Are children sent to kindergarten at 5 or older in your community?

[LisaNJ25]

5 by October 1st.

 

[froglady]

5 by Sept 1st. DD has a Sept birthday, so was one of the oldest in her class. My niece has a December birthday, and lives in a Dec 31st state, so even though she is a year younger than my daughter, she graduated at the same time.

DS is a spring birthday, so has just turned 15 in 9th grade, but many of his classmates are or will be turning 16 soon, and some are driving already!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

December 31st cutoff date in my school district on Long Island.
My older dd, now 17, has a November birthday, and was two months shy of her 5th birthday when she started school. At the time I was concerned, but her preschool teacher assured me she was ready for school. The November birthday made her among the youngest in her class, but for the most part her age hasn't been an issue. Her current complaint is that she won't turn 18 until after Election Day, so I guess everything is fine.

The kids in the class of 2008 ...well, there's a wide range of ages. One of dd's friends celebrates her birthday in January, she's almost a full year older than dd. And there's a boy in the class whose birthday is in December, and his parents held him back from kindergarten, so he's closer in age to dd's friend than to dd.

In hindsight, I think it's the individual child's maturity, not their chronilogical age, that made a difference. The handful of kids who were a bit older when they started school had a slight advantage in elementary school, but looking at them in high school...you can't tell who was older and who was younger when they started school.

I didn't realize the districts had different cutoffs. I am on Long Island and ours is Dec.1st. See, you learn something new every day!

 

[freckles and boo]

Children must be five on or before September 1st here in Illinois. While school districts are required to offer kindergarten, children aren't required to attend school until first grade. I don't know of any who haven't, but that is a loophole that should be closed.

 

[PlainJane]

I don't know our cutoff, but I had to start Kindergarten late because I was born on December 3rd.

 

[mom22belles]

Where I live ( Mississauga, Canada) we have 2 yrs of K ( JK and SK ) . JK is for 4 yr olds , you must be 4 yrs old by Dec. 31st So in fact some 3 yr olds with late birthdays start JK in Sept. That being said JK is not manditory but I would say most parents send their kids.

Nancy

 

[aprilgail2]

5 by Dec 1st.
My daughter was 4 for the first 3 months of Kindergarten and it worked out just fine. I can see holding them back if they are not ready but some parents hold the boys back simply so they will be bigger than the other kids so they can excel in sports!!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I'm so glad my kids started school before they changed the cutoff from December 31 to August 1 or September 1...whatever it is in our town now. My DDs were born August 22 and October 10. I never for a second considered keeping them back. I can't imagine my now college sophomore and high school senior being a year behind. (They were often NOT on their friends' sports teams because the cutoff date for those was usually August 1.) My DS has a February birthday, so no question there...he started K at 5 1/2. He was probably least "ready" of the three, but school was the very thing that prepared him to be around other kids, follow rules, etc, and he's done wonderfully.

I think this trend of changing start dates and, on top of that, holding kids back routinely is crazy. They move up the start date, and then kids close to THAT date get held back; then the population of grades changes again; so what are they going to do, move the date again? I think it's more about the parents not letting go, or not wanting their child to be the youngest (SOMEONE has to be the youngest, no matter what) or being the last to get their driver's license in 12 years , or being bigger to play sports, and on and on. Kids can handle much more than we give them credit for; give them the benefit of the doubt. When I was young (a long time ago ), it was the exception to the rule to hold a child back, and only when absolutely necessary.

Happy Mother's Day.

 

[N&B'smom]

My DD4 will be starting kindergarten in Sept. She will be one of the youngest in her class. (her birthday is mid-August) I heard a lot of the parents while we were at kindergarten registration and they all had kids who would be turning 6 in September.

I know A LOT of people who automatically keep their kids back until they are 6. That's not my thing. My DD4 is REALLY ready for kindergarten. She's also a pretty mature little girl and tends to hang out with older children anyway. Plus, she's tall so she won't seem younger.

I have also heard that sports is a reason sometimes that kids are kept from going when they are of age.

Shelby

 

[EthansMom]

As other posters have said, the cutoff here in CT is 5 years old by Dec. 31st. Most families with kids who have Dec. birthdays choose to hold them off a year and start them in Kindergarten the following year.

Between kids who just made the cutoff and kids who were kept at home an extra year or retained a year, the kids in DS's First Grade class range from a girl who just turned 6 in December and a boy who turned 8 at about the same time... so a 2 year span of ages in the one class.

 

[aprilgail2]

. I can't imagine my now college sophomore and high school senior being a year behind.

I think the hardest part would be being almost 19 years old and still in high school! I graduated early, I was 16 but I could not have even imagined still being in high school at 18 nevermind almost 19! 18 is an adult, not a high school junior LOL.

 

[EthansMom]

Universal pre-k for 4 year olds is becoming popular in NY now. It's specificlly designed for 4 year olds. it encourages parents to not hold their kids back from kindergarten.

Here in CT, we don't have public pre-K, but most ALL kids go to preschool (private). The incoming Kindergarteners at our school, are expected to know their letters/alphabet, be able to count to 10 or 20, know their numbers, know their colors, and write their name, and have basic inter-personal skills (share, talk about their needs/wants, etc.). By and large, preschool is what Kindergarten used to be 30 years ago. Any kid who didn't have either a LOT of homeschooling prep or preschool would be at a distinct disadvantage in Kindergarten.

