Moms of children with late birthdays...

Did you keep them back, or push them ahead in school?

If you kept them back, would you mind telling me when and why?

My son's birthday is 11/29. I'm considering having him repeat a 3 y/o program next year. I'm just wondering if I should push him ahead and see how he does next year, or if I should make the decision now.

Thanks. :)

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

DD#2 is a late November baby as well. As of now my plan is to send her to a 2 1/2 year old program where she will be the oldest and turning 3. Then 3 year old program, then 4 year old, then Kindergarten. Our school cut-off is Oct 1st so I'm just scheduling accordingly...

I know many people who have repeated 3 year old programs, especially for boys. Parents have started to express some concerns at the high school level because some 16 year old boys are driving around the 14 year old girls in the same grade...so lots of people around here apparently hold back.

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

Lea was 4 when she started K. I really wish I waited another yr .. she is definately struggling ETA: Her b-day is Oct. 25th

Message edited 6/4/2010 11:55:19 AM.

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

My son is 11/13. After MUCH soul searching and the opinions of my friends (all teachers) and his pre-k teacher (a moron IMO) we decided to go ahead and send him to K at 4 years old. He's just finishing up 1st grade and is academically way beyond his peers and his grade level. Maturity-wise, not so much.

BUT I totally feel I made the right decision because he is happy, well adjusted and has lots of friends.

Message edited 6/4/2010 11:58:31 AM.

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

Noah is not late.. he's late July.. but I really wish I had been able to hold him back an extra year. As it is, he's still among the youngest in his class and sometimes it feels like the other kids are just light years beyond him in maturity and ability to 'keep up'. He is doing okay - but I just think an extra year might have given him a leg up.

Message edited 9/1/2011 3:49:52 PM.

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

My son is late October and we put him through on time and he is actually doing really well. He is on a reading level almost a year ahead and the lowest he has gotten on his spelling tests this year is 93.

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

My son was on the cut off line 12/1 can't get any closer I had him tested and they said to send him where as my mom said not to. Well he struggled, his self esteem was very low and after discussing with his k- teacher we felt it was better to hold him back. BEST decision I have ever made. The next yr his self esteem was so much better, he acutally was helping all the other children in the class which made him feel so good. From 1st-5th grade he was a 90 student now he's in 6th grade and he is between an 80 & 90. If he opened a book more often he would prob still be a 90 student But anyway that's my story, however each child is diff. some may very well be ready as others may not. My moms theory is if a BOY is not 5 by Sept hold them back. She has 2boys and 2girls. Good Luck

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

DS is 11/29 too! I am sending him to the four year old program this year on schedule but then will find him a private kindergarten program and put him in public kindergarten a year late.

His three year old pre-school teacher said he is keeping up very well this year- even though he is nearly a year younger than many of the others but his is small for his age and I am thinking of more down the line for high school- for maturity purposes and sports.

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

My DS's bday is late October and it never even crossed my mind to hold him back. He's just finishing 2nd grade now and he has always done very well academically. He went into PreK, just shy of 4 yrs old reading - not just words here and there but full on reading and doing multiplication - so he went into Kindergarten very advanced as well. Socially and maturity wise he was a bit behind but honestly, at this stage, I have seen kids much older than him who are equally mature (or should I say immature). One of his best friends was 8 in December and he's in 2nd grade and my DS will be 8 this coming October. They are on a par and my DS is definitely not what I'd call mature. But he has changed a lot since Kindergarten and the gap is not as wide in many ways. Sometimes kids are more mature when they have older siblings. It's a tough call to make sometimes but I think it the end, if you think he'd benefit from another year of preschool, it's not a huge deal in the long term. My younger son has a speech delay. He is a May baby so it's not an issue for us but if he had been a later bday child and his speech didn't improve enough, in a case like that I'd consider keeping him back purely for socialization and communication skill building.

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

my youngest son is late sept baby (now 11) and I wish I did hold him back. He struggles academically and is a little babyish. He would be thriving had I held him back.

Re: Moms of children with late birthdays...

DS is early November. I'm not holding him back, because I truly believe he is ready. He's smart, does great verbally, socially, etc. I think his having an older brother helps.

I always said I'd base it on what his preschool teachers told me, and they think he's good to go!