Early Kindergarten Entry or Not...

I looked into this as my daughter just misses the cut off. I would wait. Most teachers and parents I talked to never regretted waiting. It's happening more often so there will be kids in her 'regular' class older than her. Regrets come more from going early than late. It's tough as it does depend on the child. I was "early". Did great academically. Did OK socially... but would have done better if I'd waited... less "boy issues" at 14 (another story)!

I put mine in earlier as opposed to later (Sept 8 bday) and I partially regret it. She is doing great academically, now going in 4th grade. But, I often feel like she is being pushed into "older type" play and activities than she is ready for. We also had a boat load of girl bully issues this year (she was a bystander, and friend of the girl bully). She had a lot of difficulty navigating these issues but ultimately is doing way better in that department. This is the first year I questioned my decision.

I could never do the home schooling thing either. One option is that maybe you could do some sort of work at a private school to get some help with the tuition. My friend had her kids in the most expensive private school in our town and she helped in the cafeteria, got to know all the kids by name, got to spend time getting to know the teachers on a more personal level, etc...and they gave them a 50% discount for her work. They made nearly $100K per year but still, bills take a lot of money. That particular school does not offer any scholarships anymore though. All the other private schools do.

I've "redshirted" 2 of mine. Never ONCE regretted it. One of them, the youngest is extremely bright and was reading before kindergarten. Look at it this way - if you send her a year early, when she enters 9th grade, she will be 14, going to school with seniors that could be 18 and 19. How do you feel about that? Most teachers that I've spoken with and known (I worked in education for almost 15 years as a data base manager) anyway, the teachers without exception suggest holding a child back.

I'm thankful that my kiddo is a late September baby and that I don't have to make this decision. I started kindergarten at 4, and while I did great academically all through school, I started to fall behind socially once I entered Jr. High. Then, in high school, my curfew was earlier than my friends' curfews, and they could drive a year before I could. (And my parents wouldn't allow me to ride with them after dark). It was really tough!!

I encourage you to hold her back this year - save her (and you!) extra stress when she's a teenager!

both of my sons went to KG at age 6 (or almost 6). A very wise teacher told me that she had never known it NOT to work to the child's advantage. This conversation came up when we were deciding on our younger son's entry....he turned 5 4 days before the cutoff! During KG testing, he aced out on all parameters....but took twice as long. I knew we were looking at issues regarding focus/attention span/etc, not academics. Because of those wise words from that teacher, we placed him in the Bridges Program...which is for age-appropriate kids needing - 1st academics or 2nd maturity. & as that teacher had predicted, it worked very well for us!

Thru the last 20 years, I have consistently heard feedback regarding this issue. Quite frequently, the child may be ready at an early age....only to slow down by 2nd grade. Something to think about! & it is true that when working within a classroom, you can easily pick out the younger vs. the older kids.......

I had a child whom I had started school early and I've been relieved ever since in making this decision. She's going into 3rd grade this year and is thriving. She was a little "mature" challenged the first year but learned well. However, she has always been a little ahead/smarter then the "average kid" in picking up things. Yours sounds like she's in the same boat in what she knows so I would get her tested and get her in early. The earlier she's in school, the earlier she'll learn! :) I'm just glad mine was in school a year early instead of at home watching TV for another year! If you keep her from school just to send her to preschool...I think you'll be wasting your hard earn money. Put that money in your house and help her out later with college fees instead of wasting it on preschool's costs! :)

Again, I REALLY think preschooling is a waste of money. I have three kids, they have 20 cousins (from both sides of the family) with ages ranging from 6-18 years old. NONE of them had a day of preschool and they're all thriving & excelling in school.

Your child will be bored in K if she learns too much at preschool before K starts. Schools don't have the resources to teach your child at her own level so she'll probably be bored to tears as she knows everything they're learning already. It might even give her, yourself, and her teacher a false sense of her inteligent because she'll be WAY ahead in K but comes next year...she'll be back to "normal" level as everything she learns will be new.

Good luck!

I find it strange that you and your husband sacrificed investing in a home to put our child thru preschools! I saw a special on the 20/20 show that kids who attended preschool does NOT do any better then kids who didn't. They do for the first year but after that....everyone will be learning at the same level (unless you'r child is gift of course...then you'll have to make arrangements for her gifted level).

