Well it’s that time of year. Kids all over the country are now having trouble deciding what to tell people when they ask what grade they are in. Our oldest usually answers, “Well I’m almost in third grade.” And he is. The school year is coming to a close, summer is around the corner, and Kindergarten roundups are happening.
So the all-important question comes up in almost every conversation with anyone who has a preschooler in the home. “So will you be sending your child to Kindergarten this year?” You answer as best you can and wait for the approval or disapproval of the person asking because you truly aren’t sure of what to do either because of your child’s young age. And that’s okay.
This is a hard decision, but let me make it easier on you…don’t do it.
I realize this sounds harsh, but I have reasoning, experience, and research ready to go. I don’t have a “right” to tell you what to do, so feel free to dismiss my advice if you feel so inclined. But I will tell you that seven years of experience as a special education and general education teacher in middle school, hundreds of professional relationships with other teachers, and years of research have my mind set. I realize that some may not like what I have to say, but I speak the truth. Might your child be okay? Sure! Not every kid is the same. But the vast majority of children whom are started in Kindergarten too early tend to struggle. And I would rather help society avoid that issue…even if I am wrong in some cases.
So let’s dive right in. Remember I only use “he” because I have two boys and I’m used to it. Most of the time I hear parents give one of the following reasons for beginning their child in preschool too early and I have a rebuttal for every one:
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I agree with all of this! While my kids birthday’s are in November and December so it was never a question for us, my mom and husband started school early (back when the cut off to turn 5 was in October). They have both said it wasn’t grade school that was the problem it was high school and starting college at 17. My sister’s birthday is in August and my mom had her wait to start school, based on her college experiences and being so young.
2 boys, both July birthdays & both on the small side which for boys can be huge as peer pressure starts. I knew my older son wasn’t ready although now it’s funny that he never did learn to write cursive.
There are simply reading readiness skills which kids have or they don’t, like cutting & coloring (Jason didn’t). We were fortunate that our school system had a pre-K, pre-1st followed by regular 1st grade … and that’s what they both did, or we would have held them out for another year.