This is ridiculously far away, but...

[QueenQueso]

Does anyone think about school yet?

I never did during pregnancy before, but my boys were due 2/1 (or 1/28) and 10/31 and born on 2/10 and 11/8. This one is due 8/1 and my u/s today put me at 7/28 instead. I will be having a rcs, so the OB is going to want to do it at 39 weeks, but I plan to push for 40 weeks.

But 8/1 is the cutoff age for kids birthdays in our school district. It's hard for the youngest kids in the early grades to keep up with the oldest ones.

I don't want them to move up my rcs and make the baby 'just make' the birthday cutoff for school. I could always 'red shirt'., but I'd rather they just miss it because of the date.

I know, it's crazy early to be thinking of this, it's ridiculous and my DH is gonna think I'm nuts when I tell him this later.

 

[ellahopesky]

my daughter missed out on starting school this year by 2 weeks! its awful because she would be so ready! i was one of the babies in the class and did absolutely fine in school so i wouldn't worry at all. each child is different, so doesn't really make much of a difference when they go imo. x

 

[QueenQueso]

I was also one of those babies, and I did okay. My brother was one and he did not do okay. The little boy I babysit started this year, he is is 6. He missed the cutoff by ONE day. He would never have managed if he had to start last year. If he had been ready last year, he could've tested in.

You're right, every kid is different, but I feel like starting K when you've only been 5 for like 2 days is a disadvantage compared to kids that are only a few weeks away from being 6.

 

[Tristansmom]

Oh wow, 08/01 cutoff date - where I live (Alberta, Canada) cutoff date is in January. So 4yo can start kindergarten as long as they'll be 5 before January. Even some January kids get in under the wire - a friend of mine turned 17 the January before he graduated high school!

I'm due September so not worried about it this time, but I'd for sure want to get in under the wire - better to be the youngest kid in kindy and maybe do two years, than be the oldest!

 

[babytots]

I wouldn't worry too much. My eldest daughter was born June so is one of the youngest in her class but she is one of the brightest working at a higher level then her peers.

My youngest daughter and eldest son were both born after the cut off so are the eldest of their classes. My daughter really should be in the year above as she is excelling everywhere in all areas and the work she does bored her as she knows it all. My son however needs that extra year as he is very behind his peers.

My youngest son and this baby will be the same as my eldest and th youngest in their year but I'm sure they will do just fine too x

 

[ellahopesky]

In the uk we have the option to hold them back for a year if we feel they aren't ready. Do you have that option over there? May be worth looking into if when the time comes you feel they need the extra time at home

 

[QueenQueso]

Yeah, I can choose to hold them back (I'm not sure if it's like that everywhere, but I know we can here) or on the other hand, if they do miss the cutoff and they're ready, as long as the classes aren't super full, they will test them and take 4yo's (who are nearly 5, they won't do it super early) on a case-by-case basis.

So either way, it will be okay in the end, this is just my new worry for today.

 

[NinjaPanda]

Oh wow, 08/01 cutoff date - where I live (Alberta, Canada) cutoff date is in January. So 4yo can start kindergarten as long as they'll be 5 before January. Even some January kids get in under the wire - a friend of mine turned 17 the January before he graduated high school!

I'm due September so not worried about it this time, but I'd for sure want to get in under the wire - better to be the youngest kid in kindy and maybe do two years, than be the oldest!

It's the same here in Saskatchewan and, as a kindergarten/grade 1 teacher I HATE it! I def think they should be 5 before they enter school. I would kill for our province to have an 8/1 cutoff date. Even if they are good academically the social aspect is huge and there's too much of a maturity gap (I have both noticed it as a teacher and experienced it as a child November birthday). Unfortunately, DH doesn't see what I see and thus doesn't agree with me.... Our first is due in Sept.... That's going to be a fun discussion when the time comes....

 

[Tristansmom]

It's the same here in Saskatchewan and, as a kindergarten/grade 1 teacher I HATE it! I def think they should be 5 before they enter school. I would kill for our province to have an 8/1 cutoff date. Even if they are good academically the social aspect is huge and there's too much of a maturity gap (I have both noticed it as a teacher and experienced it as a child November birthday). Unfortunately, DH doesn't see what I see and thus doesn't agree with me.... Our first is due in Sept.... That's going to be a fun discussion when the time comes....

As a former high school teacher, I can tell you that having kids who can legally drink is a nightmare. And as a kid with an October birthday, I would have been bored witless had I been held back! Social development issues can be dealt with by ensuring kids have two years of daycare/preschool before starting kindy, and doing two years of kindy if needed. As a parent (of a boy who had a severe speech and language delay), I would argue that it's always in the child's best interest to start early; most kids succeed, and those that need more time can then do the second year.

