What age should you send your child to kindergarten? 4 turning 5 or 5 turning 6?

Wendy - posted on 03/26/2013

Hello harshajain

Since he study in the 2nd grade he should be able to the 3rd depending on how long he's been study in the 2nd grade. In the United our children stay in each grade 9 months and they have to meet certain requirements to advance to the next grade and they do that until they reach the 12th grade and graduate. They will continue they education in college if they choose but its a must to me that they want to go but some choose not too.

Harshajain - posted on 03/26/2013

my son siddhant is studying in grade 2 in india, we are moving to australia ( melbourne) next month, pls advise, which grade shall he go to and can he go to 2 grade only, if possible.

NILMINI - posted on 02/17/2013

my child born on January 2009 . Now she is going to nursery. she is 4 years old now. In Sri Lanka primery school starts at age of 6 years. i want to know wheather she will send to primary school at age of 5 or 6? what is good for her?

LEAH - posted on 08/24/2011

I am so amazed at 2, 3 and 4 year olds starting kindergarten (if I read that correctly) where I live the district dictates the age your child can start. I believe it is for good reason. I never understood the rush to send kids to school (not saying the original poster is doing this) Too many example of children starting school when they aren't ready and then having to repeat a grade which IMHO is more detrimental to them than keeping them in headstart or pre school for that extra year.

All of my chidlren have late birthdays and had and will have to start a year late. But in reality it seems as if they started right on time.

Lisa - posted on 08/24/2011

it all depends on the child & the School District on when he/she can start Kindergarten. My son is turning 5 then the next day going to school for his first day of Kindergarten & he is going for a full Day! I am sure it will be difficult since he is the youngest but he's smart! I have faith & trust he will do well... I encourage him to do his best, listen & that I love him! He goes to school always knowing that Mommy will always be proud of him as long as he tries & knowing that mommy loves him! He loves school... at least preschool, so why not Kindergarten! We went to the school he's going to & I love how they Teach the positive... everyone brings something they are good at into the class... they use that in the learning process! A Fun Spin!

Wendy - posted on 07/28/2010

i sent my daughter to a childcare place from 6 mths, this i feel helpped her to socialise and learn to play nice with others. it was only half a day a week but she loved it and it has certainly helpped her when she began school and i am extremly happy with her first two reports. she helps other kids is way above average in reading, she is polite and kind and best of all i have never had a problem with her going to school . infact she gets upset when she cant go even in the hols. i think it is good as long as you explain why he is there and when you will be back, never be late picking him up and give him lots of praise for being a big boy and lots of cuddles after you get home. x id ont think its ever too early and helps along with a steady routine to make a child happy and feeling safe and loved. x

Carrie - posted on 07/28/2010

All of my kids were born late so they get to wait a year, personally I think they do better if they wait. They are a little more mature! Kids are learning things earlier on than we did so I think they do better if you wait a year!!

Sara - posted on 07/27/2010

size should not have no difference in things at such a young age, all kids grow at different rates, you can have two kids born on the same day and one be way bigger than the other, my younger daughter has always acted older than her age, so she will benefit from going to school with kids who are older than her.

Stella - posted on 07/27/2010

my son started wth KG @ 2yrs and he is doing great.now he is 4 and in nursery one.he even tops his class.

Ivy - posted on 07/27/2010

nope..i sent my daughter at the age of 3 and shes doing great..

Maria - posted on 07/27/2010

I would say do you feel he is ready? For me i would keep him one more year in pre-school. Does he know the basic(Writing his name, counting, etc.) because my little one know this but if she did not know them i would have keep her there another year.

Tammy - posted on 07/26/2010

I have to say that I only had one of my 5 children that started school when she was 4. She turned 5 the third week of kindergarten. She was the valedictorian of her 6th grade class this year. My SS started just after turning 5. Failed 1st grade. My SD started a year late. Failed kindergarten. My son started almost at 6 because of his bday. He is an average student. Then my youngest daughter started just after turning 5 and she is A & B honor roll. Every child is different!!

Schmoopy - posted on 07/26/2010

I feel really strongly about this issue, so I apologize ahead of time for butting in again - I just can't help myself, LOL.

Sara K, what your child knows isn't the issue. Many children are very bright and know many things when they first enter school. Our culture today introduces that stuff very early. That's not the gauge I would use to measure whether or not my child is ready to attend school. To me it's about inner confidence and maturity that only comes with time. You don't ever want your child to feel like she's struggling to keep up when that's not really the case - the deck is being stacked against her from the start! She's being expected to keep up with kids a year older!

