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Thursday, May 01, 2008

To K or Not to K

This Saturday is Kindergarten round-up/registration. How can this little pipsqueak of a person be old enough to attend Kindergarten this Aug?!


The whole age cutoff thing for when you're allowed to start Kindergarten is a little weird to think about. Because Kayla's a summer baby she'll have only turned 5 a month before school starts; whereas my friend Sue's son Harrison, who was born 4 months after Kayla in Nov, won't be able to start until next Aug. So at the end of next year when they're both 6 he'll be in Kindergarten and she could be in 1st grade.

I hadn't given any thought to holding Kayla back for another year of preschool and starting Kindergarten next year...to be honest I didn't even know that was an option. I just thought once she turned 5 she would be going to Kindergarten that year.

Then last May while we were at her IEP meeting the coordinator person asked about our plans for Kindergarten and then just mentioned that we could hold her back and not start her until the following year when she turned 6.

I left the meeting thinking "oh great, our first big decision to make about Kayla's schooling and she's only in preschool right now!" I thought about it off and on over this last year, but to be honest, a year felt like it was so far away so I didn't think about it too much.

But now registration is Saturday and I wonder where all the time went?! We've pretty much made the decision to go ahead with Kindergarten; although I guess there will always be a little voice wondering what if and no matter what decision we go with I'm sure I'll second-guess whether it was the right one. I feel like this is a much bigger decision then it should be, because it's only Kindergarten for goodness sake!

But she'll be such a young 5...and I've heard other parents (even with kids without any delays) say they held back their 5 year old from starting K precisely because of the fact that they will be the youngest in the class. They held back to give them another year to mature and so they will be more ready for K.

That's what my dilemma is - with Kayla just turning 5 will she be ready for a full day of school? (It's full day here - there aren't any half-day K classes, 8-3 like the rest of the grades.). She'll seem so much younger than the other kids since she will just have turned 5 (although I'm sure there could be other summer birthday kids in the class too) but there will no doubt be 6 yr olds too as they didn't make the birthday day cut-off the year before.

My biggest pro for sending her now is I think she would be bored with a 3rd year of preschool. Ok maybe bored isn't the word - she loves it there - and I'm sure she would be just as happy going there again next year, but she wouldn't necessarily get anything out of it other than social time. It would be the same curriculum and I don't think she would learn anything new, she wouldn't be challenged in that way. When we had a parent/teacher conf back in Sep I asked her teacher what she thought and she agreed it wouldn't do anything for her to stay another year.

I guess if she's going to be held back at all, I'd rather it be in K where there is more to learn. I'm not worried about holding her back for another year of K and then she doesn't "move on" with her classmates to 1st grade - because being in the military I don't think that's an issue. She won't "move on" with this group of kids for the rest of her school years anyway.

I think OT is one of her biggest delays and I wonder how that will affect her in K; how well she'll be able to keep up or do what the other kids are doing when it comes to writing etc.

If any of you have been in the position where you made the decision to hold back, or not hold back, what did you decide and how do you think it worked out?

And here is Lucas at the same age as that little pipsqueak was in the photo above.



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45 comments:

Robin said...

"I guess if she's going to be held back at all, I'd rather it be in K where there is more to learn."

I think that makes a whole lot of sense.

Noel said...

I have been put in the same boat. Abi is older but development wise she is so much younger than other kids at 5. Then you throw in the medical stuff with Abi and we are thinking keeping her out one yr would not be such a bad thing. Our school hasn't given us an option though, it is Kindergarten or see ya later! They want her to go to Kindergarten knowing she will be held back and repeating it. I think they underestimate her ability to socially understand that the people she went to class with last year are now in 1st and she still is in K. So we are looking into private K classes.
Tough choices at such a young age?!?! It stinks, because you can sit and what if all day long!!

Thinking of you
Noel

Tanya said...

We'll be making this decision for Logan in a couple of years. He'll be one of the youngest in his class since his b-day is Aug. 4th.

