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Post by dara1012 on May 5, 2012 9:48:21 GMT -6
My DS just turned 4 last month and my mom asked if we were planning to send him to kindergarten after he turns 5 (in fall 2013) or if we will "red-shirt" him and have him start at almost 6 1/2.
Before this conversation I have only heard the term "red shirt" to refer to taking a year off from sports in college (usually freshman year) to maintain 4 years eligibility but still be able to practice with the team. But my mom said she has been hearing it more about having kids (particularly boys) start kindergarten at 6 instead of at 5 to give them an athletic advantage through school so they would be the oldest in the class (and presumably bigger, stronger and more coordinated) instead of the youngest in class.
Prior to this conversation I had thought that the only reason to have a child start kindergarten at 6 instead of 5 would be academic and/or social. I feel that DS will be ready at 5 to attend kindergarten in academic and social skills. He is on the smaller side of 4 year olds and is by far the smallest on his t-ball team but the team is 4-5 y o and he just turned 4 so there are kids who are almost a full 2 years older than him on his team.
Has anyone ever "red-shirted" their child in kindergarten to give them an athletic edge? or an academic edge?
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Post by irish on May 5, 2012 10:40:23 GMT -6
Wow, that sounds so outrageous! I've never heard of this before. Personally, I would never do it. My son's education is hands down more important than having an "athletic edge"! Plus, he loves school, so I would feel extremely guilty keeping him out of school!
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Post by bunsy on May 5, 2012 10:57:09 GMT -6
Sadly, it's becoming common to hold boys back a year to give them an edge as they get older. When my kids were young, it was kids with summer birthdays--especially late summer. Now it is getting earlier and earlier. I have friends with kids with April birthdays and they are the youngest in their classes. There are NO kids with May, June, July, August birthdays. It can't be a coincidence.
But there are also parents who start their children specializing in a sport when they are 2 or 3 as well rather than letting them explore lots of things.
IMO, sad.
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Post by cakemakermom on May 5, 2012 11:06:05 GMT -6
I sent my young son to kindergarten at 5, his birthday is in July. I see no need to keep a child out of school when they clearly need the learning atmosphere and other children near their age to socialize with. As long as the child is ready for kindergarten, I'd send him.
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Post by ReneeW on May 5, 2012 11:36:25 GMT -6
The people I know only have that dilemma if their child is a summer birthday, like June-July-August. If your kid has a spring birthday, I would send them when they're 5. If they turn 5 in the summer, I would hold them back -- not because they're not ready for kindergarten, but because it can be tough later down the road in the teen years. My DH was sent when he had just turned 5 and he would rather his parents sent him the next year when he was "just turned 6" instead. In junior high school, his friends were all in the class the year behind him, he got bullied because he was smaller size-wise, he thinks he was immature his freshmen year of college, etc. So he is a big advocate of holding back a kid with a summer bday rather than sending them. But I think with a spring birthday you'll be fine. That's my two cents!! But you know your child and what is best for him or her -- there are always exceptions and each kid is different.
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Post by dara1012 on May 5, 2012 12:16:10 GMT -6
Renee- I had to laugh at your DH saying he "thinks he was immature his freshmen year of college" in my experience I think all guys are immature their freshmen year of college whether they start at 17, 18, 19 or 20! LOL
I remember discussion about sending me early (I have an October birthday) and my parents and the neighbors decided to wait until my next door neighbor was 6 (she had a June birthday) and I was 5 and have us go together. My brother is a June birthday and he went right after 5 and was behind physically in sports (not too much, but enough), but he did well in school and was a dentist before turning 25 (he did an accelerated college to dental school program). He'll have his practice paid off by 40 so there are some advantages to going young.
With an April birthday for DS I never thought it would be a question of when to start him in kindergarten so I was surprised to hear about the "red-shirt" or "holding back" for spring babies in addition to summer babies. I am not sure if my mom's comment was a suggestion or just a question (it was asked during his birthday party so there wasn't time to discuss). DS is in the 50th percentile for height and weight but I have yet to meet someone his age who is not more than a full head taller than him. He might not be the strongest athlete but he is a smart kid who at 4 is already asking to go to kindergarten and has his star wars lunchbox all picked out, I think he would be devastated to have to wait until 6.
