My DS is 10/12 and when it is his turn, I plan to put him when he is 4 as well.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

I used to think I would send him but very much leaning towards holding him back after seeing him with his 3yr old program peers. We'll see after next year with 5 days in the 4s program but I would send him to a 5 day kindergarten enrichment program if I hold him and then do district kindergarten the following year.

ETA: he is 10/18. Advanced academically but struggles socially...

Message edited 2/16/2011 4:25:53 PM.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

DS' birthday is 10/13 he is only 16 months right now but I am going to base my decision on where he is at in preschool and get recommendation from his teachers at that point.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

Two of my kids are Oct (DS is Oct 19, DD is Oct 25) and here in OH the cutoff is actually September 30th. So I had no choice but to wait. At first I felt like they were a year behind coming from NY where the cutoff is Dec. But now, with my DS in Kindergarten at age 6, I can't imagine him there last year. Way too immature and a typical boy as far as maturity.

By #3 is a July birthday so it will feel as if she is starting a year early compared to DC 1 and 2!

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DD is 10/22 and I am planning on sending her to K next year. Her pre-k teacher has said that she is keeping up academically so that's what we're leaning towards. It's a really REALLY tough decision though!

Re: Late Birthday Kids

DS was born 11/25 and our school district cuts off at 12/1. DH thinks I am crazy for considering holding him back. DH's birthday is 11/6, so he thinks DS will be fine like he was. I'll see as we get closer how is he is doing.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

It depends on the kid.

DS is November 8. I put him in when he was eligible, and never had a regret. Best decision I ever made.

My nephew is a November 13 birthday. They put him in when he was eligible, he struggled socially, academically, etc. They are holding him back in kindegarten.

It really depends... only you know your child. There isn't a blanket answer to this one.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

Honestly JMO but I think it's not right to hold them back. You don't know how your child will be at that age and to hold them back unneccesarily to me just seems hasty. Also I don't think it's fair that the school setting and ages of kids in a grade are being changed by parents. I think the school should not allow it b/c it is going to widen the age/height/intelligence gap even more. To me, why not let the chips fall where they may? You could have the brightest child in the world that did not lneed to be held back. I am a Nov baby and I always thought it was an advantage to be younger when I graduated. My DD was born in Nov and I was thrilled she will be the youngest in her class. To alter things by putting her in a year later just seems wrong to me, and I dont think it guarantees she will do any better, be any brighter, etc. In addition, I would not want people (upon learning her age/YOB) to think she was held back by the school, vs a choice, kwim?


eta- My DH also feels very strongly about this and said he would never allow it (I would not anyway though). As he said, all of his friends had different months of birth and it never mattered. Naturally someone is older/younger but chronological age does not equal maturity or intelligence. To hold back simply based on date of birth seems hasty to me

Message edited 2/16/2011 5:14:38 PM.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

Re: Late Birthday Kids

As a first grade teacher, I would say it depends on the maturity of the child. If you think he is able to handle goign to school send him.

Another point, that I would like to make is that, if you put him in, and he is not ready to move on to 1st grade, you can have him repeat K. Sometimes they need another year before moving on. At that age it won't really matter and he will still see his friends and make new ones. I have seen one more year in K do wonders for kids. I feel like it's better to hold them back in K then struggle when older.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

Re: Late Birthday Kids

DS will start this fall and will be 5 Oct. 26. I spoke with his teacher about holding him back and she thought there was no need, as academically he's where he should be. She said he would be incredibly bored to spend another year in preschool. On the flip side, DS has some behavior issues that we're working on. I want to try to deal with it and help him with his coping skills before he enters kindergarten.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

Definitely depends on the kid....

Im a December birthday but my mom had the option of sending me when I was 4 or holding me back. She chose to hold me back b/c I was ridiculously shy. She said it was a huge mistake and she should have put me in when I was 4.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

we are holding DS back, he misses the cut off but they would test him...he is on the smaller side etc so we would rather him the extra year etc..

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DD is a 9/30 birthday. Our school has a 9/30 cut off, so she will be the youngest one in her class. I am not going to hold her back. If I need to re-evaluate the decision after she completes Kindergarten I will.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

10/21 - I have no plans to hold her back.

Re: Late Birthday Kids

mine is a Dec baby...but our cut off is 8/31!
he is around forever

Re: Late Birthday Kids

So far my plan is to put him in. I was undecided about this so then I decided to go with the guidelines. At 3 I feel that my kid could hold his own in a Kindergarten class if he had to, except that he still wants to wear pull ups. I don't see how he will not be out of them soon but you never know. I think that waiting an extra year to start is not going to suit him well. I would be amenable to holding him back after Kindergarten if necessary. He is small for his age but I just feel that he can hold his own. I often remind my family that Billy Joel took up boxing just so that he would not get his a$$ kicked for being a piano player. I'm not saying that I want my kid to turn out like him but by all accounts, no one messed with him. I'll do what is necessary but I do not think that holding my kid back is the answer when my only concern is his size. In my class I do not remember size being the issue when some kids were picked on. In fact, there was a huge kid who was picked on beyond belief.