I agree with you though - put her in K where there is more to learn.

rylie's mom said...

I always thought I would keep Rylie in pre school an extra year. When the time came to start the kindergarten transition process, I decided to go along, just to see how the transition process was done. Anyway as she was being evaluated and as I was meeting with the people from the school district I started getting excited and realized,it was time for Rylie to move on in the fall. She will be an older 5 year old as she turned 5 in Jan. Yesterday we had the IEP meeting and it went pretty good. Rylie will be in reg kindy except for math and reading. And she will go to the same school as her older sister, so It will be exciting for her. Last year at this time I thought NO way will Rylie be ready for kindergarten, but what a difference a year makes!

andria said...

I went through the same decisions with Jacob, although he wasn't a summer baby. I just felt he was too immature socially for K at that time, but I relented and sent him. I really wish I hadn't. Now he's almost in second grade and still quite immature compared to others in his class.

I'm not advocating you hold her back, I'm just saying that you are your child's best judge of character and no matter what anyone else says, you know deep down what will be right for her. Go with your gut. If she seems ready and willing, go for it.

In case you're wondering, we didn't hold Jacob back in K because we was on track academically. I still wonder if we should have done that as well, but he's still holding his own with the school work so he's going on to second grade where I just hope to God he catches up socially.

JMO.

Michelle said...

Karly did Kindergarten twice, and it was wonderful for her.

I'd say go it! What does Kayla want to do? Is she excited for K?

A Captured Reflection said...

I so hear you Michelle! The system is a bit different in New Zealand. Kindergarten is from 4-5 years and School starts when they are 5. My Emma started on Monday, wearing her big bag and coming home with wee homework - she is loving it already and thrilled to be at School with her older brother. It's Emma's 5th birthday today too - I can't believe it. Your children are beautiful..but yes, where oh where does time go?

I pray that everything works out wonderfully for Kayla.

Overwhelmed! said...

What tough choices!

If you start Kayla in Kindergarten now and you discover she wasn't ready, then I agree it'd be easier to have her held back in Kindergarten where there is more to learn.

I think what Andria is saying about you're your child's best judge of character and you know what's best for her is very true. What does your gut tell you? Have you talked to Kayla about it?

Snuggle Bug won't make that cut-off so he'll be 5 1/2, almost 6 before we're allowed to send him to Kindergarten. That's fine by us.

In fact, we've made the decision not to send him to pre-school until next year (a year before he goes to Kindergarten) because based on the trauma he went through with going to daycare last fall, he doesn't seem ready. Whenever we pass his old daycare (it's walking distance from our house), he says, "No school today!" with apprehension in his voice.

Of course, I worry that by waiting so long with pre-school that he'll be behind the curve when he starts Kindergarten, but I guess I'm willing to take that risk for his emotional well-being.

((sigh)) So many things to worry about as parents, aren't there?

Tami said...

This is a decision we just made with our oldest son. He turns 5 this month. He is in preschool (it's his second year). He was in the 3's class and now the 4's class. After his parent/teacher conf. in April it was determined that he could really benefit from an additional year of preschool to mature and gain more confidence. He will be going into a 5 pre-k class this fall. This was a decision that was very hard for my husband and I to make, but we feel confident that it is the right one.

Where we live, it is very common for 6 year olds to be entering kindergarten. There are a lot of kids at our church who have done this same thing.

Mom24 said...

