Kindergarten School Dilemma.. Please Help!?
I’m in Indiana and the cut-off to start Kindergarten is August 1st. My daughter’s birthday is August 21st. The registration office is suppose to call me sometime this week to set up an assessment test to see if she’s ready. I’m in a pickle because I just can’t decide on if I should start her this year or wait until next?? She was in Pre-School this past year while she was 4 but in a 3 year old class because the go by the Indiana cut-off date. She seemed to like it but she was so far ahead of the other students. On the other hand, she was also in a 5 year old class when she was 4 for awhile and they all seemed more advanced than her. I’m skeptical about starting her next year because I’m afraid she’s again going to be ahead and everyone and might get bored with school, then again I don’t want her being behind the other kids and possibly suffer from teasing from not learning as quickly or knowing as much. She’s very smart, she knows how to write her full name, she knows her birthday, address, both mine and my husband’s phone numbers, colors, shapes, letters, numbers, and can count to 25. She can’t tie her shoes (mainly because we haven’t practiced with it being summer and her wearing sandals for months) or read but she does listen to direction from other adults without any trouble.
Edit- Just so everyone doesn’t have do sit and do the math her birthday is Aug 21st when she’ll be 5.. School starts on the 14th here and she’ll be 4 at that time. If I wait until next year she’ll 5 then a week later she’ll be 6.
you could try it out and see how they think she is doing if she is learning at slower Pace you could always take her out and try it again next year good luck
If the cut off is august 1st to be 5, I wouldn’t fight it, then you get an extra year w/ her at home, and if you unsure on if she is ready or not, you mind as well wait. My daughters bday is the 21st also, but her school the cut off was august 31, and I knew she was ready, so I sent her, she graduated kindergarten at the top of her class and is getting ready for 1st grade now.
In this situation I’d pay close attention to the test results. If she’s ready to do the work and can hold her attention/ follow directions — than go ahead and start her.
Social life can also make a big difference. If her friends are going to be in kindergarten or if she does well socially around older children/ is mature for her age — than go ahead and start. If socially she’s still like those in her younger pre-k, than maybe hold back.
I would wait until they do the assessment test on her, this way they are able to see if she is both academically and emotionally ready for school, I live in indiana as well and my 3 yr old just went through some testing for preschool stuff, they will be able to tell if they think she is ready, if she is then i would let her start this year, if not then she would definitly be ready by next year, like i said though, the assessment wont just look at what she knows but like her ability to comprehend things and if they think she is emotionally ready as well.
Why not wait for the assessment and see what they say. It may provide you with more information on making the decision. That being said I have seen parents wait a year if in doubt so that their child is able to do well. I doubt that starting kindergarten will be too boring unless she has satisfied all the kindergarten requirements. You can take a look at the book “Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! ” by Stacy Kannenberg which has the the basic kindergarten curriculum.
better early than late, so enroll her now
Think about it. When she gets to college, she’ll technically graduating earlier than normal, but only by a little bit. It’s better than being late.
She’ll adjust, shes a kid. Trust me I’ve been through all 13 years of public schooling and more often you’ll see kids who’re young for the grade but are doing fine.
It might be bumpy for a few years but by like 2nd grade it’ll be fine