Let me just first state---for the record---I miss Doug Sanders. It's lonesome having this big office to myself. Wait...music's playing, I'm getting things done, I can concentrate without constant attacks of ADD...maybe this IS good.
Question...any of you out there have kids with summer birthdays? What did you do with them regarding Kindergarten?
Did you see on the news the latest Baptist church who went to picket and spew hatred on gay people? When I see things like that it makes me want to puke. Yeah--let's see, Jesus did show up with a picket sign to the stoning of the woman caught in adultery. Didn't he? Oh--and then there were the times when he went to the houses of tax collectors and picketed them and yelled hateful statements at them. Oh--and we can't forget the time he found the man so possessed by demons that his NAME was Legion. I'm sure he had a picket sign for that too. Wait...am I wrong?
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
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18 comments:
Brandon,
Our daughter's birthday is June 30. We debated whether to start her to school at 6 or wait. When she took the ?? readiness test, she scored so high the kindergarten teachers told us she would be too bored if we held her back. Intellectually, she did fine. Emotionally, she would probably have benefited from having been a little older. We didn't really see this until high school. She will graduate from ACU in May, completing her courses in 4 years, and she's doing fine. I guess what I'm saying is there are good and bad points to both sides. Overall, I think parental support is what's most important. It's easier for the kids to go, than for us as parents to let them! Whatever decision you make will no doubt be the right one.
Oops, Brandon - you asked about kindergarten and I answered about first grade. We enrolled her in kindergarten at age 5, and then had to make the decision for first grade. However, the advice is still the same - whatever you do will be all right
Just wanted to say how glad I am that our families are at Otter Creek together. You are so precious, Brandon.
Jules
Brandon, I haven't experienced being on the parent side of the summer birthday issue, but I can speak from my own experience of having a summer birthday. I have a late July birthday and my parents decided to go ahead and send me to kindergarten. I was intellectually ready, but as one other person already said, I think that the first few years of elementary school were emotionally difficult. I can remember being scared and overwhelmed, however, I did get over that and I think in the long run, I was in the right place. Simply being one of the youngest in the class, though, was never an issue for me. I think so much of the decision comes from your personal situation. By sending me on to school early, it kept me close to my sister, who is one year older than me. It also kept me with my best friend. (That may sound silly, but at the time, a loved and familiar face provided much security and comfort.) Also, I am reminded that, as they say, "girls mature faster than boys." So, while the beginning was emotionally difficult, by the time I hit high school, I was emotionally ready to move on! Does this make any sense or am I just babbling?!
BST,
I hit kindergarten at 5 and first grade at 6. I was very intellectually prepared for it, but I ended up doing second grade twice and my mom regretted not holding me out of kindergarten until the next year.
We're planning on sending Kinsey to Kindergarten next year ourselves, so I guess we'll see how that goes.
A thought from someone raised by a preschool teacher -
Every year my mom gets this question about kids and like what has been echoed here it isn't about being smart enough or academically ready. It really comes down to emotional readiness or maturity in general. From her 27 years working with kids this age, here is what she has consistently told me: Of parents who have made the choice to wait a year, not a single one has regretted the decision but there is almost always someone who regrets not waiting the extra year.
I was a May birthday and went at 5 and it was great. My younger brother (August) waited a year and it was absolutely the right choice.
Our Seth has a July 30 birthday. He turned five last year and we enrolled him in a half-day kindergarten; he'll do a full-day kindergarten next year as his "repeat" year. So yes, we're "holding him back," as they say.
We talked to as many parents as we could who'd had to make such a decision. We found that (a) it seems to be a particularly great choice for little boys and (b) could probably go either way for little girls. But the bottom line was that we never talked to ANYONE who held their child back that regretted doing so -- we only found people who DIDN'T hold them back that DID regret not doing so. (They didn't ALL regret it, mind you, but some did.)
You'll make a good choice, I'm sure. Obviously, there's no one way to do this.
And about the gay thingy -- then there's always the Church of Christ in Montgomery, Alabama whose signed was featured on the news just recently. Click here to view the article. Sheesh...
I just realized I said exactly the same thing Jen said about the level of parent regret. I *knew* it sounded good! :-)
Thank you for putting that question out into blogland!! Very helpful for me.
