My Name Is NOT Broccoli!

[pooh'smate]

Love the video of Bella. She is so cute. I love the way she is holding her autograph book under her arm.

 

[LoveMyTwoPrincesses]

The video of Bella is adorable. She is getting to be such a "big" girl!

 

[MeMom]

Hannah is an old first grader, I am so glad I did it, and as a teacher I totally agree I have never had a parent regret waiting. Luke will be the same way. I keep reminding myself with Emily going to K at not quite five and a half it will be different than Hannah at age 6. It also made the decision to send her half day kindergarten versus the full that is now offered too.

Nor have I.
However, Sooner Girl changed that as of today, because she is the first one I have ever heard that was glad she did it.

That happened to me when I was in High School. We were late getting in so we were herded into the cafeteria or the auditorium. I had enough at that point. I walked home. Oh by the way my house was not close to school either. I can't remember how long it took me but I finally got home.

Rebel.

Thansk for the walk around World Showcase. I love bella poking out her belly.

I think it is great that Brooklyn will have that extra time. My DD could have used extra time but she was born in March and was not given a choice.

The only great thing is now both my kids are finally doing well and I would rather have that than have teenagers who are in trouble.

I tell parents who might have low 'scoring' kids that I'd rather have a well-behaved D student than an Honor Roll kids is smart-aleck, instigating trouble, etc.

I enjoyed the picture tour around Epcot. Maybe this trip we will take the time to stop and enjoy more of the acts in each country. We usually watch the bands in Canada and England then shop or eat thought the rest of the countries.

When I started school the cut off was Dec. 31, with a Dec. birthday I start 1st grade at age 5 and turned 6 in Dec. There was 3 classes and they grouped us my our birthday. Everyone in my class had a birthday in Sept, Oct., Nov., or Dec.. They changed the start date to before Sept. 1 in Ga. in the 70's.

MeMom have you ever talk to anyone about working for Holt, and bring the kids over?

There is so, so much to see in World Showcase.

I wouldn't be able to travel now, but when I retire, maybe I could. Holt used to have a TN affiliate, but I don't think they do anymore. I think it would be a very rewarding job.

We have that in our district, called Transitional or T1. It's not at all schools, just some of them, so if it's suggested that your child go into T1 they may have to be transported to a school other than their home school. Justin's K teacher told me I should consider putting him in it, he wasn't behind academically at all, she was just afraid he wasn't ready emotionally. She felt he was too competitive and got too upset when he wasn't first I didn't hold him back and I've never regretted it. He's an honor student, and yes, he is still competitive, another year of school wouldn't have changed that.....

Definitely a Wigd picture

Thanks for another lovely stroll around WS!

You are the first person I have heard of being satisfied with moving on. I am glad it worked out so well for him.

My biggest regret about this coming trip is only having half a day in Epcot.

A hug to Belle from Bella! She sure is getting brave with those characters! Yay Bella!

The little belly sticking out is sooooo sweet!

So interesting! Here the cut-off is December 31. Henry has a September 1 birthday, so he'll be one of the younger kids, but there will be others that are younger. He'll do PreK as a barely 4 year old, then K as a barely 5 year old, etc. They don't give an option to hold back your child here, but you CAN get it if you directly speak to the teacher-it's not common at all. That was very surprising to me, because it is in Minnesota. In New York City it's all rush, rush, rush.

We'll see how it goes. We are hoping to place him in a private school, so they will probably be more flexible should we need a "pre-first" after Kindergarten.

I wonder if they group the classes in PreK and K by months the kids are born? That is a great idea! I know they do take the month the child was born for the gifted & talented program, so hopefully they do the same in the classroom.

Anyway - sounds like you made an excellent decision Jill! I know how tough, and confusing, all that stuff can be.

Private schools usually promote the holding back, if there is any question at all.

Aw, love the picture of the girls with Belle hugging them!

I laughed out loud over the "Tale as old as time and green as grass."

Bella did a good job with Belle. And Belle did a good job with Bella.
Jill says she thinks Bella is going to do a lot better with the characters this time, especially since she is trying to name all the 'pincesses' now.

 

[MagicShell]

Jill, that video is so cute. She is a Disney pro.

Memom, how could you NOT want more just like her! She and Brooklynn are both precious.

