Fall/Summer Birthdays and K

HERE is a great article on the pro/con of of sending or waiting if your child has a birthday near the cut- off date by the NAEYC.

Just something to think about: I know there are a bunch of us in here with FAll/Summer preschoolers that will have to make a choice this spring on what to do!

We are still undecided, but heavily leaning toward sending them (Oct Bday with Dec1 cut off).

 

What a great article! Thanks so much for posting. I sure hope this doesn't turn into another red-shirting thread like the last one, LOL.

K&K have June birthdays. It's likely that Kevan won't be ready regardless, because of his special needs. But, I know we'll have some trouble deciding what to do with Karina -- for one thing, big sis goes to an academically challenging private school that usually redshirts by default, at least for boys. But, Karina is very bright and seems to take after her big sis, who would have been more than ready for kindergarten even with a summer birthday.

I'm going to print this out and send a copy to the school's counselor, actually. Great material for discussion!

 

My girls have Oct Birthdays and we also have a Dec. 1st cut off. My husband and I have decided that we are going to go ahead and hold them back a year, so they will start when they are 5, but will turn 6 in Oct.

 

Just curious--how & why did you decide already?

The only reason I ask is because 2 years ago (when our girls were 2) we were leaning toward waiting, but undecided (as we are now). Now, after talking to the local schools, preschool teaches, and between ourselves--we have changed our 'leanings' toward sending them--- though we will not make a firm choice until we have to register.




I am going to tour some local schools and see what options there are (private- most likely cant afford, charter, or public) and if they are 1/2 day or all day. I think the screenings they do in the spring and parent teacher conferences will help us make a more informed choice- instead of just going on a birthdate. I Really like this article and how it presents the information clearly. Our area is mixed--- some parents wait and others dont, so yes there could be a potential 14+ month spread of ages in the classrooms but the majority of kids a solid 5-- with some young 5 and some older 5s or 6s. They would not stand out too much since their would be kids on either end and due to the poor economy many 'early' Birthdays are going now (that may have waited) since parents are struggling to find/go to work in MI.

I know there is not a 'right' choice either way. All parents make an educated choice on what is right for their family and child. I was not trying to start a debate at all!! Especially since we are not positive on what we will do.

 

I just personally think 4 is too young to start Kindergarten. In a lot of places, with their Birthday they would be past the cut off anyway.

Both DH and I have November birthday's (we were both held back as well) and were always older, and I felt it was better. I also don't want to send them off to college at 17. If they had a spring or summer birthday I would definitely wait until they were older to make a decision for sure, but with a fall birthday so close to the cut off, we both felt it was better to wait an extra year. I don't consider it red-shirting because I'm not doing it to give them any kind of edge, but we just don't want to rush sending them off to school.

 

Our cut off here is sept 15(the usual start of school) so my girls missed going to pre-k by about a month. The will go to prek this fall at 4 soon to be 5

 

The girls are in PreK now---they would not have qualified next year (it is a free preschool program. You have to be 4 by the cut-off date (Dec 1)- it is for 4 yr olds only, so they could not have gone next year because they would have been 5 and eligible for K).

So we are in a wonderful program the is 4 days a week 1/2 days. If we wait another year, the girls would be homeschooled since we can not afford preschool/PreK again. If we send them, they will be some of the youngest (Oct 9th Bday). Academically they are both ready, socially one is ready and the other is on an IEP--so they will hopefully support her in K (and it is not likely that extra time will resolved all reasons for the IEP by next year). I really need to go back to work, but cant do so until the girls are in school (even 1/2 days would be great).

I find the varying 'cut-off' ages crazy!!

 

I'll have to read that article. I seriously don't know WTH to do. The cutoff is Sept 1 and their birthday is Aug 12, so they will have just turned 5. School often starts around Aug 20-ish.

They repeated the 2's-3's class in preschool, so they are now in the 3's-4's class. So if they go to K next year, they will have missed actual pre-K. I think academically, they are ready. Socially, I don't know. The idea of putting them on a bus scares me too, in any event, I might just drive them to K. I'm having serious anxiety about it.

 

Thanks for sharing. I have never really doubted that we would put our kids in K this coming fall even though they won't turn 5 until the end of Sept, but it was nice to read the research. In our case it supported my decision. But, since I would ideally like to homeschool (if I can convince DH), then it won't be much of an issue for us.

 

Good article. Thanks for sharing.

Personally, I'm still really hoping they have the Young 5's (junior K) in our district next year. With all of the cuts our state has taken in education, I have my doubts. But, that would be best case scenario. Mine have Sept 20th Birthdays and cut off is Dec. 1st. I think DD may be ready, but I worry about DS's ability. He has some strengths and some weaknesses. Weaknesses include getting easily frustrated under pressure, not liking to draw (he doesn't draw very often actually and when he does, it's "rollercoasters"), and doesn't seem interested all that much in reading/writing/alphabet. He seems to need to be "entertained" a bit more than his sister. He does seem to really like math concepts, science type of activities and being read to. I'm a bit worried about his social skills and am hoping that another year will help him in that regard. And, I don't feel I can send one to K and not the other. If Jr. K is taken away, we'll have to take a hard look at which way we'll go.

