Monday, April 20, 2009

Kindergarten Entrance Ages??

What’s the deal with Kindergarten entrance ages? Where I come from, kids start in September (or the end of August) as long as they’re five by that time. Here, legally, you can’t place your child in school before then, but the norm seems to be enter Kindergarten at six. Really? But what if my kids are ready when they’re five? I was. And I never had the luxury of pre-school like they do.

What’s the norm where you are?

19 comments:

  1. I homeschool so I'm completely useless to you. Just stopping in to say hello and happy Monday!

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  2. Hi, I think they should start when they are ready. Mine was ready at five too and it was a wasted year, because of such. ; D

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  3. My munchkin is starting Kindy this year!!! The rule here is, they must BE 5 by september of the year they plan on attenting.

    School starts in august for my munchkin, and she turns five next month.

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  4. My five-year-old will be starting kindergarten in late August.

    However, her older sister (birthday in mid-September) started kindergarten when she was four. This is the same school, same district, same everything.

    Prior to this coming school year, kindergarten in my city was half-day. My little princess will be in the first class of full-day kindergarten. Although she's gone to pre-school a couple of hours a day four days a week this year, I'm not sure how I feel about the sudden jump to full-time.

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  5. The times are really arbitrary. The rule in our area is 5 by the Sept. 24 or something like that. The last place we lived it was Oct 15. Before that it was Sept. 1. I think there should be a national start date on that one. I know so many things are on a state to state basis and that's fine, but with families moving around so much these days, it would be nice for some consistency. It does seem the trend to hold kids back and start them later in K. especially for boys. That has been true several of the places that we have lived.

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  6. Here thekids must be 5 by Sept. 1 Our school district offers half day 4 year old kindergarten which is a great step between home with mom and all day 5K.

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  7. If they are 5 when school starts they are good to go, but some parents do wit a year if they have just barely turned five.

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  8. Where I am, they have to be five before August something-or-other to start kindergarten. My youngest will be five for her entire kindy year, because her birthday isn't until July.

    You'd think there'd be a more standard norm.

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  9. To KLo, because I just saw her comment... :)

    My daughter did three days of three-hour preschool last year, and jumped to full days of kindy this school year. She adjusted well! When they have their friends and so many new, fun things to do, their resilience is amazing. Good luck!

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  10. I don't know what the norm is, but I should look into it. Good question. Now I'm all interested and will do some research. Thanks!

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  11. My youngest began kinder when she was still 4 (turned 5 in Sept) and has done just fine. My middle was a full 5 and 1/2 and struggled a little bit. It certainly is an individual call!

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  12. I have no clue what the deal is here. My son turns five in July though, so I think I'm safe. :-)

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  13. My oldest sons (now 22 and 18) started at 6. I knew 3 kinder teachers who recommended keeping boys at home a year before sending to school. I read somewhere they are more apt to be a leader. I'm sure kids vary and everyone knows what their kids can handle. It's really up to the parents, in my opinion.

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  14. Ours has a Sept 25 birthday. She started when she was 5. I'm glad we had her home an extra year. Lots of sweet fun.

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  15. When my daughter went it was five--but back then I didn't realize how important preschool was. So now there is pre-K when they are 4 years old. That's a tought call to know when they are mentally ready.

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  16. Thanks for all of your comments. Now, I don't feel so stressed about the situation.

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  17. At our school you have to be 5 by December 1. My kids are both November babies so they were 4 when they started Kindergarten. Some people hold their kids back, but mine were totally ready. They would have been bored if I held them out another year. As it is, they are tops in their classes and always itching for more!

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  18. Hi Lynnette!

    I'm in Northern New Jersey and kids must 5 by October 1st to enter kindergarten. Like lotusgirl, I really think there should be a National Start Date for kindergarten. It's been an issue where some kids here are really ready for kindergarten but because their birthday falls like, say the middle of October, or even in November, they are held back a year because of this rule. I think it's really unfair.

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  19. Amen Sherrinda!

    I too agree that there should be a national standard for starting school. But in addition I believe that a child should have to receive a certain score at screening in order to attend regardless of their birthdates.

    My husband was born on 6-27 and I was born on 7-7, both in the same year. I graduated from High School a year before he did. I wish that I would have been held back.

    Life is so short and little ones will never have the time at home or at preschool ever again. I think that we push them into school too early, even if we feel that they are ready. Being ready is more than just having the ability or the skills needed academically. Social, emotional and cognitive abilities should be considered. If your child is teased by another child, will he stand up for himself, tell the teacher, or just take it? Can your child follow two step directions? Can your child make it through 3-6 hours of the day without you?

    I am so glad that our boys will be six for most of their kindergarten year. As a former kindergarten teacher I am definitely of the mind that waiting is best.

    I strongly recommend to those of you who have children with summer or fall birthdays that you look into the standards for your state. Just one example of how expectations have skyrocketed since No Child Left Behind, Missouri kindergarteners have to be able to read a short story where each page has a different sentence, not just repetition.

    Please, please, please seriously consider whether sending your child to kindergarten this next fall is a good choice FOR YOUR CHILD. In Missouri children have to be five by August 1st to attend kindergarten and sometimes even that is too soon.

    Ok, I am off my soap box.

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