Six year old kindergartener

Laura - posted on 07/20/2010

I went through the same thing you did. My daughter turns 6 September 4 (just 3 days after the cut-off). I could have had her tested last year and she'd be going into first grade this year but I decided to keep her in pre-school one more year. She was so ready to go to kindergarten last year (she is very mature for her age) but it was nice to keep her in preschool as she was an example to the younger kids. Also I didn't want her to struggle in 4th, 5th or 6th grade. So if I were you I would keep your child in preschool one more year. That extra year in preschool will be so helpful to your child. That way they aren't struggling years down the road.

Ceri - posted on 07/15/2010

It's fine. She needs that time because she is younger. It's why they do it. Yes they will be older but that is a good thing. My son was born on Oct 5 and he will wait a year as well. I was born on Sep 15th. My Mom pushed to get me in school when I was four turned 5. I was the youngest kid in class, the smallest and always felt behind. It took me longer to learn everything. My mom realized her mistake, and tried every year to get the school to hold me back. Well she did not get her way until 6th grade. She basically told them she would pull me from school for a year if they would not keep me in 6th grade. I was passing but not getting top grades. So they felt I was OK. It was the worst year of my life (at that time) I hated it. Was very angry. Who gets held back in 6th grade? My mother did not want me going to Jr High a year younger than everyone else. She was right. It was the best thing she ever did. It was rough for my preteen years but I was very successful in high school because of it, They have had the cut off for years. There is a reason for it. Use the time to spend time with your daughter. They are only young once! :)

Natasha - posted on 07/07/2010

i don't think she will get picked on.
There will be at least half of the class that will be her age also.

Cathy - posted on 07/06/2010

I am a teacher and teach Kindergarten.I have taught K, 1 and 2 over the years. My daughters, one who was born in October 07 and a the other born in Sept 09 will both miss the cut off! Please don't worry to much. It tends in my teaching opinion that the ones who are the youngest have a real hard time socially, and understanding when its time to sit and listen, this isn't always the case but it tends to be most of the time.

Also I had 2 years of Kindergarten so I was older than about half of the kids I went to school with. In my experience as a student and as a teacher, no one makes fun of your age. Don't push your child if they aren't ready! Those are the kids who are very stressed out and worried about everything. If your child tests in great if not don't worry just enrich her at home as you see fit! Hope that helps!

Rachelle - posted on 07/03/2010

I'm glad that he won't go til he's almost 6! Then he's at home with me more!!!

Holly - posted on 06/30/2010

I'm looking at the same thing. My daughter was born on October 18th. But, where I live we have the option of which year we want her to start (the cut off isn't until November I think...). We can put her in the year she turns 5, OR we can wait a year. We have decided that we are going to wait.

Our oldest is the youngest child in her whole grade (her birthday is in Spetmeber) and she hates it. She is in no way behind in her academics, but she does not like the fact that just 2 weeks after her birthday the oldest child in the grade (a little boy) has his birthday where he turns a whole year older than her. Also, her being the youngest means that she will be 17 until after she has started college and she will be the last one in her grade to be able to get her driver's license.

All of this is why we made the decision to keep our 2 year-old in pre-school for an extra year as opposed to starting her kindergarten year before she turns 5 (and I mean WAY before. Our school is on a year-round schedule, so the year starts in the middle of July).

Katerina - posted on 06/29/2010

I have one of each, my son turns 3 on Oct 23rd and my daughter turns 5 on Feb 2nd, so I will have one child younger than most of her class and one older than most of his. Personally this is a Godsend as my little girl is so advanced - already reading & writing many words, whereas my son is still getting his head around speech & potty training. Each child is different, I think the schooling age system is trying to average out levels amongst children by creating it's own median age. To me it makes sense, as Feb 2007 toddlers would most definitely be ahead of my son- now and in school, as they have a good 9 months of development up their sleeve that he does not... .Make sense?

Daisy - posted on 06/28/2010

MY DAUGHTER IS FROM OCT.31TH .SHE WILL HAVE TO WAIT A WHOLE YEAR TO START KINDERGARTEN JUST LIKE I DID. I WAS BORN IN DEC.

Tricia - posted on 06/23/2010

It really depends on your child & the kindergarten curriculum. My son turned 6 in May & he will be the oldest child in his kindergarten class. I held him back on purpose because I knew he was not emotionally & socially mature enough to handle the advanced kindergarten curriculum that is used at the private school he wil attend. If I had chosen to send him to public school, I probably would have not held him back. As a mom, you will know what is best for your child. Just know that there are lots of children with fall birthdays, so you daughter will most not be the oldest child in her class. Good luck!

Krisie - posted on 06/23/2010

Yes it is too early to be stressing about this. We are all in the same boat with children born after September. I was born at the end of September and went to Kindergarten when I was 4. I was younger (sometimes by a full year than other kids). In my junior year of high school, everyone was driving and I still did not have my license. I think it is an advantage to wait until they are older. Kids will make fun of your daughter because that is what kids do.Spend the year teaching her about building her self esteem and she will be well prepared to not only handle other kids teasing, but find it fun and make friends with those same kids.

Traci - posted on 06/22/2010

I am pretty sure I will be homeschooling so I will just be working with her and then hit it hard with K12 right before she would turn 6 since her birthday is in Oct and their cutoff is August

Jessica - posted on 06/22/2010

Don't stress!! Just keep in mind that your child definitely won't be alone! Every child/parent of a child with a fall birthday faces the same problem, (including just about everyone in this forum). Most schools have a Sept. cutoff. It's really no big deal. I actually remember being jealous of kids who were older than me, and because of my fall birthday I was one of the oldest in the class! I think being older is more of a good thing than a bad.

Crystal - posted on 06/21/2010

I am facing the same problem with my son as well. He is 2 and was born on October 23rd. We are in the middle of buying a house and I'm not even sure what the cut of date is for children entering kindergarten in the school district we are moving to but usually it is sometime in September. I am hoping that he can be tested and start early. He already knows how to spell his name, half of his A, B, C's, and his colors pretty well. But recently I just heard a study that was done about holding kids back or pushing them forward. They said that even though children are developmentally ready to be pushed ahead they usually are not socially. So, they said that they see better results of kids being held back (at any age) and given more stuff to do to stimulate their brains, then pushing them forward and in to situations that they just don't seem to handle very well socially. So now I am pondering whether to keep him that extra year or push for him to go early....

Manige - posted on 06/20/2010

My daughter will face the same thing. She is Born October 31st and the cut off Is Sept 15th. In out districts she can test in early, but she has to test extremely gifted. When the time comes, I will have her tested with no expectations. If she passes, she will go early, if not, she'll be older. Remember, she won't be the only one in her class that will be older and no one will make fun of her for it. It's just the way her birthday falls. I think,if anything the kids will be jealous since she will be older sooner, and that's a big deal when you're 6!
When I spoke with the district there was no "pushing for early admittance". It was based solely on whatever test they give.
There are also some studies that say children are more developmentally ready for school at 6, so in that case it may give her a head start on being a good student!