We faced this dilemma with my youngest son. His birthday is July 12. We waited for kindergarten. I think we did the right thing, but honestly it's hard to say. His thing is that he absolutely loves to play. We wanted to give him more time for that--more time to mature. The thing is, he's really bright, and we have a lot of problems with him not being challenged. Actually, I think he was more challenged in the preschool 5's class than he was in kindergarten. We were also looking at the other end of things. We wanted him to be a good solid 18 (almost 19) when he went out to face the world. Graduating at 17 was not what we wanted for him. Now, here's my advice for you: you sound like you have thought about this (kuddos). You've asked the preschool their opinion. You've thought about what you think is right for her, and I think you have a great plan. It makes a lot of sense to me. You are right that being in the military she's not going to grow up with those kids, and at the early elementary ages, kids don't notice or care anyway. They just accept. (It's horrible that we lose that.) I agree that there will be an adjustment for her--it's a shame that it's an all day, everyday program, but she'll get there. I am sure that the kindergarten teacher's understand that there's an adjustment period, and that they plan for that. The only thing I would add is that if they offer some type of an assessment at round up to keep an open mind and try to hear what they say. You might also inquire as to what is "typically" done in your district--in ours, it's definitely to wait. Otherwise, I think you're in great shape! Good luck. PS--I know this feels like a monumentous decision right now, but as someone who's been there--it will be all right--either way. They really are a lot more resilient than we realize. Sorry this turned into a book. LOL.

Izzy, Emmy 'N Alexander said...

They both look so much alike! Adorable Babies!!!

I am not there yet as Izzy just turned two, however, I'd send Kayla. Let her get a jump start in K and if she needs or you want her to do K over again, you have that option. I don't think you are going to have a problem. Kayla seems very smart and social. Kindergarten may give her just the right amount of challenge and make her that much better! She's going to do great and I think going to school all day is challenge enough for any kid. Talk it up and give it lots of hype so she's excited to be a big girl!! Whatever you decide, you will know what's best for Kayla.

LauraJ said...

Just before Aaron started K I had a panic and a half. I wanted to keep him home but instead I knew going to K would be the best for both of us. I sent him. It WAS the best thing for him. The year after that I asked if he could repeat K and everyone agreed. It was the best decision I made. I'm not much help. I think two years of K is better than 1 year of K. In Aaron's case the first year he got a handle on what was expected of him and the school routine. By his second year of K he was a pro.

Kim said...

I teach 2nd grade and I think you are making the right decision to put her in K. When children enter k there is a wide range of abilities based on their experiences. Some children have never been in a school setting and some children are already reading. I would rather see her repeat k instead of having another year of preschool. I'm sure her school will have programs in place to meet her needs. If you're not sure, just ask them. I know we have a couple blind children that have one on ones and we've had OT's come out to the school as well.

Cate said...

I have no clue, but let me know what you decide because Abby's bday is 5 days before the cutoff, so I suspect we'll be having a similar discussion at my house in three years. :)

In all seriousness, I'd put her into K now with the thought that you can always have her repeat it. Another year of preschool won't hurt, but she's been there done that. Maybe a little push to the next level would be good, especially where the stakes are (fairly) low.

(I tend to choose things based on what I'll regret, or what I'll be able to get out of or fix if it turns out badly. So take my advice with that in mind.)

Lovely pictures!

my--four--sons said...

does your school have special ed kindergarten? I had the option to put my little guy in main steam kindergarten or special ed. I am putting him in the special ed kindergarten because they teach the same things but they have smaller classes and they have several aides to help the teacher out. Plus they do activities with the other kindergarten classes. He does have to bussed to another school for it because they don't offer it in his the local school.

Anonymous said...

I always rolled my eyes at parents who got overly anxious about school issues such as these. Now, my son (who has DS) is only 18 mos and I am ALREADY stressed about starting the preschool process. I think that as parents of kids with DS we feel even more pressure to make the decisions that are going to put our kids in the very best position to succeed. I think you're making the right choice...a mom's instinct is rarely wrong.

Tammy said...

Oh I hear ya' with these tough decisions. My oldest was a young 5 (sort of) going into Kindergarten too since her birthday is in July...
It is strange to me that some Kindergartens have all-day school though...it seems so much. But I do know what you mean about her being possibly bored in preschool again.

We have so many choices all the time as parents. My decision to home school was hard...then with my youngest, although I did plan to home school her as well- I began to wonder if I should send her to public Kindergarten first like I did her sister...
but I prayed a lot and went with the decisions that seemed to be God's voice to my heart.

Each one of us is so different... we just have to pray and make the best choices we can- and trust God with the rest!