 

Thanks for posting this!! I have been thinking about this since they were about 1 and talking to as many people as I can. I know we still have some time to go, but it's just such a tough decision for me.

Our town's cutoff is on/before Sept. 1. Their birthday: Sept. 1.

ROCK ---- ME ---- HARDPLACE

 

In our area you have to 'qualify' for young 5s (it is available this year, next year is in the air) both by age (birthday between June and Jan) and NOT be academically ready for K. Parents can not choose it, it has to be offered after the screenings this spring. It is a 1/2 day program. This year they also offer regular K in 1/2 and full days, but I have heard that this is the last year. I almost *wish* MI had an earlier cut off!

If 1/2 day regular K is offered---off they go, there is no way they would qualify for Young 5s unless they change the 'qualifiers'. If it is only a full day option, I really dont know--

I am not glad that we all are agonizing over it, but it is nice to know I am not the only one!

 

Isn't it funny how different the districts are and we're really not that far from each other at all. Our Young 5's is based only on age (summer/fall b-days). I wish they did district screenings for KG entrance. That would help make this decision a bit easier for me to be honest. Our preschool does their own little report of how they are doing with what Kindergartners need to know in the Spring, but I feel like they don't really know what is needed in the schools. It'd be nice if the public schools gave something out to the daycares/preschools with a screening type form to let us know how our kids were doing and help them make a recommendation, but I think each individual preschool does their own thing. This year, they decided to keep the program in each of the elementary schools b/c they feel it's such a great program even though all the funds were cut for it from the State. Now that even more State funds have been cut, I'm worried that it won't be offered next year. They gave the offer this year of all day regular KG or 1/2 day, but you had to pay extra for the all day and they didn't have enough people sign up for it. I guess we'll have to see as the time draw nearer. My kids go to daycare/preschool 3 full days a week and my DS already "hates" school. He's such a home body. I dread doing the 5 days/week next year.

I'm glad to see that this discussion isn't going sour or leading into debates.

 

agree with Kyrstyn and i keep going back and forth as well for Parker since his birthday is Nov. 1st with the cutoff date Dec. 1st. He'll really be the baby of the class and with his academic development way behind his sister when she was 3 i'm still undecided. He's hopefully starting preschool this jan. two days a week than in Sept/Aug he'll move to 3 days a week to give him an extra day of learning. He also has a bit of speech issues that we have been working on at home and slowly he's getting better.. it's going to take time so i really need to see how he is right before i register him. When it comes to maturity or being in a social situation around other kids away from home... i think he'll be fine.... just not sure of academically if he'll be up to speed. We'll see... we have some time to decide so no rush.

 

Read the book "Outliers". It is ALL about this type of thing. It's a GREAT read. My boys are September 26 anyway but even if they weren't, I would have waited to send them. I am September 11 and I was the oldest in my classes and I loved it!

Plus, I was a teacher and the young ones were SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO young compared to the older ones.. I think it's a good idea to research TONS before you send them. The book 'Outliers' will seal the deal!

Good read!

Nice topic!!

 

I also knew before my kids were born that I would wait. Again, if you do research on the subject, you'll see the age thing REALLY changes the whole experience.

I LOVED being the oldest! I drove first etc.. Rocked!

Mine will be SIX when they start as well. I think it will be GREAT! (and they would TOTALLY be "ready" by all standards, but in my mind, I'd like to make sURE they are FULLY prepared to take it all in in every regard.)

 

I have read it, I enjoyed it too! The things I remember most (it has been a while, maybe I need revisit it with this topic in mind) was that IQ was not the deciding factor in success in life that was a combination of environment (society as a whole), self-motivation, family environment, drive, creativity, and many other variables , that 'groups' of highly creative individuals arrived and contributed to our society at certain times, and that professional hockey player benefited from being 'older' (closer to cut off dates for playing)!!

I am a teacher too (Spec.Ed) and surprisingly many of my kids had 'older' birthdays.--- they often were held back thinking it would 'mature' them when many of my students had learning disabilities and/or ADHD. Although- I admit that my views are skewed due to the kids I worked with, but my personal observations tended to agree with the article I posted.

Also, I think some of it is dependent on the area you are in. As I said before--our area does screenings and a lot of prepwork. Our PreK is a feeder into the local elem ( it is located at one of the Elem schools) and they really know what the kids need to know going in. Mostly they stress: listening skills, patience, ability to work in a small group, following directions, and a decent (for a 5 yr old) attention span as being more important that academics as a child heads into K. Although, most kids know letters/numbers and basic skills walking in to K here, but as I said before it is not popular to wait/not wait for Fall/Summer Birthdays- kind of down the middle.