 

[MeMom]

This is just shocking to me!! So a child would start kindergarten and not be turning 5 for another 4 months! Like MeMom said, with all the pressure of kids learning things earlier and earlier, I would think they would want the advantage of age. If they want the benefits of education at a younger age, they need to add publicly funded pre-schools.

Our system leaves the decision to the parent to wait a year if they see that as best for their child. (although there is a district nearby who has a strong football reputation and it's rumored that parents with bigger boys are encouraged to wait simply so the boys will be a bit older and bigger than their classmates when they get to be football playing age!)

I'm going to quite a standard from our SS curriculum when I get a chance. It sounds like it's from a college syllabus, but it's for second graders.

How cute is Bella, holding her little autograph book and clapping away! Thanks for letting me start my day in Epcot!

I was lucky enough to catch the video right before I left this morning, and I was so glad. I watched it three times!

Oh, the photos of the girls with Belle are wonderful. The hug picture is my favorite!

I just love those girls. I look at the pictures when I am not with them and just want to jump into the screen!

Adorable video Jill! I love how she's holding her autograph book under her arm - so cute!

I forgot to mention just that - Universal Pre-K is free to any child who is 4 years old (or will turn 4 years old) in the said school year. And it's available EVERYWHERE, even in daycare centers. And you also have the option of starting a pre-school-like program if your child is in a daycare program (that offers it) starting at age 2 years, 9 months.

But in general, yes you are right. Henry's friend doesn't have a birthday until December 10, so he will be one of the youngest in their class. I am not certain how high pressure the schools are here, I know there has been a big kick lately to get test scores up because city-wide, they were quite low. The neighborhood we live in has some of the best public schools in the city, but even so, I know kindergartners are getting quite a hefty amount of homework! I don't remember having ANY homework when I was that young! And I know by the end of Pre-K they are having children read. Henry is almost reading already, so I'm not too concerned, but I know that's not always the norm.

That is funny about the boys and football!

Bella has begun developing a love for books. An autograph book works just fine for her, too. She just wants to be like her sister and have a book.

Oh my Goodness! She is so cute. Clapping her hands while she had the book tucked under her arm......she is getting to be a big girl. I showed the video to Ty and he just laughed and ponited at her. I told him that her name is Bella isn't she cute and in true boy fashion he took of running.

Yep, he's a boy. He doesn't care about looking at any cute little girls yet. The day will come when you won't be able to tear him away from looking at one, though.

Clapping along with Bella was a wonderful way to start the morning.

Wasn't is sweet? She was fascinated by the chair climber.

That's a really good idea.

Yes, and it has helped a lot of people I know have a much better school experience.

What a sweet Bella video!! That made my day!

Mine, too. There could be the possibility that I will watch it three more times tonight.

Love the video of Bella! So CUTE!!!

That will be Claire soon.

Love the video of Bella. She is so cute. I love the way she is holding her autograph book under her arm.

I thought it was precious.

The video of Bella is adorable. She is getting to be such a "big" girl!

Yes, she is, and Jill said she has moments when she's not so cute these days. Terrible two's - here we come!!!

Jill, that video is so cute. She is a Disney pro.

Memom, how could you NOT want more just like her! She and Brooklynn are both precious.

That's what I'm saying! I need a dozen more just like them!

Now I just have to get my kids to buy into that idea.

 

[disneyfan61]

A video of Bella at Epcot to start your morning.

Aw so cute!!! That brings a smile to my face!!

I also love the hugging pic with Belle.

Have a great weekend!!

 

[SoonerGirl]

A video of Bella at Epcot to start your morning.

Awwww, so sweet!

(although there is a district nearby who has a strong football reputation and it's rumored that parents with bigger boys are encouraged to wait simply so the boys will be a bit older and bigger than their classmates when they get to be football playing age!)

We have neighbor who started his son a year late in school for the simple fact that he wanted him to be older & more mature for sports Funny thing is, he is now in the 8th grade and he is a very small kid, so he's not really playing sports anyway!

You are the first person I have heard of being satisfied with moving on. I am glad it worked out so well for him.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great program and if he had been even the slightest bit behind academically or had shown that he was socially behind other kids in his class, I would have held him back in a heartbeat. As it was I just didn't see it and her main issue was his competitiveness, so we made the decision to move him on. Thankfully, it worked out for us!