Physical appearance can have a big bearing on confidence, too. If a child is smaller because s/he is a year younger than his/her classmates, it can affect how s/he feels inside.

All I can say is, DON'T DO IT!!! Give your child the time she needs to blossom. She'll do it when she's ready - don't push!

Sara - posted on 07/25/2010

depends on the kid, im sending my daughter to preschool with kids who will be a whole year older than her this september, she will turn 3 in november. i find no reason why my child shouldnt be in school a year ahead of time when she is smarter and talks more clearly than kids who are a year older than her. so what if they graduate before they are 18, i did. my daughter can write her name, knows the letters of the alphabet, colors in the lines. and many more things that kids her age dont even think of doing yet.

Schmoopy - posted on 07/25/2010

He's too young!!! What's your rush?

I know parents who put their children into school early, and they regret it now. It can cause all kinds of social problems and have a huge effect a child's confidence. Give him time to blossom - you won't be sorry.

Wendy - posted on 07/25/2010

Most schools have a cutoff around November or December, so if your kid isn't 5 by then, then they start K the next year...you might check that out with your local school. :)

Shauna - posted on 07/25/2010

I don't think so. It all depends on if you feel he is ready or not. My oldest (girl) has a September birthday, and I knew she was ready. My second (boy) has a birthday in June, and he was more than ready, but my third is a boy and he has a November birthday. I know he will not be ready to start at age 5. So, I say, go by what you think. Did you ever get him screened?

Dennelle - posted on 07/24/2010

I would wait until he's 5 turning 6. He'll be more developmentally ready for school. I have 5 children & my 3rd we should have waited. She ended up flunking kindergarten.

Michelle - posted on 07/24/2010

Unless he is way advanced for his age, I would wait until next year when he is five. I have been teaching preschool for 21 years and in those years, I have only recommended a child start early once!

Sherri - posted on 07/23/2010

How are you guys deciding to send your kids when they are younger? Doesn't your school systems dictate what ages they need to be before they start? Because in the US every school has a cut off usually between Aug & Sept that they have to be 5 by before they are allowed to start kindergarten.

Diana - posted on 07/23/2010

here's a link
http://users.stargate.net/~cokids/kinder...

Diana - posted on 07/23/2010

I think it is okay. Kids who goes to Kindergarten at 4 turning 5 gets the advantage to graduate before they are 18. I was an Oct baby and I went to kindergarten 4 turning 5 and I thought it was okay. My son also went to kindergarten at 4 turning 5. His kindergarten and first grade teacher said he was very bright. In California the child must be 5 before early December but effective 2012 for California the child must be 5 by Sept 1st. I'd double check on what the cut off date is for your state.

Orlaith - posted on 07/23/2010

I think it all depends on the child, they are all so different!
My first daugter had a year of playschool and at four and a half was more than ready to start school.
My second, had two years of playschool, but I didnt start her at school until she was five and a half, and that extra time made all the difference to her self confidence etc.
I agree with what someone said earlier, some children arent going until they are 6, so you need to make sure your child can speak up for themselves and get on with children older than them, you dont want them to be unhappy and upset in school.
Send them when they are ready, you know better than anyone when you feel they can cope with school, dont worry about what others say.

Wendy - posted on 07/23/2010

I live in Monroe and they can start school here at 3. Headststart is a 2 year school that gets them ready for regular school. My oldest son Joe started headstart when he was 3 and went there for 2 years he didn't start regular school until he was 5 and he is now going the second grade and he tested gifted last so he will be going to a magnet school this year for the gifted. Kadavion will started going to headstart in September and he is ready to go now unlike Joe so hopeful it will be better with him cause Joe did fine until I had to drop him off as long he rode the bus didn't cry.

Shana - posted on 07/23/2010

I reckon it depends on the child, I have four sons and the eldest (seth) was 4 turning 5 when he started but second two sons (isaac and malachi) where 5 turning 6.Due to school zoning my youngest will also be 4 turning 5.
For Seth I knew no different and he is smart and studious. For Malachi the extra year at home was a blessing. He wasnt mature enough and wasnt intrested - mind you if I told him now (hes nearly 8) that he could stay home he would. Isaac also had to wait the extra year, and he told anyone who would listen (including teachers) that it was a "bad year" because they wouldnt let him go.
My youngest is only 2.5 and is already begging to go to school with the big boys.
I would check around and get a feel for the school and their opinion!!

