Sept. 1st Babies? What about Kindergarten?

Kim - posted on 01/06/2012

My districts cut-off use to be Dec. 2, now moved to Oct.1 and beginning with the 2012-2013 school year Sept. 1. My lil guy turns 5 on Sept. 1 so we just made the cut-off. My school offers a pilot program called transitional kindergarten for those students in- between the new cut-off dates. Come September 2012, I have the option of having my son enter kinder or wait another year. I will allow him to start kinder in Sept. because he knows the basic and beyond for kinder. he can write his first and last name and knows his alphabets, colors, numbers, and shapes. He has been the youngest in class since he entered school and 2 and besides being a little shorter he is actually more advanced than the older children and has no social problems being one of the youngest in the class.

Jenna - posted on 01/04/2012

I personally am glad my son missed the cutoff. He missed it by 2 weeks. He's totally and completely ready for school, but I'm okay with having him home until fall 2012. He's only young once and only has a few years of his life before he's in school for 13+. And boys fare better starting kindergarten older than younger. I'm not worried about him being bored either. He is excited by life and everything about it and I'm sure he'll love school, even though he's already reading on a 2nd grade level. I have always had good relationships with my kids' teachers and I know the kindergarten teachers at the school and know they'll find ways to challenge him.

Maggie - posted on 12/28/2011

I hate this issue. We had the same thing except my son isn't in day care or preschool or anything. The only public preschool is income based and we didn't qualify but can't afford a private one. He missed the cutoff date for Kindergarten by six days and even though he can read and count and add and spell and write all the letters they would not accept him into school. I was very frustrated for a while but we've just continued doing what we've been doing - practice reading and counting and stuff at home. I'm thinking about just homeschooling him altogether because next year when he qualifies for kindergarten he's going to be so far ahead that he'll be bored. The public school system is ridiculous. I thought there might be some kind of interview or test he could take to get in earlier but there wasn't. Grrrrr at public schools!!!

Kayla - posted on 10/27/2011

My son turned 5 September 29th, and met the school cut off day by 1 day. He loves kindergarten but is the youngest in his class, and has a shorter attention span than the other kids. I keep feeling guilty about sending him, but he seems to be learning just fine, and absolutely loves it. He was bored at the daycare I sent him to, and is (other than attention-wise) very mature. Anyone have suggestions on working through that? We do have parent conferences coming up though, so that should also be enlightening :)

Medic - posted on 08/27/2011

im good and yes......just message me

Shannintipton - posted on 08/27/2011

OMG how are you. do you remember me?????

Medic - posted on 08/27/2011

shannin she will be the youngest

Shannintipton - posted on 08/26/2011

I am really bad at math and this is an old post to boot. But my daughter will be five Sept 1st. She is going to Kindergarten. Will she be older of younger then most of her peers. Sorry I really cant do the math. Please help. thanks

Amber - posted on 08/26/2011

My son was born September 28,2006 and our school districts cutoff for Kindergarten is August 1st so therefore he's going to be going to pre-school again this fall...I didn't want him to lose what he has already learned the past 2 years so I'd rather him be older than some of the kids then to fall behind...

Megan - posted on 04/08/2011

My son is September 24th and he was just diagnosed with ADHD so I think he needs the extra year but it depends on the child, My son will be entering VPK(voluntary pre kindergarten) this upcoming school year, the kids have to be 4 on or before sept 1st so he will be one of the oldest ones. On the other hand my daughter will be 3 in August so she made the cut off date so even though they are 22 months apart they will only be 1 grade apart in school it should be interesting

Sacha - posted on 04/07/2011

My daughter is Sept 5th as well. I think that waiting a year will be good . If she is to advanced that will get adjusted in school . I have heard many stories from adults who were born in early fall that felt behind all the way through school . If she needs to take college courses in high school worse things could happen .

Jo - posted on 02/27/2011

My daughter was born on Sept. 8th, the cut off date is Sept.1st. so right now she is stuck with a group of 3 year olds which is less than ideal, since all her friends are 4 and 5. Her teacher told me that if another school would accept her into the Kindergarten program then our school would have to. I also asked her teacher to write her a letter of recommendation, so hopefully she gets in because she will be a senior in high school at 19 and a freshman in college at 20

Maggie - posted on 11/10/2010

it really depends on the child. How is your son doing as far as learning? Look at the requirements for starting kindergarten at the school you're sending him to. (for our local school they have to know shapes, colors, numbers 0-5 and some letter recognition) If he already knows most of the information then I'd go ahead and put him in kindergarten. If he doesn't then wait that extra year.

Allison - posted on 11/04/2010

The cut off for our district is October 1st and my son will be 5 on September 11th. I've been back and forth about this a lot trying to decide what to do. I just can't see sending my baby to Kindergarten at 4!! He would be 5 shortly after but still! He would be one of the youngest and least mature in the coming years. I'm not so much worried about the first few years of school, but the later years when maturity becomes a huge factor with social issues (dating, driving, peer pressure, etc.)He does not go to pre-school now but I figure if I keep him out the extra year, he would do preschool next year instead. He is somewhat ahead for his age with spelling and math skills but is behind with his fine motor skills (coloring, writing)I think the extra year will do him a lot of good, I just don't want him to be bored either!! It's a tough decision!!