I think girls usually have a better time when they start kindergarten "early". Boys tend to have a harder time. As long as she could handle the long day and her attention span is there then I would put her in.

1) Does the school have a Jr.K program???
This would be for the later born kids entering Kindergarten.

2) You don't like the school in your district. You can always try for a "geographic exception' to another district's school that you do like. But this is per waiting lists etc. And you won't know when your child's turn will be.

3) Once a child goes to school, you cannot control what they eat/learn/the Teachers they get. It is a learning process and a real world, scenario. So, you teach YOUR child, about your values and give them a foundation of social skills and managing and how to 'discern' other kids and friends etc. And you can still home school them, aside from school. This is parenting. It is not all or nothing, when it comes to learning. The child has school, AND THEN what you teach them, at home, academically and per life.

4) Both my kids, entered Kinder at 4 turning 5. Because, THEY were ready. I was that age too, at Kinder. And I was fine throughout all grade levels.... academically and socially.
It really depends on the child... and their maturity and emotional development. It is a personal choice.
Both my kids as I said, was /is ready for Kinder. My son, just started. He is fine. HE told us, he wants to go to Kinder and his Preschool teachers said he is ready. We know that too, as his parents. He is happy. He is ready for that next step.

5) If you enter your child into Kinder, at turning 6 years old... there are many kids that age in Kinder too. BUT... bear in mind that Kinder is not "mandatory' in many States. THUS... if a child is 6 when entering school... they will sometimes put that child into 1st Grade... UNLESS, you as the parent 'requests' that your child be entered into Kindergarten, at 6 years old.
SO... you NEED to ask the school, what their procedure, is... for kids that age. And per Kinder or 1st Grade.

We had our daughter tested for early entrance into Kindergarten last year. She also had a good grasp on her ABCs, counting and was beginning to read. Now this year, she reads chapter books and can do simple math. In our district the cut off for Kindergarten is Sept 1 and our daughter's birthday is in mid October. She was asked some questions to test her ability that never would have occurred to me like what to do during a fire, why we avoid electrical outlets. She didn't pass the test, so she will be one of the older kids in her Kindergarten class this fall. I am actually quite happy that we waited. I felt she was ready academically last year, but this year she's ready both academically and socially. Also, something to consider is that testing may not be free. In our district it cost us $50 to have her tested which was nonrefundable when she didn't pass. They also told us that if after a few weeks of Kindergarten, she seems bored, they will consider bumping her up to first grade. I don't know if it will cost us another $50 to have her tested, but we probably won't bother unless she seems really frustrated.

You must think long term when starting a child early.
My daughter has a November birthday (barely made the cut off) and many of her friends are close to a full year older than she is.
It didn't matter so much in elementary school, but it made a huge difference in middle and high school. She was pressured to mature earlier than she should have been (socially, emotionally.)
If I knew then what I know now I would have held her back :(
I doubt your daughter will be bored in K next year. Up to about 2nd/3rd grade there is a very wide range of abilities in the classroom, and teachers are trained to make sure all the children are working at a level that is appropriate to them.
And please don't have negative feelings about your public school just because academic achievement is sub par (the reasons for this can be very complex.) Our schools are getting such a bad rap lately, but the truth is there are many wonderful teachers out there, and with your support at home I'm sure your daughter will thrive :)

Oh yes, we held my duaghter back for one year. She did really well and in the end I can only sing the praises of my friends who encouraged us to do so. Our duaghter has told me throughout the years, "good idea and thanks, mom and dad for holding me back." Thanks for giving me the chance to be a child who is not pushed to sit for long periods of tiime when I really needed to move freely around a preschool exploring and making choices". My husband and I labored over the idea for months and once we decided to give her this gift of time we knew in our stomachs and hearts that we had made a great parenting choice. We noted throughout the years the personalities of the girls who would have been her peers if we had pushed her along. These girls, some of them almost two years older, were moving a long very quickly in their social development. Not to mention that in middle school they were wearing make-up and talking about boys and starting their periods and shaving, all the while our daughter was able to just be herself and not to be considered "immature" for her age but quite the opposite. Dating for these same girls started at age 16 while our dauther would have been only 14 or 15 years old. It is not easy to see into the future. Chances are your daughter could get through kindergarten with some ease it the rest of her life that could be a struggle. Today, our daughter is a fifth grade teacher at age 30, and has her masters degree. She tells me that the children in her classes who are on the younger side struggle primarily in the area of social maturity. These days with so many parents holding their chidlren back, a child who is young to begin with is at a disadvantage in many ways. Off to college at 17? Just a few of my thoguhts! From DP