Obviously, this scenario works better in class sizes that have appropriate student:teacher ratios; I realize that's not a reality in most school jurisdictions, but I still feel very strongly that starting earlier is better!

 

[Tristansmom]

Also, my stepson missed the cutoff by a few weeks and he's bored. ALL. THE. TIME. Schoolwork is ridiculously easy for him and it makes him lazy and complacent. He actually said he likes how easy it is because he can slack off and play mine craft most of the day.

 

[NinjaPanda]

It's the same here in Saskatchewan and, as a kindergarten/grade 1 teacher I HATE it! I def think they should be 5 before they enter school. I would kill for our province to have an 8/1 cutoff date. Even if they are good academically the social aspect is huge and there's too much of a maturity gap (I have both noticed it as a teacher and experienced it as a child November birthday). Unfortunately, DH doesn't see what I see and thus doesn't agree with me.... Our first is due in Sept.... That's going to be a fun discussion when the time comes....

As a former high school teacher, I can tell you that having kids who can legally drink is a nightmare. And as a kid with an October birthday, I would have been bored witless had I been held back! Social development issues can be dealt with by ensuring kids have two years of daycare/preschool before starting kindy, and doing two years of kindy if needed. As a parent (of a boy who had a severe speech and language delay), I would argue that it's always in the child's best interest to start early; most kids succeed, and those that need more time can then do the second year.

Obviously, this scenario works better in class sizes that have appropriate student:teacher ratios; I realize that's not a reality in most school jurisdictions, but I still feel very strongly that starting earlier is better!

yes, I agree with this.... That is, if you are lucky enough to live in a community large enough to offer these opportunities. Where I live, there is no preschool or daycare to send children to and we do not do two years of kinder here, either. Divisions here refuse to allow grade repeats. Kids also can't legally drink here till 19.

Also, one could argue that a good teacher would differentiate to enrich students that need it to prevent said boredom. I have 6 different learning level groups running in my room constantly this year to make sure the kiddos are getting what they need at their varying learning levels.

 

[QueenQueso]

As a former high school teacher, I can tell you that having kids who can legally drink is a nightmare. And as a kid with an October birthday, I would have been bored witless had I been held back! Social development issues can be dealt with by ensuring kids have two years of daycare/preschool before starting kindy, and doing two years of kindy if needed. As a parent (of a boy who had a severe speech and language delay), I would argue that it's always in the child's best interest to start early; most kids succeed, and those that need more time can then do the second year.

Obviously, this scenario works better in class sizes that have appropriate student:teacher ratios; I realize that's not a reality in most school jurisdictions, but I still feel very strongly that starting earlier is better!

What's your drinking age? Ours is 21, so no one should be legally drinking in high school (illegal drinking though is quite another story!).

Preschool here is very expensive and there aren't many preschools in communities around here. The formal preschools tend to be only half days or only three days a week, making it impossible for most working parents. In many cases, kids go to a daycare that does some sort of 'learning program' but those centers are catering to all ages at the same time and aren't really comparable to a preschool. Repeating Kindergarten is typically only allowed if you fail the class. Most kids do not fail unless they are not ready, which would be the prime reason I would be considering holding a child back a year. Also, if a child followed your plan, they would have to start formal schooling at age 3. Don't you think that's a bit ridiculous?

 

[NinjaPanda]

[/QUOTE]What's your drinking age? Ours is 21, so no one should be legally drinking in high school (illegal drinking though is quite another story!)[/QUOTE]

In Alberta, drinking age is 18. In Saskatchewan (where I am) it is 19.

 

[Tristansmom]

Most kids do not fail unless they are not ready, which would be the prime reason I would be considering holding a child back a year. Also, if a child followed your plan, they would have to start formal schooling at age 3. Don't you think that's a bit ridiculous?

Lol... Actually, no. My son did start formal schooling at three years. Courtesy of our province's public health plan, which covers early intervention for developmental delays (such as my son's issue with speech and language development), he attended two full years of half-day preschool, four days a week, where he worked with a certified early education teacher, an occupational therapist, and a speech and language pathologist. It's a joint program between my school district and the healthcare system. As a direct result of his early education, my son was able to start French immersion kindergarten at the same time as his age cohort, and is excelling in his class.

So no, I don't find 3 to be a remotely ridiculous age to start school.

