I have to make a decision about my daughter’s future. And I am not happy about it.
Katie is a late July baby. Born during a heat wave and keeping the fire under my hiney ever since. And now I have to decide, is she ready to start Kindergarten next year?
She’ll be the right age according to the Texas calendar, and she keeps up with her preschool class brilliantly, says her teachers, so what is my concern?
She’s 4!
And yes, she will be 5, but barely. She seems so small to me. So not ready to enter into a world of daily studies, long days, and less time with me.
Adding to my confusion are the opinions, both unsolicited and solicited. Everyone says that they know no one who complains about keeping their children back until they were 6. My mother remembers entering 1st grade (Catholic School) at 5 and she hated it. And everyone agrees that if Katie not keep up, she will benefit more from not going until next year instead of being held back in a later grade.
But on the flip side, there are many kids who go to school on the state’s schedule, regardless of late summer birthdays, and do just fine. Plus, the Bridge program is expensive and I don’t really want to spend the money if it will make no difference anyway.
Her teacher’s say that they were worried about her in the beginning but that she is doing very well and even exceeds their expectations. She reads the words they are learning, counts and is starting to add, and can write names and words just fine. She is very artistic and forever coloring a picture for someone. She can tie her shoes and most importantly, she is SUPER excited about Kindergarten.
Socially, she plays with everyone in her class and does not discriminate whether boy or girl.
Emotionally, we have the typical issues with tantrums, she fights bedtime tooth and nail, and she gets really angry when she is tired. But, in talking to others, I have learned that is probably her age and quite normal.
So, now the decision is mine. Hold her back now, in preschool and make her the oldest in the class instead of the youngest? Or let her go and pray that she can keep up on all levels?
And I have no idea what to do.
Decisions SUCK!
I will be facing this same thing with my 2 youngest (both July babies). GracieAnn is only 3 and so advanced but, as of this moment, I am going to keep her home the extra year. She may be socially, physicially, mentally capable of keeping up now but I'm afraid that later in life it will catch up–it did with my sister. My sister should have been held back a year but she wasn't. She was avery immature into her teen years and hung out with everyone in the class below her. She didn't WANT to get her driver's license and my mom finally made her when she was 18!! (I was chomping at the bit at 14). good luck!
I hate making decisions for myself, let alone for someone else.
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I was the youngest in the class – my birthday was in November so I was 4 when I started Kindergarten. Academics were never an issue, but socially those 6 months made a difference. Not really until high school though. Then it was important who drove first and dated first etc.
I don't have an answer for you – just my experience. For my kids I am not going to hold them back, but I refused to ask for a variance to start them early either. They were academically ready, but I wanted that extra 6 months of social development for them.
I think it really depends on the kiddo personally… you'll figure it out.
I think it is easier for girls. if you had a son, I'd say "Keep Him Home Another year!!"- but girls seem to do better.
BUT, I think giving her another year to get ready can't hurt and will give her a greater edge….
(but then again, I homeschool and am for 'delayed formal education')
Ugh. I hate decisions like this. It sounds like you're taking your time to really think it through which is admirable. Don't feel like you have to stick to the "typical" sometimes it's a-okay to be atypical. :)
I have these decisions coming up myself. When my eldest started kindergarten he was 4, heck so was I. Both November babies. I didn't have a second thought about putting him in kindergarten then.
Now though they've changed things. If your child isn't doing well, they won't keep them back and you have to go through doctors and have a doctors note to keep them back. The thing is, how do you know how they will do unless you put them in? Such a silly practice. I have no solution for you. I wish I did. I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling this way. That these decisions suck. Thank you for posting.