Carlene - posted on 02/01/2010

Keep them in another year. My daughter went the early turn and is nearly a year behind evreyone (in age)else and struggles, not necessarily with her learning, but with some behavioral, like keeping her desk orderly and excessive talking, she doesnt have the maturity most children do in her 2nd grade. The need for independence at the grade is great and I think having waited at kindergarten wouldve been better.

Yarin - posted on 02/01/2010

I also want to add that my older siblings all have birthdays in August, September, October, and December and they all graduated High School at 17 and got really good grades. My birthday is in May and I struggled more. They made me feel bad and weird because I was graduating at 18. On top of that, I ended up graduating a year late anyway. I really don't think it matters when it's their birthday, it really depends on the child and you!

Carlene - posted on 01/05/2010

My daughter made the cut off date for her kindergarten registration and she's now a second grader whose struggling some. She is almost a full year in age behind the other classmates and her maturity level can show through during working independently. If i had to choose over again, I would let her wait the extra year.

Medic - posted on 12/15/2009

i wanted to add to my post because like my son my bday is early in september and i loved school yes i was the youngest but i did well i was in accelerated classes and played sports and i never felt left out or behind so i am all for starting my son as soon as hes old enough

Ashley - posted on 12/14/2009

I was born Sept 30th and my b-day was the cut off years ago. My mom put me in early and it was a huge mistake i paid for all of school. I was always behind everyone else and never had the best grades. My mom (bless her heart) was always having me take extra classes or meeting with tutors to try and have me catch up. Also when it came to milestones like gettign my license i always felt bad being last compared to all my friends. Hope that helps!

Renee - posted on 12/11/2009

I have the same problem my son was born September 15th. He just started preschool 2 days a week and he's in with mostly 2 year olds. The teacher keep saying how smart he is. I feel he should be up with the older kids but I guess we will just let the school decide that. Years ago the cutoff use to be like December 31st and they kept changing it. My goddaughter was born in September and her father things it was good that it was another whole year before she went to school because she does so well. I just don't know.

Medic - posted on 12/09/2009

my son was also born sept 1st which is the cut off date but right now he is the youngest in his preschool class but his teacher said he is one of the top students, he is very interested in learning and going to school we will be putting him in the year he turns 5.

Darcy - posted on 04/04/2009

I live in Michigan and our cut off is December 1st, but since I have a son and I too agree most boys need more time we will definitely be waiting until the next year by choice. I am sure he won't be ready anyways and I do not want to push him in anyway.

Jennifer - posted on 01/25/2009

Our cut off date is September 5th and our son was born on September 1st.  He is already in preschool two days a week and is doing great.  At this point, I feel pretty comfortable sending him it preschool right away as opposed to waiting a year.  I am also fortunate to have a girlfriend whose son is a couple months older than mine that will start school at the same time and I think that will also help with the transition.  I think every child is different.  If this was my oldest son, I probably would have waited the extra time as it has taken him longer to grasp certain concepts. 

Alice - posted on 01/21/2009

Our school district has a Dec 1st cutoff date, and I am planning to wait until my boys (born on the 23rd) are almost 6 before starting kindergarten. In our area, lots of parents who have kids with summer birthdays also wait for the extra year. Chances are, with a Sept birthday, my kids won't be the oldest kids in the class, as there will be kids 3 months older than them. Boys need more time to mature. Also, they will build more confidence if they are not the smaller kids in the class... especially important when (boys) want to start doing sports like basketball and football. There are many preschools in our area that have a preschool class and then Jr kindergarten (for early 5s) for that reason. In our school district, then kids enter mainstream kindergarten after their Jr kindergarten. The downside is that there is no public school Jr kindergarten, so we'll end up paying for an extra year of private preschool (tuition x 2 for twins).

Rebeka - posted on 01/13/2009

I do not have this situation exactly, my daughter was born the 20th, but my son is a July baby and last year in kindergarden he did seem to be a little less mature than the others and I think he almost struggled until the second quarter started. But he also did not go to preschool so this was his first experience with school. From my own experience, I was born Sept. 2, I was the youngest in my class and did well with the school part, but I was the last to get my license, and could not take drivers ed until my senior year! Once I got into college I loved it. I started college at 17 and graduated with my BSN at 21 years old and that was great! I think it might be easier for girls though.

Regina - posted on 01/10/2009

This is something that we worry about as well. We have a little boy born Sept 6, 2006. When he was born, we had talked about keeping him in preschool an extra year. Eleven months later, August 2007, our surpise daughter arrived. This makes for a bigger dilema for us. Whether to keep her out as well or to join them in the same class. This is something that I worry about. I don't know which way to go. To push one, hold the other....self esteem is so fragile.