His daycare is also excellent, but I don't know what comparable childcare costs in the States; I am very fortunate on that count, as his daycare is within bussing distance of the school where he attended preschool and is now attending kindergarten. Working a 55-minute drive from home means that I need this type of accommodation in order to continue my personal career development. I can drop him off at daycare at 6:30 am, and pick him up at 4:30 at the end of the day. This means he's gettig significant social interaction with two different peer groups in two different languages. Since he's been attending the same daycare since he was 2 1/2, he has developed strong bonds with both the caregivers and the other children. I find it to be a very satisfactory situation overall.

Sorry, re-reading that it comes off a bit angry but to be honest the comment about 3-year-olds beginning their formal education being ridiculous rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[QueenQueso]

Sorry, re-reading that it comes off a bit angry but to be honest the comment about 3-year-olds beginning their formal education being ridiculous rubbed me the wrong way.

I definitely could've worded it better, but I still think 3 is too young to start formal education. My oldest son also had a speech delay. We found through our state's early intervention program a therapist who came to our home a worked with him one-on-one and he was more than caught up well before he started school and did not take any speech classes there. My brother took them at school, but the way they do them here takes them out of class so they have to do classwork at home, thus adding to their homework load.

Our public school system offers nothing like language immersion programs (in fact, they don't offer foreign languages at all until high school usually, which IMO is too late to pick it up without a whole lot of effort), that sounds like it would be really a great experience for a child! I have heard of some private schools that do, but there are none at all anywhere near me and I'm pretty sure the tuition is more than my family makes in a year anyway.

 

[NinjaPanda]

Sorry, re-reading that it comes off a bit angry but to be honest the comment about 3-year-olds beginning their formal education being ridiculous rubbed me the wrong way.

I definitely could've worded it better, but I still think 3 is too young to start formal education. My oldest son also had a speech delay. We found through our state's early intervention program a therapist who came to our home a worked with him one-on-one and he was more than caught up well before he started school and did not take any speech classes there. My brother took them at school, but the way they do them here takes them out of class so they have to do classwork at home, thus adding to their homework load.

Our public school system offers nothing like language immersion programs (in fact, they don't offer foreign languages at all until high school usually, which IMO is too late to pick it up without a whole lot of effort), that sounds like it would be really a great experience for a child! I have heard of some private schools that do, but there are none at all anywhere near me and I'm pretty sure the tuition is more than my family makes in a year anyway.

The only reason we have immersion programs like we do is because we are a bilingual country. It really is a great thing! As someone who came from a bilingual family where my dad's first language was Anglo and my mom's was French, having the immersion opportunities really helped! (Although, they did put my in speech therapy when I did not have an impairment, I had a thick French accent. Lol.... Silly western Canada!)

 

[Mrsgoodhart]

My son started kindergarten this year around two weeks before he turned six; his dad wanted him to start the year before but I just didn't see why he needed to start school at age four when he has the whole rest of his life to be in school, have jobs and obligations, responsibilities, etc.
He has done wonderfully and performs very well in school. Though he is very intelligent, I don't know if he'd have been ready socially at 4. I definitely feel like it was the right decision to wait and start him at 5.

 

[nugget80]

Ds is a summer baby and started nursery in september as one of the youngest but he has been fine (my 2 dd are also summer born and both on g&t register) so summer babies don't do badly. It is easy to pick them out even up to age 10. Its easy to spot summer babies in my class but often thats due to maturity not ability. ..

 

[NinjaPanda]

Ds is a summer baby and started nursery in september as one of the youngest but he has been fine (my 2 dd are also summer born and both on g&t register) so summer babies don't do badly. It is easy to pick them out even up to age 10. Its easy to spot summer babies in my class but often thats due to maturity not ability. ..

From what I have seen, summer babies don't have the social issues that I have talked about. I wouldn't hesitate putting in a summer baby. It's more the fall/winter babies.... Those that don't turn 5 until they have already begun school. It's really easy to pick out the ones born sept and on because they are usually the socially awkward ones or the behaviour issues.... and not always, but quite often academic issues too.... I have had ones that don't struggle academically though. DH and I never did and we were both late birthdays but we did both struggle socially. It is even harder in a small town when sometimes there are only one or two kids that are 4 entering kinder and they end up being alienated by the others in the class because of their differing maturity levels. It happens quite often.

 

[nugget80]

I think cut off dates are different here in uk. Our cut of is 31 aug so sept babies are the oldest. Ds has a boy in his class who turned 4 day before school started so september babies are almost a year older than summer babies.