I am facing the same dilemma with both my girls. My 6 year old will start Kindergarten this Fall. After much thought and discussion, ( I was initially determined to "test in" ) I have decided the extra year of emotional maturity in middle school/High School, is worth a little boredom in grade school. I have been assured that they will challenge her to her level of need. Whether they do or not, I know she will receive what she needs academically to go forward at a normal level...maybe higher, and more importantly, will get an advantage in her emotional development and self confidence. In my opinion, as a mom and a child/marriage therapist, this is far more valuable for her to receive in life.

I always vote for waiting. I waited an extra year with my son, and he is doing well. It's been good for him to have that extra year of maturity. ( I have heard from many teachers that they prefer when parents wait...especially with boys - who mature later than girls in many cases). Whatever you decide be confident in your decision and all will work out as it should! I also did have my kids in preschool for many years...was it worth it? I think it did help them socially and they both enjoyed preschool... I think it is good for them to get out of the house and experience the world without Mom - and they catch all the colds while they are still little and it's no big deal to stay home from "school".... then, for the first couple years of elementary school my kids were hardly ever sick they had built an immunity to so many things! : )
good luck with your decision! You are a wonderful mom because you are taking the time to put thought and love in to each decision you make for your little girl.

I'm going to just touch on the starting early. I have a son (they lag a little behind girls), even though he was well-within the boundaries of the cut off - he was a fourth of July baby - he had a hard time due to his height. He looked at least two years older than he was. Everyone expected more of him. He graduates this year. He will only be 17 when he graduates.

I really want to address your concerns about the teachers in your childn's school. Yes, the kids are assigned to teachers. However, you can still have a say. Whenever, there are school events, make it a point to attend them and get to know the parents and teachers.

You will find some parents like teacher X, other parents despise her. Find out teacher X's teaching style. If that is something that works with your child great, no worries. But if you are truly concerned there are two things you can do.
1. Writer a letter describing a teaching style that works best for your child. Also, note the classroom environment, "A rigid classroom with a stern focus is not best for my child. She shuts down in such an environment and it would be detrimental to her education." NEVER, say what teacher you want. Schools are not fond of that. ONLY say the name of the teacher you are trying to avoid if you have no other choice, "We know it's out of the school's policy to pick teachers. We only have a concern with teacher X." To do this, you need to have first hand knowledge of Teacher X. Not hearsay. For example, my oldest son had a teacher that was horrible for him (parents either loved her or hated her...no inbetween). When my twins came upon their fourth grade year I wrote a letter outlining the teacher's style and what style was best for each twin. I mentioned the teacher's name that I wished to avoid, not just because of the twins' learning styles, but because I felt she had never addressed my concerns when my oldest son was in class and we butted heads constantly. My twins were assigned to different teachers (whew!).

2. The next option you have is to be the squeaky wheel. If your child is in a classroom with a teacher who is truly wrong for her, speak up. Start with the teacher (always log who you spoke with, the concerns you shared, and whether those concerns were addressed or not), move to the principal, then the school superintendent. Write letters, emails, and make sure they are dated. Enough pushing will get the situation taken care of. Just make sure your claims are legitimate. Sometimes we don't always like a particular teacher, but they may doing okay with our child. You can't have the best teacher every year, so make sure it's really an issue.

Sorry, that was long, but I wanted to address the teacher concern. Hang in there, and stay involved. It really helps.

My daughter has a November birthday, for our school district she entered at the appropriate time. However this does mean that she will be starting college at age 17, she actually has the option to grad HS early at age 16, but there's no way she's doing that.

There are only a small handful of kids younger than her, and many in her grade are up to 18 months older. She was completely ready to enter K, and with the exception of having some trouble reading in first and second grade, she has always been at the top of her class. Since most of her friends are older (although this probably would have happened anyway because of her sister), she's matured a little faster than I would have liked, but I have no regrets.

