I Would Like To...

I would love to send all three of my girls to kindergarden the same year, they are only 15 months apart and i would love for them to be in the same year throughout their school life.

I know i probably wouldnt, but i really would love too....

it is just over a year of an age gap between them.

what are everyone oppinions?

 

Why is that important to you, is my first question. What would be the benefit?

 

there wouldnt really be any benifits to me, to the youngest girl, she would have her sisters there with her.

i guess im just being a little over protective of my youngest, i wouldnt want her feeling left out.

 

I would have them in seperate years. The youngest may not be ready. 15 months sounds like a short period, but developmentally, it is a large difference. I would opt to put her in the next year. As school goes on, it may sound nice to have 3 in the same grade, but there are things like field trips, projects etc. At least then they would be staggered and not all at once since they would all probably not be in one class.

 

When the time comes, your youngest might PREFER to be in her own grade - so that she can be her own person, and not the twins' sister - kwim?

 

mine are 11 months apart.. and im still debating..

im sure everyones first reaction is to jump and say no.. but i think it will have benefitz.. like they can study together..

and be in activities together..

my fear is that my younger twin will excel and leave the other behind.. ..

give it some time.. not necessary to figure out right now..

 

My personal opinion is that they should NOT all be in the same grade together.

You'd have to hold your older girls back a year in order to do that, because it is my understanding that a child has to turn 5 before Sept 1 (the date may be different for each district) in order to attend Kindergarten. You can't send a 4yo, so you'd have to hold your older girls back a year and start them at age 6.

 

I think every child should start school at the time that suits them, not in an attempt to keep siblings in the same grade.

Most kids are singletons, and most kids are in different grades from their siblings -- and they all do just fine. You had twins first, so you're concerned that your youngest isn't getting the "benefit" of having a sister in the same class. However, even with multiples, most are eventually separated into different classrooms.

I think holding your oldest back or speeding up your youngest is not a good idea if it's just to try to keep them together. If it works out for them developmentally to all start school at the same time, fine, but to try to force the issue doesn't seem fair to any of them. If they all go to the same school, they'll still all have the same activities (Fun Fair, Open House, etc.), but in different grades/classrooms, they can also develop fully as individuals.

 

I understand you trying to plan for the future but I think a lot of your question will be answered in the years to come. You will personally be able to see where they are and from there- decide what's best.

 

I would't rush to plan a newborn's kindergarten just yet. I agree that each child should start school based on when they are ready and not based on what grade their siblings are in. It would be a shame to see her struggle or feel like she is not as capable or smart as others in her class if the real issue is just that she developmentally isn't ready to begin yet.

 

I know a family who did this and it wasn't a good thing. We had two brothers a year or more apart in my grade. One was a bright kid(younger son) and was in gifted with me and the other brother was slightly mentally retarded(older brother) and had to go to special ed classes. I know it was probably for the older brother's benifit that they held him back but it cause problems for both brothers. I would not do this.

 

I'm just curious to, how you could do this with them being 15 months apart?

I agree with everyone else that I would not rush your youngest to kindergarten just to be in the same grade as her siblings. As a pp said, 15 months is huge developmentally. As a former teacher myself I know even 3-4 months can make a huge difference. It may not seem like a big age difference, but when you think of it developmentally it is.

I would think your youngest may like to be in a grade by herself. She will always be with the twins and she may like this alone time.

I would really think hard about it if I were you.

 

thanks for the replies everyone.

i was just thinking about it last night and wanted to know everyone's opinions, i guess it has its ups and downs, i dont think i would send them in the same year when the time comes....it was just a thought.

 

I still am curious how this could be done? I know here in Maryland we have a cut off of Sept. 1, so your twins would go to school when they are 5 and turn 6 in kindergarte, like my DD did. But your third would go the next year still. I'm just curious how you were thinking this may be a possiblity?

Is there something I'm missing???

 

I can see where you would think about having all 3 together, get it all over in one shot, but the youngest will probably prefer being on her own. As a PP post said most singletons go to school alone and do just fine. Your older girls will only be 1 year behind and still be able to kepp a good eye on their baby sister.

 

I can see where you would think about having all 3 together, get it all over in one shot, but the youngest will probably prefer being on her own. As a PP post said most singletons go to school alone and do just fine. Your older girls will only be 1 year behind and still be able to kepp a good eye on their baby sister.