Starting school as the youngest kid or oldest kid - redshirting

[GGG]

Don't they have fairly well funded and structured preschool education

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by GGG

Don't they have fairly well funded and structured preschool education

Finland has free preschool and daycare. Probably why their kids can start school later. I'm wondering how many parents decision to send their kid to school early is financially based in Cananda.

[prarieboy]

One of our sons was born on Oct 31. We held him back and it's been a good decision.

He's not a big kid and despite being one year older than his classmates he is about average in stature in his class. I think this helps him fit in better. He is confident and does well in school, generally well rounded happy kid.

[Ducay]

Is there a cutoff for when you can hold kids back? February I thought was the one swing month, but looks like people in Oct are being held back? Whats stopping me from holding back a May kid and letting him be a powerhouse in classroom sports? It'd do wonders for their egos I bet.

[tvp2003]

Yeah, I was surprised to see kids born in October being held back. That means they would be turning 6 at a time when some kids haven't even turned 5 yet... is it completely up to the parent when they enroll their kid for kindergarten?

[prarieboy]

From the CBE Website. Our was a few years back now and the wife handled all of that.

When can my child begin kindergarten?

Under our current regulations, children must be at least four years old on or before March 1 to start kindergarten in September of the same calendar year.
*Please note: The new Education Act was expected to take effect in the 2016-17 school year but has delayed by Alberta Education. The new regulation states that starting in the 2018-19 school year, children must be at least five years old by Dec. 31, 2018 to start kindergarten in September 2018.
Children must start school if they are six years of age or older on Sept. 1.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Is there a cutoff for when you can hold kids back? February I thought was the one swing month, but looks like people in Oct are being held back? Whats stopping me from holding back a May kid and letting him be a powerhouse in classroom sports? It'd do wonders for their egos I bet.

That's why there can be a 17 month difference between the oldest and youngest kid in the class. How do you decide who needs to be held back and who doesn't. A kid can be socially behind but physically way ahead and held back.

In alberta kids held back in October might not be a big deal since they're entering kindergarten too early anyway and that's about to change but May would be unreasonable IMO.

[snootchiebootchies]

Calgary Board of Education Kindergarten and Grade 1 Age Calculator

http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/kinder-cal.htm

[edn88]

We have a February child. He needed an extra year to get to the point that his teachers wouldn't be driven nuts by him. Would have loved to have saved the extra year of day care costs. It also helps ensure that he is in the same grade as the kids he will play sports with.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by snootchiebootchies

Calgary Board of Education Kindergarten and Grade 1 Age Calculator

http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/kinder-cal.htm

Weird - maybe its the way the months fall or the new regulations, but looks like my kid has no choice. "May" and "Must" start grade 1 are the same year, and "may" start kindergarden is the year before.

[photon]

Added requested poll, sorry didn't notice the request.

[automaton 3]

Two of my sisters have December birthdays (cutoff at that point was Dec 31).

Both did very well acedemically, but both say they felt behind emotionally and physically compared to their classmates throughout school, and would hold back their own kids in that situation.

Our son has a May birthday so hopefully he's good to go at 5.

[driveway]

I teach middle school and I don't know of any data or studies which support an early start, but there's reams and teams of research which supports the idea of waiting a year if possible.

[indes]

Heh, if everyone holds back their kids the Februaries are still going to be the youngest

[VladtheImpaler]

We held our oldest back, based on universal advice from all the teachers we knew (he is a December kid). i think it has been great for him, as he is essentially the class leader. But it's kid dependant. Girls mature earlier, so perhaps different for them.

[bigtmac19]

My oldest son born in July went to Senior Kindergarten at 5. We opted not to send him to JK. He did other activities that year. My second was born early February and he didn't start until age 5 as well. Both boys would have struggled socially if they started earlier.

[GGG]

I don't like the poll question.

Not to be the youngest shouldn't be the driver. To be developmentally ready for kindergarten should be the driver

[#-3]

Our Daughter was born in the summer, and we would have started her at 4 if we could have. She we ready, after a year in preschool she sat down, listened well and was interested in learning.

I don't think it's something you can make a universal rule for, you need to know the child, know if they will sit through the classes and if they want to learn. If they are too hyper and u-engaged it's probably better to wait.

[redforever]

^^^^^

It is not so much what their attention span and the like is now. It is more what happens when they are in the junior and senior years.

As a former teacher of Junior Highschool, I can tell you that what they go through in their middle school years is tough enough without them being a year younger than their peers.

And while girls might tend to be a bit more mature at a younger age, that quite often does not hold the case if they are a year younger than their peers in the later grades.

And OK, you might have to pay another year of childcare, not a big deal at all if you look at the bigger picture.

And as far as losing a year of earning power, well IMHO, whoop-dee-doo.

And while what I might have noticed as a teacher might be anecdotal, Malcolm Gladwell also alludes to the fact that those born in the first half of the year tend to be more successful.

I personally would always want my child to be one of the oldest in their grade rather than one of the youngest.