Looking for opinions about holding back preschooler

[Luke]

We started our son in kindergarten at CRES when he was still 4 (he has a November birthday) He seemed really ready for kindergarten at the time, and he is really intelligent. His year was the first year that EGUSD went to what I would call an academic kindergarten. Even though, he was always at the "top of the class," if we had to do it over again, we would have held him back a year. If nothing else, he is always a year, and sometimes nearly two years younger than his peers. Indeed, in soccer and baseball, he often was on teams that had kids older than him that were a grade behind.

As a result, with our daughter (who has a September birthday) we decided to start her a year later. Because of that, we enrolled her in the Transitional Kindergarten program at SJV (which is a half day) and then she has gone on to a full day Kindergarten there, and now First Grade, where she is excelling.

I can't say which method is better, but I can say that if nothing else, we will get the joy on the back end of having our daughter home an extra year.

[crash]

It certainly depends on the child and holding them back really does help them to get more "stay home" time which is always better for their security. Personally, I don't think kids "need" kinder but it can be helpful if parents must work or don't have the time to teach them the basics themselves. The socialization and control issues work themselves out as the children mature so keeping them home longer is always a sure bet. Good luck!

[pingtheduck]

Lots of good info..

I'll add one last factor. If, for whatever reason, you are debating between Kindergarten verses Preschool/Day Care (instead of a straight Preschool Program for say 2 or three hours 3 days a week) I would sooner enroll my kiddo in a full day Kinder program. I've had friends that enrolled their kids in Kindergarten twice (once here and then again because they moved either schools or locations) due to a change in their circumstances and both parents need to work outside the home. Probably not the most ideal circumstance but the academic environment was more enriching than many Day Care scenerios. Not all, I hasten to add, but many.

[Martha]

My gut tells me that if you're on the fence about it at all, keep 'em home for the year.

We have friends with a daughter who has a Sept. b-day. She was doing fine in school here, hanging out just as much with kids her AGE as her GRADE, but when they moved out of state, they put her back a grade. They said it was the best thing they could have done for her, and she didn't think anything of it. No scars for life from it at all! OTOH, my MIL put my BIL in kindergarten when he was 4 and 10 months (November b-day), and they held him back cuz he just wasn't ready to move on. (and don't think for a MINUTE that we don't still tease him about flunking kindergarten...'course, as 40-somethings, it IS funny now!)

The Young Master is a December b-day, so he missed the cut-off date by nine days. What a lucky break that was! He was SO not ready to start kindergarten at 4yrs 9 mo. He's a smart kid, but he does. not. care. for school. One advantage that he's REALLY looking forward to is being among the first in his class to get his driver's license! (I'm an end of Sept. b-day, and I was among the last to get my license and it was a bummer!).

So, not knowing your child, I don't see where there would be anything wrong with keeping him/her home one more year. Kindergarten is NOT for babies. Gone are the days of playing with big red blocks, naps, and walking hand-in-hand to the cafeteria for a snack of juice and graham crackers. Kids are expected to know SO much before they even START school it's not even funny. They're getting exposed to algebra by 4th grade, and most will never master math concepts (I'll save that rant for another day). If you're not yet in a pre-school program, do that. Find one that focuses on kindergarten ready-ness (I understand both The Ranch and The Learning Center do, and they're close!) and do that.

I can't recall a time I've ever regretted waiting when I've had some hesitation/reservation about something. Go with your gut. Erring on the side of caution quite often gives you more options for making changes rather than jumping in to something and discovering that wasn't what you should have done.

[love2run]

The Learning Center has TWO preschool options. One at the center and one at the RMA building.

Sorry to hijack the thread with that. Both of my kids are February babies so 5 1/2 at the start of Kinder. Both are usually sicker than sick on their birthday's so at least there is this silver lining.

[Matthew]

We too have a child with a December birthday and missed the cut off by about two weeks. My wife and I thought about putting her in early. We decided it was better to be on the older end of the class rather than the younger side. She is doing very well in school.

BTW, great thread. Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts and personal experience. These types of threads can really help out others reading them.