(I love both photos of Kayla and Lucas! So cute!)

Unknown said...

Michelle- I echo Robin's comment. I am a teacher and a parent and I have seen kids who should have been held back and weren't and those who were and end up being top of the class becaus ethey had the extra year. (Our son is an October birthday and he was one of thse 6 year olds in K) And you are right, if she is held back in K there is no stigma in that as with kids in the upper grades. But you know Kayla best and will make the best decision for her. You may want to call the principal of the school she will be attending, and see if you can get some information about class size, resources, etc. and even see if you can meet a K teacher. Usually schools are great about doing this and it gives you even more infomation to make your decision. You can always register her, and change your mind too...

Anonymous said...

Our cut off age here is 5 by December 1st.. my son has an October birthday. Since he was born I have gone back and forth about what we are going to do when he gets that age (he is currently 3and in ECSE for a speech & language delay). We have finally made the decision that he will go to kindergarten when he is 5 almost 6.
Reasons why:
1. He will get one more year to be a little kid (yay!!).
2. My younger sister was only 17 when she graduated from highschool, she wishes my mom had held her back (she turned 5 the day after school started).
3. He is little, as in 25th percentile little. My daughter is in kindergarten this year and it scares me, a lot of the kids are HUGE compared to her.
4. There is no way I can see him handling the fast paced schedule my daughter has had this year as a young 5.
5. My daughters kindergarted is 1/2day where they have to pack a whole day of learning into 1/2 the day, I WISH we had an all day program, there are no toys in her class, because there is no play time in her class, her school day consists of academics only (because of NCLB, federal and state requirements), they only have recess one day a week.
6. I was honestly SHOCKED at what they requuire them to learn compared with what one of my sisters had to learn just 5 years ago when she was in Kindergarten (mandates have changed A LOT in the last 5 years). They have had spelling tests since October, by Christmas they were reading books with 6+ words per page, and were doing double digit addition and subtraction by the end of January. They do stuff I remember learning in the 2nd grade. SHOCK is the only way to describe it. A 5 year old should not have to stress about homework.
7. I wish I had sent my daughter (may birthday) to young 5's this year.

I would go to the kindergarten round-up, talk to the teacher and see what a typical day consists of and what markers she will be required to pass for 1st grade... talk with her current teachers and ask them if they think she can handle the full day of school, or if they think another year of pre-school would be good for her, talk with one of the parents of a current kindergartener, ask them what their experience has been this year. Then make your decision.

The Girls' Mommy said...

I could have written that exact post--we went through the VERY same decision this year. Abbie turned 5 in Feb.

I was all for K (twice if need be) and not pre- for a third year, until at an IEP meeting one of her teachers said, "If she waits one more year, will she be better able to access the K- curriculum?" YES. She could do it next year, but if we wait one more year she'll rock at it.

The second reason that swayed me was when another teacher said, "She LOVES our free play time, we get most of her goals met when she's in charge of her own play time. There isn't much free play in K-, its much more academic." I wasn't ready to take that from her.

So we decided to repeat pre- for a third year, but to switch teachers to help mix things up. Plus she does 2 classes, morning and afternoon pre- so that she's ready for a full day.

The good news? Nothing is ever permanent. You can move her up to K- or back to pre- if you decide its just not working. So go with your gut.

Corey~living and loving said...

oh my.....I was pretty sure I was going to vote for K, and then K again if she needed more time, but after reading some of this....I am so not sure.

I would go to the round up and talk with the teachers and see what the expectations are, and what the day looks like.

Dori (Aviva's mommy) said...

WOW kindergarten already....In Aviva's class that were many kids summer birthdays....I am glad you made the decision to send her.

And Lukas is just adorable.

HUGS!

Karen said...

He's getting so big!

We're making the decision with Micah as well. My latest decision is to hold him another year. Or two. He's just not ready academically. We held our oldest son a year and it was a good thing, we never regretted it.

Good luck with the decision. We're finding this to be way bigger than we ever anticipated - and it's just starting!