Bunsy- I agree that people should let their kids try different sports and the specialization and pressure at such a young age is ridiculous!
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Post by deannemdm on May 5, 2012 12:42:08 GMT -6
DD had her b-day Sept 5-- so we had issues that revolved about when to start her. The district (spring lake park) was not a big advocate for starting early so we would have had to pay for testing then she would have had to test at 1st grade level to start K early -- she started on her 6th bi-day.
The bigger reason had to do with us trying to sell our trailer and not wanting to have to possibly move during the school year. I also talked to her daycare teacher (who spent 20 yrs at Montessori school) and she asked me the question "Would you rather have her be a leader or a follower?" I watched her when she was around older and younger kids-- also she is very petite maybe 10 percentile give a take a point or two. Academically she was ready, not so sure socially at 5.
DS has Mach b-day and he will start at 5.
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Post by apryllraye87 on May 5, 2012 14:11:23 GMT -6
My DS will be 5 in July and we are putting him in kindergarten this year. He scored above average on his kindergarten placement test and he knows everything that he should before starting kindergarten. If we held him back I know by the time he started he would get bored. When kids get bored in school they tend to start causing trouble (just something I've heard, not saying it's a fact  ). He's very excited and I know he'll do just fine. |
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Post by supermommy on May 5, 2012 20:01:54 GMT -6
We are likely holding ds1 back but I doubt he will be ready at 5 as he is special needs. If he were neurotypical I would prob send him at 5 instead of the 6 and 3 months old he will be.
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Post by danikasmom on May 7, 2012 6:11:23 GMT -6
My son has an August birthday and when he was in 2-3rd grade we wish would have held him back, but now he is doing fine. He is not the smallest, so that was not the problem. My DD1 is in September and we waited and she started school last year and is doing fine. DD2 is in June and we will send her when she is 5 unless the testing tells us differently, but she will be 4 this year. Everyone holds back or pushes forward for different reasons. When I worked in preschool I could tell the kids who were ready for school and who needed to wait. The July/ August birthday can be tricky to decide.
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Post by nevaehsmom327 on May 7, 2012 7:07:04 GMT -6
I'll just say this...what a STUPID and unfair idea to "red shirt" a kid for starting school when they're SUPPOSED to. That to me is just a selfish parent.
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Post by laurac on May 7, 2012 7:32:24 GMT -6
Well, I thought thought this was why the district or state or whatever already decided that you had to be 5 by the 1st of September in order to attend that year. DS#2 turned 5 the 3rd of Sept so he had to wait. It was easier to let that decision be made already. That's ridiculous. You know your kid better than anyone and if you think they are ready then send them.
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Post by smalltowngirl5 on May 7, 2012 8:04:20 GMT -6
I have never heard of "red shirting" a child for academic or athletic edge.
DD has a summer b-day and we sent her when she was 5. We based it on what her pre-school screening told us, what her pre-school teacher recommendation was and what we were seeing at home. She is doing wonderful and I am very happy we sent her.
As far as red-shirting for athletic edge, I don't personally understand that. Let the kids be kids and get dirty and have some fun. If they want to be in sports, great. If not, oh well, find another activity that is of interest to them.
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Post by bumblebee23 on May 7, 2012 10:36:29 GMT -6
I have never heard of this before. My boys didn't start school until they where almost 6 but not because of any kind of sports advantage. The cut off is 1-2 months before there bdays so they had to wait.
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Post by elizac on May 7, 2012 12:53:34 GMT -6
Over Christmas break a friend was telling me about the article she read where it was pointed out that many of the most successful hockey players share a winter birthday. They entered school as older kids and had both mental and physical advantage. I do think there is some truth to this but again, not every child is alike and not every child will be an athlete.
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). He's very excited and I know he'll do just fine.