 

[pyrxtc]

In my town (where Kindergarten is not a requirement for our state, they could skip it entirely and most kids do since it is not publicly offered staewide) They ahve to be 5 by September 30. My DS turns 5 on the 27th and he is starting this year. A lot of thenkids have been to pre-K already and a bunch of kids are going to private Kinder since they offer full day. (we only have 1/2 day offered) the kids are a lot of different ages. From the ones I've met, they let their kids go as soon as they are old enough. No holding back here.

The only place I've ever heard of keeping them out because of birthdays is here on the DIS.

 

[pyrxtc]

I do ahve to say I am not worried about his maturity level. He plays after school (at school) wiht his brother7 and his friends and none of them even realize he is only 4 and not in school wiht them. they play all sorts of games and even soccer and kickball. He always jumps right in. he can hold his own ina conversation and I can't wait to see how fast the Kinder teacher will realize how different he is from his brother when she had him.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Thank you for all the replies. It's really interesting to read about the differences according to area. It's very controversial in my area. I guess because it's such a personal decision. When I grew up, it used to be people were very hushed about holding children back. (I and my husband were summer babies and we did fine.) Now in my area it's the opposite. Parent's don't hold back their opinions on what is "right" and "best" for children. Not their child. All children. And you are an unspoken blockhead if you don't agree. I think in some cases they are making themselves feel better about their decision, because the reasons just go on and on and on. Just my experience.

I dare say there is a lot of pressure here to hold them back just because of their birthday. I've learned to not participate in that line of conversation because I am very much in the minority for wanting to send mine on time. I think my child is ready. I do have concerns as to the range of ages that will be in store in the kindergarten class. So I don't know what to think. I suppose once the school year has started it will be a non-issue.

 

[tiggger1]

Not sure when it is here but my dd who will be 5 next month will be starting kindergarten in Sept. She is in the town's intergrated prek program as a model student and her teacher said she is definitely ready.

For the ones that have a dec cutoff how is it. My dd would be 7 and still be in Kindergarten?

Depending on my son development issues ( he had a few gross motor delays and now has some speech issues because we just found out that all his ear infections might have caused a temporary hearing loss and he is going to geet tubes next week..) he might be eligible at 3 to get into the integrated pre K program that my daughter is currently in. He wont be able to start until his 3rd bday which is late Jan...

 

[EthansMom]

For the ones that have a dec cutoff how is it. My dd would be 7 and still be in Kindergarten?

No, with our Dec. 31st cutoff, your daughter would still go to Kindergarten at the same time. But some of the kids in the class would be starting Kindergarten while they are still 4 years old (they may not have their 5th birthday until Dec.).

 

[Mary Anne]

December 31st cutoff date in my school district on Long Island.

My older dd, now 17, has a November birthday, and was two months shy of her 5th birthday when she started school. At the time I was concerned, but her preschool teacher assured me she was ready for school. The November birthday made her among the youngest in her class, but for the most part her age hasn't been an issue. Her current complaint is that she won't turn 18 until after Election Day, so I guess everything is fine.

The kids in the class of 2008 ...well, there's a wide range of ages. One of dd's friends celebrates her birthday in January, she's almost a full year older than dd. And there's a boy in the class whose birthday is in December, and his parents held him back from kindergarten, so he's closer in age to dd's friend than to dd.

In hindsight, I think it's the individual child's maturity, not their chronilogical age, that made a difference. The handful of kids who were a bit older when they started school had a slight advantage in elementary school, but looking at them in high school...you can't tell who was older and who was younger when they started school.

I could write this exact same post. Only change daughter to son and Long Island to Queens.

I never, ever, heard of holding a child back from school till they were almost 6until the internet. It is something not done in NYC or kept quiet if a parent does it.

My son is now going to graduate from HS -enter college in an honor's program and there is no difference from those that were 5 in January of they year they all started K together. I am a firm believer in pre-school though, granted I'm going back 12 years now but those kids that went to preK did far better in K then those who didn't.

 

[OceanAnnie]

FTR, in my case the children in my community do go to Pre-K and then repeat it the following year prior to kindergarten. They either go to Pre-K for 3 days and then Pre-K again for 5 days or Pre-K for 5 days and repeat the 5 days a week Pre-K.

My state hasn't had mandatory kindergarten for a super long time, but I haven't known of anyone that didn't send their child to kindergarten. Now, the state is proposing mandatory pre-k. I think pre-k is great. We sent our kids to pre-k. But, I do know there are parents that do a great job at home with their children as well. I don't know what to think about making pre-K mandatory. It seems to be a method of reaching those that don't teach their kids at home or send them to pre-K at the expense (taking away the option) of those that do. Just my .02.

 

[mjkacmom]

Here in CT, we don't have public pre-K, but most ALL kids go to preschool (private). The incoming Kindergarteners at our school, are expected to know their letters/alphabet, be able to count to 10 or 20, know their numbers, know their colors, and write their name, and have basic inter-personal skills (share, talk about their needs/wants, etc.). By and large, preschool is what Kindergarten used to be 30 years ago. Any kid who didn't have either a LOT of homeschooling prep or preschool would be at a distinct disadvantage in Kindergarten.

Same here - private, but most kids attend 2 years of preschool. I can't imagine sending a child to kindy without knowing this basic information.