Sarah said...

We will be facing a similar situation next year with our son Ian. He does not have DS but was adopted at 2 1/2 years with a severe cleft palate. He is developmentally delayed and nonverbal but is slowly catching up. I think we will plan to send him to K but hold him back there if needed. Preschool is so much more social I think and he would get more out of 2 years of K vs. an additional year of preschool.
Good luck and your daughter has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.
Sarah

Kerry said...

What adorable pics!

Actually, if you hold back, the year to do it is first grade. Kindergarten is more socialization and basics, which she will probably do very well in, especially since she has been in preschool. I have a coupld friends with typical kids and that is what they were told by their teachers, all in different towns.

You might be jumping the gun anyway. She is a girl, so she is already smarter (LOL - but true) and she will have some provisions made for her within her IEP. She might have a hard first month just getting used to the routine, but I bet she does well. :)

It seems like yesterday that michale went off to kindergarten... and he's going to MIDDLE SCHOOL next year!! Ack!!!

Andrea@Sgt and Mrs Hub said...

Eve will be on the older end of five when she starts kindergarten -thankfully. I was always the youngest in my class, socially it was tough. Academically I was fine, but I really could have used that extra year - I was 4 in kindergarten.

I am nervous about kindergarten for Eve! I am nervous about the full day - it's 8 to 3! That seems so long. I would hold her back an extra year if I thought she needed it, but she doesn't. She is so ready. She was incredibly bored at home this winter.

As for Judah, we'll see. I am going to send him to as many years of pre-school as I can. For social reasons and prep for kindergarten. I personally think boys really need that extra year before enrollment.

You will make the best decision - you know her best!

-Andrea

Anonymous said...

This is a huge decision, but think of it this way.... think of giving Kayla the "GIFT" of another year.

I am a former preschool teacher and mother of 3 and I agree with Julia about the free play in preschool vs. the more structured and academic expectations of kindergarten.

I always tell parents that if you are unsure and asking this question, then give your child the "gift" of one more year.

In my state, DS children go to school until the age of 22, so another year of preschool will give her more time to "be a kid" and more time to develop the skills that she will need to succeed.

Success builds self esteem!

Don't worry about her being bored. Children learn by repetition. (how many times does she watch the same movie, and still enjoy it?)
There will be different children, and possibily a differnt teacher, and different classsroom, so it will not be exactly the same experience for Kayla. I'm sure you will see that she continues to learn and grow.

Just my 2 cents here.... but as her parents you know her BEST. Take some time to evaluate all of the information that you received here. Spend some quiet time and listen to your heart and soul, and KNOW that whatever you and Joe decide will be in her best interest!
~K

Jen said...

Madison was a March baby so it didnt matter. She went when she was 5. Miller is a November baby and will not be able to go until he is a strong 5. I dont know honey.....pray/

ChupieandJ'smama (Janeen) said...

I don't have a good answer for you. I just wanted to say that we'll be in the same situation as you! Jason is a July birthday and I'm just not sure what we'll do. Luckily we have one more year to mull this over, but I'm not it's going to help me make my decision any easier. The problem is that the system doesn't help with this. They leave too much up to the parents and I know people who have children with April/May birthdays that have held them back because they feel it will give them a leg up on everyone else. That is a huge difference for my child that turned 5 in July and their child that turned 6 in April.
But I'm afraid that if I hold Jason back, he'll be bored. He's smart as a whip but I'm just not sure his maturity level will be there. I hope the teacher can give me some insight on if she feels he'll be mature enough to handle it.
You're a great mom and I'm sure whatever decision you make will be the right one for Kayla.

Melissa @ Banana Migraine said...

That's a hard call. I'd go ahead and put her in K, and if id doesn't work, she could repeat it. She might really enjoy it, and I'm sure she'll learn tons!

Paulette said...