 

[Stasieki]

I love how with each character, Bella is getting more and more confident with the help of her big sis

 

[manntra]

Awwww cutie Bella clapping her hands!! So precious
I love the WS....especially France

I remember pre-first being around back in the old days when I first started school....I had just turned 5 when going to kindergarten....I remember always being bummed when I was little because my birthday was the 7th of September...right at the beginning of school so some teachers didn't celebrate I was younger than most of my classmates as I recall. I almost think that one of my nephews went to pre-first...he is graduating this year and I can't remember and on the flip side his brother has been taking AP classes since 7th grade he takes after his Aunt
All I can say about NY is the testing, testing, testing... state wide Regents tests Ughh it was all good preparation for college but so glad that is all behind me

Tracy

 

[Happy Elf]

Aww! I love the video of Bella! She is adorable! I like the idea of hand holding....I will be stealing that idea if Owen is still reluctant to meet the characters.

I've enjoyed the chatter about pre-first as it's one of the topics in my classes that we are going to be talking about in the next few weeks. It was neat to hear what everyone had to say.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

A picture I think Wigd would have taken.

Oh yes, I would have taken this picture for sure!

LOVED the clip of Bella in France, am I the only one that noticed how she is able to keep time to the music?
I do believe she is gifted.

 

[MeMom]

Aw so cute!!! That brings a smile to my face!!

I also love the hugging pic with Belle.

Have a great weekend!!

I came home and watched it two more times. With the three times I watched it this morning, it has made me smile five times today!

I am going to Alabama tomorrow, so Jill, Brooklynn, and I can go see Beauty and the Beast.

Awwww, so sweet!

We have neighbor who started his son a year late in school for the simple fact that he wanted him to be older & more mature for sports Funny thing is, he is now in the 8th grade and he is a very small kid, so he's not really playing sports anyway!


Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great program and if he had been even the slightest bit behind academically or had shown that he was socially behind other kids in his class, I would have held him back in a heartbeat. As it was I just didn't see it and her main issue was his competitiveness, so we made the decision to move him on. Thankfully, it worked out for us!

I am glad it has gone well. I'm sure he is already in the thick of baseball practices now. Our baseball guys and soccer guys started practicing right after Christmas. Trent was still playing basketball while his soccer team was starting up, and whenever they got put out of the last tournament games, he headed to soccer practice the next day. He was always on the go.

I love how with each character, Bella is getting more and more confident with the help of her big sis

In four more weeks, she can practice again!

Awwww cutie Bella clapping her hands!! So precious
I love the WS....especially France

I remember pre-first being around back in the old days when I first started school....I had just turned 5 when going to kindergarten....I remember always being bummed when I was little because my birthday was the 7th of September...right at the beginning of school so some teachers didn't celebrate I was younger than most of my classmates as I recall. I almost think that one of my nephews went to pre-first...he is graduating this year and I can't remember and on the flip side his brother has been taking AP classes since 7th grade he takes after his Aunt

All I can say about NY is the testing, testing, testing... state wide Regents tests Ughh it was all good preparation for college but so glad that is all behind me

Tracy

France is pretty, and I really want a good fountain picture there.. I enjoy watching Impressions de France when we have time. We want to try to eat at Chefs sometime and see Remy.

I had two kids that took AP classes and one that barely made it through. Not because he wasn't smart, because he could have been a B-C student easily, but because he didn't care.

Testing, testing, testing....
Sounds so familiar.

Aww! I love the video of Bella! She is adorable! I like the idea of hand holding....I will be stealing that idea if Owen is still reluctant to meet the characters.

I've enjoyed the chatter about pre-first as it's one of the topics in my classes that we are going to be talking about in the next few weeks. It was neat to hear what everyone had to say.

I hope it will work for Owen. I'm sure he will follow Hannah's lead like Bella followed Brooklynn.

Glad we could be of service to you with your class.

 

[disney<333]

If I remember correctly, Brooklynn and Amy's birthdays are the same week. (Amy's is the 12th.) Amy has always been one of the youngest in her class and is small for her age, too. She just started catching up height wise a few months ago. She is still smaller than most of her classmates. (She's a size 10 kids when her friends are well into wearing Juniors!) She has always been ahead academically and is taking high school courses and gets As in them.
I know kids her age are already doing teenage trends and Amy is not since she is not even 12 and a half. I don't think she minds. If I had the option that you have, Jill, I probably would of done the same thing as you. Sounds like a great program.
I teach art and there has always been a clear difference in 1st graders with size and knowledge. The bigger ones can cut and make great projects. Then there are some smaller ones, who I would of recommended do another year of K.