Wendy - posted on 07/23/2010

It good him to be able to go out and be play with other children. If he anything like my 3 year old he ready to go to school full time just to be around heother children. If your are like our schools he want be in kindergaten until next year he will be in pre-k.

Alison - posted on 07/22/2010

it all depends on what country and what part on the year he was born in here in oz children born after june 30 start school the following year so they will be 6 and a half in year 1 and each country is differant

Bridgette - posted on 07/22/2010

It depends on if you feel he is read!!! If he has problems then you can withdrawl hiim of let him repeat it.

Sherri - posted on 07/22/2010

You have to to find the cut off for your school. In our school system you have to be 5 by Sept. 30th or you miss the cut off and have to wait till the following year.

Nicole - posted on 07/22/2010

Thank you to everyone for your posts. All your responses have definitely made the decision a lot easier!

Jennifer - posted on 07/22/2010

In Arizona children have to be 5 before September 1st to go to Kindergarten. Kids that miss the cut can test in, but parents have to pay for the test. My daughter missed the cut last year, and we decided the extra year of preschool was better for her than testing her in early. But it depends on the child.

Lawanda - posted on 07/22/2010

I agree with alot of the other parents I would check with your town district my daughter birthday is in November and she will be going to kindergarten in August due to her birthday being pass the cut off which is usually in September she just finished pre-k 4th grade in June so she is ready for kinderdergarden she will be 5 but turning 6 in November also school usually test the children I think it's mandatory to see if they are ready or not because as we know all children are different and learn different and mature different.

Altara - posted on 07/22/2010

I would suggest waiting, boys tend to have a harder time in school if they start to early. My boys were both 6 before they started and my 5 year old will be 6 like 3 weeks after school starts. There is no harm in having him stay in preschool another year it could only benefit him

Kerry - posted on 07/21/2010

it depends on where you live and what the dob cut off is. For our district you must be 5 by Aug. 31st to start kindergarten. If not, then you have to wait a year.
Also, it is sometimes better for boys to be 5 turning 6 due to maturity. Both my boys turned 6 after they started kindergarten and it worked out very well.

Anneke - posted on 07/21/2010

We have 2 yrs of kindergarten here. This Sept starting is kids born in 2006 start their first year of kindergarten so they would be 3/4. I would definately check with your school board about d.o.b. cutoff. And if it's mandatory for your child to start, or if you can wait for the next year if you don't think your child is ready.

Crystal - posted on 07/21/2010

You should check with the school district. Our district will only allow kids turning 5 prior to a certain date (before the school year). If it's the same there, he may have to do another year of preschool or prekinder.

Leslie - posted on 07/21/2010

I started my oldest child when he was 4 b/c his birthday was before the Oct. deadline at the time. However, I ended up having to retain him in 1st grade because he was so immature. He was smart enough, that wasn't the question. If I knew then what I know now, I would have held him back until he was 5.

Angie - posted on 07/21/2010

I think 5 turning 6 for a few of reasons:
1. He may be bright but probably not ready to be with older children - up to 11 years old.
2. He will be with children a year older than him when he is in middle school and high school and may be pressured to do things he's not ready to do.
3. He will leave home to go to college when he's 17. My son will be a senior this year and it is so difficult to think about him leaving home, I can't image doing it if he was so young. Also, some college dorms will not allow him to live in the dorms and sometimes freshmen are required to live in the dorms so he'd have to wait a year to go to college after high school. Again, he will be with older students who will probably pressure him to do inappropriate things at an age when he is just learning about himself.
Try not to think of the results of him doing this today but also how this will affect him when he's older.

Good luck!

Yolanda - posted on 07/21/2010

The School District where I live requires the child to be 5 by September 1. Unfortunately my child's birthday is 9/7 and he had to sit out a entire year. Most children do start at age 5. That's 5 before the school year starts. Some younger children are not mature enough to attend school environment every day, espically if it's a full day.

Monica - posted on 07/21/2010

You should wait until he is 5 when he begins kindergarten, not when he is 4 going to turn 5. Boys especially will benefit with starting later, as they don't mature as quickly. I have twin daughters who started kinder in August when they were 5, they turned 6 mid september. I really think they benefited being the older kids, as they progressed more academically and were more mature socially.