I did the same exact thing for my son. He was not at all socially ready to go. We put him in Kindergarten and held him back in kindergarten, we do not regret it at all!! I put my son through a school study program and had him evaluated because I so wanted to do the right thing. I was told in no uncertain terms that the majority of summer babies who go to school to early really struggle. They recommended I let him go to K. but to hold him back because it would be better to do so in K. I am so glad we did. I felt I did not want to rush my son through school even though he was extremely intellegent he was not socially ready and we put him in preschool as well. I thought afterwards I wished I had just let him do another year of preschool however I must admit I was eager for my smart little son to start K.
All I can say is to make sure you seek out the teachers advice when school starts, tell her what you feel, and so she will be able to give you an honest evaluation of Kayla at the end of K.
I cannot believe Kayla is ready for K!! I can not believe my little boy will be a senior!!!

Heidi said...

As an educator, I looked at birthdays at the beginning of a year to kinda give me an idea on maturity, but I quickly realized that it was only one small part of how they would handle Kindergarten. I now have a 5 year old who's birthday was before the cut off in the state we were in so we sent her to Kinder., but then moved 3 weeks later to another state that she didn't meet the cutoff date. We decided to actually petition her in because we didn't want her to get so excited about Kinder. and then pull her out. So she is the youngest in her class, and at times I think that she could have benefited from staying home one more year, but all in all, I think it was the best decision. I think you are right about your daughter continuing to grow by learning new things. Sounds like you have your decision, but like most parenting, we aren't ever really certain. Just the thought & care you have taken says a lot about your devotion to her, she will be just fine.

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

You know, every parent goes through it! But you made a good point about the military children. It won't be as much of an issue to her or other kids if she HAS to repeat a grade later on. But from everything you've written about Kayla, she seems really smart, friendly and well-adjusted. If you guys and her preschool teacher think she's ready, then she probably IS. All day kindergarten throws another wrench in the whole deal, though! I cannot imagine that...

Good luck on your decision. Remember that if you DO start her in kindergarten and it really, really doesn't work out, you can always pull her and start again.

Bonita said...

Only you can make this decision and you already know that, but since you asked for input I'll share from the perspective of a mom with two teenagers.

I 100% agree with the others who talked about giving Kayla the gift of another year. My oldest was in preschool and had a blast, but the year he went to Kindergarten was completely different. Play and free time was minimal and he struggled with the more academic workload. I'm sure it depends on your particular Kindergarten as to whether that would hold true in your case or not.

Also, they grow up so quickly anyway and if I had it to do over I wouldn't rush anything, but let them stay young and carefree as long as possible.

Plus, I think that by waiting a year, it would boost her confidence when she actually starts "real" school. She will be more mature, not the youngest in the bunch, and hopefully better equipped to handle the full day of school and all that goes with it. I just think we need to give our kids every opportunity to start out with confidence, rather than struggling to keep up. It makes things much better in the long haul, though it might seem inconvenient for the moment. I'd rather see her starting out feeling like she's at the top of the class or at least on top of things in her own life, rather than having her first experience with school being one of struggle- and no one knows whether that would be the case or not. It could flavor the way she feels about all the rest of her school years.

I'd vote for keeping her back this year so that when she does start Kindgergarten you can be sure that you've given her every opportunity to mature and start out with confidence. Just my opinion, though, and you have to listen to your heart. What does your hubby think?

Beck said...

Kids in Ontario start school in pre-kindergarten, when they're four - although because of the cut-off dates, some of them actually start when they're three. Can you imagine sending your three year old BABY off to school? No, me either.
WE're considering holding the Baby out of pre-K and just letting her start in kindergarten. We'll see.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if this helps, but I turned 5 a week before kindergarten. I truly was about the youngest in the class. I did just fine, however it is on a case by case basis. With our daughter, K-, her birthday is December 20, so that decision has already been made for us. We have full day kindergarten as well, so I would have had to consider that.

Another comparison is my sister. She decided to hold her daughter back a year (she is a May 20 birthday) and she believes that it is the best decision that she could have made for her. Transition to full day kindergarten was horrible for her, so she couldn't have imagined if she did it a year earlier.