Having taught elementary school for 30 years and seeing the process through 6th grade and beyond, generally the kids that were held out an extra year faired better. Especially in the later years when an extra year of maturity and experience makes a difference in choices and decision making. Lynn
Gracie's birthday is July 28th and we started her this year at 5. She is definitely one of the youngest, having started Kindergarten a mere couple of weeks after turning 5 while some kids were turning 6 soon after starting. There is 1 girl who is repeating K, and she turned 7 in January so she's quite a bit older.
I really think it depends on the child, and with boys I do think it makes a difference. Academically, Gracie is doing fantastic and probably would have been bored being held back 1 more year. Physically, it has been tiring on her (full day) but she absolutely loves it and is up before me most mornings. She's almost always excited about going and jumps out of the van ready to get to class! Emotionally, I don't see many problems with starting her. We talk alot about stuff that goes on and I try to keep that open, honest relationship with her that most parents strive for & pray for. She hasn't shown one bit of fear of going to school at all this year. She did show sadness at leaving her K teacher and going to 1st grade a couple of weeks ago, but is now pretty excited although still a little sad. I know she'll do great next year, too.
Honestly, Gracie is one of those kids who was born to go to school & learn! I can see the viewpoint that alot of parents stated here that someone is more likely to regret sending them early than not sending them early. Gracie is just one of those who was ready to go.
I really think it varies from child to child. Good luck! I'm glad Katie's birthday is in March, so this won't be as much of an issue.
I am a boy and my birthday is in May. I was very glad to start Kinder- when I did. I graduated and went to college as an 18 year old. When you are expecting 5-7 years of college these days, being 19 puts you at 26 when you get out of college. That's so late to start working in your reality job.
Shurl should Homeschool. Then you can spend the time that you would have spent taking them and picking them up hanging with your long lost pal, Brad:)
haha..I'm sure she appreciates me soooo much!! Luv to my peeps!
Bc
Brandon, summer birthdays are important but not the only major factor. Some schools will do a kindergarten readiness assessment. If you can get that done it will be a great tool. If they are ready then let them go. Research is very split here. It is truly an individual decision. She has been in a preschool program and I know the genes she has, I bet she is ready. Call me and we can talk about it.
My birthday is in late Sept. & the cut-off at the time was in Oct. My parents sent me to Kindergarten when I was 4 - school started in late August, so I was 4 for a whole month & another girl turned 6 that January! I was one of the youngest, but I loved school & did well. It all depends on "knowing" your child. You will feel it in your gut if they are ready or not. Is separation anxiety still an issue? How do they handle being around a lot of kids? Is your school half-day or full-day & how will they handle that schedule?
I didn't take time to read all the comments (I'm a teacher on my lunch break,) so what I'm going to say may've already been said. I think the biggest question here isn't when the birthday is, but where is she developmentally? Is she reading at all yet? Is she very inquisitive?
I think in general it's better to err on the side of letting them have an extra year to develop rather than put them in too early. However, if she's ready to go then send her on in! Another option is a church or montessori kindergarten for a year and then possibly sending her into public school kindergarten the next year if she isn't ready for first yet. That's what my parents did with my brother, and it helped him tremendously.
Generally, though, it just depends on the child. You know her best, so you'll do the right thing for her.
Don't you know Jesus cries when things like that happen!
When I taught I could spot my summer boys right off. The girls took a bit longer. Rhett turns 5 on September 5th. The cut off in Texas is September 1, so we have no choice. But I would have held him back anyway. Both MK's girls have summer birthdays (May and August) and she sent them on. Neither have had problems and both love school and are doing great. Maddie will probably be fine no matter what you decide. It's really just up to you and Sheryl... and how many kids you want in college at the same time! :)
My dad said, "Girls are born directing traffic." All boys should start later but with girls I think it depends on their level of emotional maturity. Having said that, I started kindergarten at 4 (turned 5 in October) because my mom said I was more than ready. I was ready, but it caught up with me in middle school. It was awful being the youngest. I was physically tiny and not even close to the same wavelength as my female classmates regarding emotional maturity.
The other thing is you can go ahead and start your kids but if it's obvious that first week that it's a mistake then pull them out and start over the next year. We did that with James. He just absolutely wasn't ready to be away from me. And, to add to the chorus, we never regretted it for a minute.
I think you should have 6 more children.
Julie
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