Late July Birthday and Kindergarten

My nephew is a late July birthday and his parents started him and he was able to do all the work, but has had trouble with the sitting and paying attention and had been in day care since he was a baby. My son is a late August b-day and we are going to hold him back...the school can't "make" a child skip kindergarten, but they may "suggest" moving the child up if they think he/she is too advanced for the work. I know how difficult a decision this is, good luck.

Hello,

I have two boys with summer b-days - May 29 and July 21. I have held them both back and I have no regrets. That extra time socially and just from a maturity standpoint can be huge not only now but later on in life. Not sure where your friend got her information, but you are the parent and choose what grade level your child will begin at. The state of Texas does not require that your child attends kindergarten, but all kids must start school by age 6. Both my boys were/will be 6 when they begin public school kindergarten. Yes, they are the older ones in their class, but that is not a bad thing. I see a HUGE difference in the ability to focus and follow directions between a young 5 year old and an older 5 or younger 6 year old. Hope this helps - I have NEVER heard someone say they wished they hadn't held their child back, but have heard parents saying they wished they had held their child back. It is an important decision and if you have the ability to hold him back, my advice is to do so. Some area preschools have a pre-K or kindergarten program that you could start him in the fall so he has some idea of the structure involved. Best of luck in your decision making process!

They will not make him skip kindergarten. LOTS of parents hold their children back (especially boys) and start them in kindergarten at age 6. Usually it is because the parents don't think their kids are mature enough yet to sit in the classroom all day, pay attention for that period of time, follow directions, etc. (not because they don't think they are intellectually ready). If you don't think he is ready for full day kindergarten, then I would definitely put him into a pre-K program in the fall. He will benefit from that experience and it will greatly help him in the kindergarten classroom the following year. From working in elementary classrooms, I will tell you that you can ALWAYS tell which kinds have never been away from their parents before. I would also talk to your son. Does he want to start school? Does he think he's ready to start school full time or would he rather go just a couple days a week. Not that you should base your entire decision on what he says, but at least let him have some input. Also, are all of his friends starting kindergarten in the fall? Will he feel left behind next year? Lots to consider...good luck!

They will not push him forward. That is a parent's decision. I would hold out one more year and get him into a few days a week at a preschool. That is my plan with my june baby.

Well I can't tell you to hold them back but I have one child in PreK and 1 in Kindergarten. Yes I did wish they had half days but those days are over.
I was nervous when my kindergarten went all day. What I have learned they are more ready than we are. Its hard to let them go after being with them everyday. My daughter is the youngest in her class and she tested 90 on words vocabulary, but other subljects she was on schedule. She did fine on social skills they do have to learn. My son went all day and was excited to go and loves being at school. The teacher will work with them and if the child needs any extra work they will send it home. They do get homework sometimes but its gradual through the year.

There is a parttime program at Arlington Parks at the rec centers and you pay monthly. So if you would like to do something part time.

One of mine loved preschool and I anticipated no problems with kindergarten. But he hated the concept of going to school for 5 days a week with no breaks like a MWF preschool. If you do hold your guy back I would try to put him in 1/2 day preschool for at least 4 days a week. That gives him the structure and the schedule, but you get to snuggle with him on the couch after lunch for one for year.

My son has a late July birthday and we held him back and the school district did not and cannot force us to have him skip kindergarten. That is misinformation.

I say keep him home another year. I wish I would have kept my daughter out an extra year. My Aunt who has four children did not start any of her kids in scholl until they were 6 years plus. Of the three who are in school all of them are excellent students. Her youngest turned 6 this month and she is not starting her in school until this fall. Also no they will not make him skip kindegarten. We are planning to adopt this year and will keep our child home until he or she turns 6. Good Luck and be sure to work with him alot, they expect so much out of them in kindegarten. My daughter's kindegarten teacher told me that she id teaching kindegarteners what she was teaching second graders 10 years ago.

This comes from a mother of 7..5 with late birthdays (2 July, 1 August and two early Sept who made the cut off).

It all depends on your child and what you want to deal with down the road. You not only have to think about them being ready for school now, but what effect it will have when they start looking for jobs and getting ready to drive. When their friends are all getting job and being able to to drive as sophomores and they have to wait until their junior year...it can be difficult. Also consider that they will be starting college at 17...for some boys (and girls) that's young.
I would talk those issues over with your husband. It's kind of funny to think about those things now..after all he's just going into Kindergarten not going off to college.
For the most part we did OK with ours we had 2 wait (both boys). We still have one more girl to go through the High School experience as a youngster. I think the driving/job issues are harder on boys. Good luck.

Your child will not be forced to skip Kindergarten. He could go to a preschool in the fall or if you think HE is ready for Kindergarten, send him. I had a hard time letting my girls go to school, but they were ready. You have to let him grow up. :-)

You have said a lot about how you feel about him going and nothing about how he feels about going. Our youngest is July 15th and is now in 7th grade and doing fine. If you decide not to send him by all means get him into a pre-K program of some sort. It is more about him learning social skills at this point. I have never heard of a child having to skip to first grade if you hold them back and I have lived in many states. My main concern was my child's size because he is small but I realizes even if I held him back he would still be one of the smaller ones in his class. Each family needs to make their own decision but make it about him. Good luck, it is a tough one.

Well, I see you live in Arlington. I do too. I don't think they make you skip Kinder b/c you start late. You should call the i.s.d. and ask. BUT, at five, he should be fine! My newphew started like that, and is the size of a two year old! He loves school and it has really helped him in the social area. I would start him if I were you, but that's just me.