 

[Poolrat]

Rebel.

Yup. I always say "I don't do stupid." Not closing school that day certainly was.

Wasn't is sweet? She was fascinated by the chair climber.

She was taking notes.

 

[disneykiwi]

Hi Jill and Memom

Loved the video of Bella - it is so cute the way she is clapping in time to it all. She seems to have blossomed so much these last few months.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend.

 

[Happydog]

So first, I wanted to say that I think the grouping kids by age for kindergarten/first grade is really an interesting idea -- and a good option. We don't have that here. Both of my boys were born in June, and I never gave it another thought about putting them in Kindergarten as a 5 yr old, b/c I just thought that is what you do. But both are very different. They both went to Montessori for two years prior. Griff was reading and writing quite well before going into kindergarten, however I think he is definitely more "immature" if you will, than his peers, the majority of whom who turn 6 within the first four or so months... He is smaller,too, so he just seems younger in many ways, but he is a whip in terms of intelligence, GT tested, blah blah, and we could have put him in an accelerated school at a different school in the county next year, but I don't think he has the maturity to handle that. So for some reasons I guess keeping him would have helped him, but he was beyond ready for 1st grade intellectually speaking. Nolyn, on the other hand I do think is impacted somewhat by his age... his attention to school work, like writing & cutting in particular, fine motor, is a hard thing for him (we are taking him to an OT so I think that will make a big difference these next six months). He can read, do those skills just fine, but even my pediatrician says the county emphasizes handwriting too much. In the end I wonder if the issue isn't just 6 months. I see a similar 6 mos lag developmentally with Nolyn, as I did with Griffin, but it is influencing him differently. In Nol's case it has been more difficult for him; he is attentive, engaged, a good boy in school, but not doing as well as he should (by county standards) b/c he isn't writing as well as they expect... His teacher says she thinks he will come full circle by the end of the year, but I keep thinking in his case starting kindergarten a little later would have been a benefit. I worry about his self esteem. We don't have any other option unless we hold them back or out.

REGARDING EPCOT....
Seeing those photos of the food booths get me all misty-eyed... WOW how I missed F & W this year!!!

Such great photos of the girls with Maria from Aristocats! TOO cute! Griffin plays Talouse in March! And the french chair acrobats - can never remember their true name!! They are so fun to watch!!! I love Epcot!!!

The weather looks so pleasant!!!!

Snow day yesterday, btw... School was in session one day this week!!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Just to add my two cents on the kindergarten issue... Zachary, my DS7, has a 9/23 birthday with the cutoff being 9/30. He was far from ready for kindergarten so we gave him the "gift" of an extra year at his preschool. There was a pre-k program that worked out great for him. He is doing really well now in first grade. We weren't so concerned about the academics but more socially & I think that extra year made all the difference for him.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I find it so interesting to read everyone's different experiences with starting their kids in kindergarten. Chelsea has a July birthday, and her preschool teacher recommended keeping her back a year because she was a little on the "squirrely" side. We decided not to do so because she was so bright. She was my child who would stand on her head but be able to tell you exactly what you had said even though it didn't look like she was paying you the least bit of attention. She is still somewhat like that. In retrospect, we maybe should have waited an extra year because she will be just 17 when she graduates high school, but she has never struggled in school, so who knows, really...

Connor, on the other hand, has a September birthday, and our cut-off is August 1, so there was no question of when to start him. He got that extra year by default. He is definitely more mature and calmed down than Chelsea, but in some ways, I think that is just the difference in their personalities.

 

[SoonerGirl]

I'm sure he is already in the thick of baseball practices now. Our baseball guys and soccer guys started practicing right after Christmas. Trent was still playing basketball while his soccer team was starting up, and whenever they got put out of the last tournament games, he headed to soccer practice the next day. He was always on the go.

I think Justin's high school years are going to be much like Trent's in that respect. No baseball yet, but he'll go straight into it when basketball is over. Our athletic director does not allow kids to practice/play two sports at once. His last basketball game is on February 17th and I'm sure he'll head straight to baseball on the 18th. He is going up to the field house on Wednesday nights and taking batting practice with some of the baseball players that are still in wrestling, so he's getting a bit of exposure, hopefully he won't be too behind when he gets there.

 

[pooh'smate]

Have a great time with Jill and the girls today. I hope you enjoy Beauty and the Beast.