1/2 day & all day also are important to think about. Our district has 80% Full day since that is what parents asked for, it is not additional $- but latchkey is. There are a few 1/2 day programs but they are mostly young 5s.

School cuts will be interesting this upcoming year for MI. I think a lot of parents are thinking of working/trying to find work and need 'young' K kids to go to school to help ease the cost of childcare. The districts are bleeding out horribly as people leave MI, so there are fewer students--but teachers are not retiring as fast as they thought. I think classrooms are going to be crowded and full, with less resources than years past. I am crossing my fingers that they have a 1/2 day K program (not young 5s since we couldnt get it) available for us....our PreK almost got cut a few days after it started, if it had our girls would have had no preschool at all.

Thanks for keeping this 'debateless', I was more trying to find out who else was struggling with the choice and wanting to know more of what they were thinking and why.

I cant imagine anyone making the choice one way or another without researching it. We are all trying to make the 'right' choice for our kids and their individual circumstances (age, schools, length of day, family situation, etc).

 

I don't really have preschool age kidlets yet, but next year I will be thinking about it. . .

I was the youngest in my class because I went to a private school that didn't have birthday cut offs, so I was younger than everyone with a November 29th birthday. Then I went to public school and should have been pushed up a grade but because of my age I wasn't. Needless to say I was completely understimulated and undermotivated and got in trouble all the time for talking and other boredom issues. So assuming that my kidlets with the August 23rd birthday take after me, I will get them in school at the earliest possible time.

/shrug, I've got some time though

 

KC, I really wish our school district had some kind of "Young 5's" or Junior K, half-day K type of program. If they did, then I really wouldn't have a second thought about sending them to that. It just seems like such a huge transition to me to go from preschool three days a week, 2.5 hrs a day, to all-day K. I don't even know if they allow twins to be in the same class or not, I have to find that out. Bea gets overwhelmed very easily and will just shut down and not talk, and/or start crying. I just don't know how she will handle K. Their preschool class is only 10 children, with a teacher and an aide, and they know the girls really well. It's just such a different environment than how I picture K. I know, I really need to go visit the school and see what it's like.
Someone will have to give me a Xanax on the first day.

 

I loved this book!

 

I worry about this for Karina, too. Nadia is bored in kindergarten even though her school is supposedly hard -- she's pretty far ahead academically, and nothing has challenged her so far. Socially she fits in fine, but I think she'd get along with the first graders just fine, too. The psychologist that administered her IQ test actually suggested that we talk to the school about her skipping a grade, but we didn't want to do that.

Karina is still little, of course, but more and more she's taking after Nadia...if she continues developing in the same manner, I can't imagine redshirting her. We'll see how she does on the application process for the school, though.

The twin thing makes it very tough, also -- I can't imagine sending Karina to kindergarten and holding Kevan back, but we may very well end up doing just that.

 

i will definitely be sending cameron and alisha to kindergarten next year - they are august 16 birthdays and the cut off here is october 1st. they will be young for their class, and i know a lot of other kids with summer birthdays here will be held back. partly i will be sending them because i don't want to pay for another year of preschool, but i also think they are ready. academically they are definitely ready. emotionally, alisha is ready. i'm not positive about cameron, but i'm sending him anyway. another factor is that they are both tall for their age, and cameron is extremely coordinated and athletic, so i think that will help him "fit in" with the other boys. also - this year they are in a 5 day a week program - 2 1/2 days and 3 fulls - so going to 5 full days will be a natural transition for them.

i read outliers - i found it really interesting - but it certainly didn't convince me my kids would be best off if i held them back. the other thing i understand is that kids even out by 2nd grade - the early readers and the late readers all even out and then it becomes about iq and motivation.

bottom line is that i think we each know our own kids and know what's best for them - so what's right for some kids isn't right for others!

 

This is how one of my DDs is- she has an IEP and gets OT to help her. She has been treated for Sensory Processing Disorder (as well as some other issues). She 'overloads' quickly and that is my big concern for next year. Right now she is at 4 days a week 1/2 days and it is going well, but the first 2 months were ROUGH. They have 15 kids and 2 teachers. K will have 26+ kids and 1 teacher. I worry about the transition....esp. since all but a few classes for K are all day. Only 1 or 2 of the 1/2 day classes are 'open' regular K, the rest are Young 5s and you have to 'qualify' for it (versus parent request).

Our district generally splits twins, but they will work with parents. I am going to keep my girls together the first year and see how it goes.

I was told to visit K soon- if you visit near the end of the year it is much more intimidating since the kids will be acting/doing 'older' K/early 1st grade stuff and it can look like a lot. When you think about it, you will be seeing end of the year skills/behaviors if you visit later in the year.

We also have some charter schools in the area that I may consider as options and a public multi-age school. Lots of options, but I am not terribly happy since most of them are all day K only.