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

First off, Lucas is getting so big. I just wanna bite his little thighs!! What a cutie. Anyway, I really am gonna just agree with everyone who wrote to you and say go with your gut. When Rhi turned 5, the school year started just 2 weeks later. She is usually the youngest in her class every year, but I just knew she was ready to go. With Nate's b-day being in April,I figured he'd be fine, since he'd be one of the older 5 year olds. (well, at least not a summer baby) Looking back now, i think it might have been a good idea to have kept him out of school for another year to let him mature a bit. It's a hard decision. I'm glad you're writing about it and getting everyone's opinion, and giving it a lot of thought. I wish I could help you more. :-(

Anonymous said...

Well i held katie back after speaking to a few people who did the same. Katie could read ,write ,and do math at three. My Mom didn't agree with the choice i made. She felt that since Katie could do all that she should of went. But at the time i felt she wasn't mature enough.I thought she had a little more growing up to do . I do feel I made a good choice. she has been a honor student since she started school.
wow little Lucas is getting so big! He is such a cutie!
love ya.
mimi

Presto3 said...

My oldest has a birthday 6 days before the cutoff here. She was the youngest in her class, and I think she was somewhat immature as a result. However, she did fine. Her teacher told me that usually the young 5's have trouble with fine motor skills, but that was ironically one area where my dd excelled. That might give you a heads up for Kayla to work on that (this info was from a 30 years of experience K teacher). We had my dd in an all day class. I think it was great for her. She learned a lot more than if she'd have been in a half day class (and truthfully I wonder if she'd made it to first grade without the extra class time). The transition to all day wasn't too bad, despite the fact that she only went to preschool for 1 year and that was only Tues, Wed., Thurs. for 2.5 hours each day. Her school day is shorter than Kayla's will be, though, 8-2. I know for the first couple months her teacher had "quiet time" after lunch, to get them used to an all day schedule.

Shelley said...

Oh my goodness Michell - Lucas's pipsqeak photo looks so like Kayla's!! I don't know about the holding back issue - I am just trying to get Hannah into a preschool - (70 applications for 40 places). It sounds to me like your logic makes sense though.

Sue said...

Wow - it's amazing how young they are when we're hit with "big" decisions. :) Personally, I would not hold back just because of being the youngest in the class. My Kayla is August also, so she is the youngest in her preschool class and will continue with that in first grade and beyond. I think the best guage is more on Kayla's readiness. From what I can tell, she is thriving at the preschool and if her teacher and you think she has nothing more to gain from the preschool then she probably is ready for it.

Don't you wish you coudl fast forward in time 6 months catch a glimpse of the what-if's and then go back and make your decision?

Lindse94 said...

I am a special ed teacher and totally agree with your decision. I think that although it may be a hard transition to a full day program she will get more from K than an additional year of pre school. Also keeping and open mind about an additional year of K is the right way to approach it.
Good for you!

jason said...

I am dealing with this right now, too. My son turned 5 in Feb so I have no qualms about sending him to K this year. But my daughter will turn 4 this August-so when she starts she will be one of the youngest. People here start their kids late to give them an advantage in sports later on in school which I think is unfair.
But...I started school in Hawaii where the cutoff is the end of the year--dec 31. So with my dec 17th birthday, I was 4 when I started kindergarten, and 17 when I graduated HS. Everyone is different. I am sure Kayla would love to be somewhere she could learn.

K.T. is Mommatude said...

I know this is late but its not too late to change your mind.

Speaking from experience...I would waive that first year of Kindergarten.I wish I had done it when Kendall was 5,but didnt and hindsight has been 20/20.

akakarma said...

My daughter is now in 1st grade after delaying K and then repeating K and it has been wonderful. It's hard not to get caught up in the way they say it should be but I refuse to look at anything other than where she will fit in best- that blend of challenge and comfort- and to hell with the formula that the crazy ed system set up! You will know what is best for your little girl. She is beautiful- so much like my sweetie and their names are almost the same !