Our school district ranks in the lower percentage of our state. Most of that doesn't have a lot to do with the school as it does to do with the parents. Many parents just don't care, they don't make sure their child does homework, they don't have reading materials in the house or take the kids to the library, etc. There are many great teachers in our district (quite a few bad ones too), and if you work with the teachers and with your child, your child will suceed. There are also advantages to be in a lower district. Our district has received grants and special funding, my kids were able to attend some excellent science programs held on Saturdays free of charge (the programs cost $500 to $700).

Even if she goes to the best school district in your state, you'll still have no control over who her teacher is. As for lunch, just pack your own.

how are her social skills, confidence, communication level, physical size, physical coordination, etc. for her age? school is about so much more than books and all of those things matter.
i was on the cusp and my parents held me back (both were teachers), research varies but a lot of teachers think older kids do better. i am definitely glad they did for many reasons- socially, sports, peer pressure, physical development (late bloomer), dating.

it certainly wouldn't hurt to have her tested, but i would do it with caution and be looking for the reasons to hold her back. If you can't find any, then early K may be best the choice.

the down side of being older/more advanced can be boredom. i did very well in school but my schools were not very good. i was sometimes bored going over info i already knew. but that was true even with new information- once you 'get' a math concept you don't need the teacher to expain it seven ways to sunday and will get bored. A far bigger factor was that we didn't have good programs to challenge kids or a more advanced cirriculum option and if you got one of the crummy teachers it was long year. i read A LOT (even in class) and my parents made sure i had access to info on whatever i was interested in learning about. i credit all that reading with making me prepared for college and the SATs, etc. in spite of a mediocre education. i totally understand that brings things back to the financial implecations, b/c another year of daycare is probably the cost of year of college.

on the flip side, i have several friends who were advanced thru school (skipped one or more grades- my parents also turned that down) or went very early (one went to K at 4, back when you could do that). in the end tho, besides bragging rights, what they really end up with is graduation & entering the work force at 20 or 21 instead of later. I'm pretty glad i was still in college when i turned 21 :) of course, college costs are worse every year so even that has financial implications.

Side note- have you considered having her start learning a musical instrument (or language) if she waits til full age? that way she would be challenging her brain and learning in new ways but it wouldnt be different than kindergarten curriculum. also, keep working towards reading! reading is one subject you can't get too far ahead in and you can always can add to your knowlege of every other subject.

good luck!

Wait! Being older in a classroom is an advantage as you have better social skills and maturity. It will help her in school.

Good luck!

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I started school early and was usually the youngest kid in my class. Intellectually it was easy for me but my social skills weren't that good. I did make friends and I was tough so I was not bullied.
By jr. high school I was socially where the other kids were.
My oldest daughter had been to preschool. The kindergarden teacher recommended her for a transfer to first grade. She was born the year after all the students. Still her social skills were very good and intellectually she was well prepared. She was 16 when she graduated and ready for college
We ate organic food at home and I packed a lunch. Just like me she didn't take to school food.

I could have been pushed ahead or held back. My mother held me back. I never once regretted it. It is so much easier being one of the oldest kids than one of the youngest.

I also agree with the other posters about thinking long term. In middle and high school, pushing a child ahead means they are entering the pressures of dating a year earlier. For most kids, this is not a good thing.

Former K-1 teacher here. I speak from personal experience here. I was a 9/1 birthday. And I also had early entry in my class. I am not in favor of boys for early entry. They are just not ready for it.

Girls maybe.

Kindergarten now are sit down classes and very academic oriented. They have specific academic goals now. Also some kindergarten classes are full time now rather than half day.

You should evaluate whether your child is ready for kindergarten if they can sit quietly for extended periods--I mean without moving--and pay attention and follow directions? Can she form some letters and does she have any reversals in forming letters.? Can she walk in a line without being frustrated? Can she separate from you quickly and without crying? Can she operate in a large group independently?

Another thing to consider--with the financial upheaval we are facing next year, kindergarten classes are going to be very large. Check with the principal to see how large the class is going to be. Then test your child to see if she is intellectually able to go.

I hope that I have helped.