Pre-5 or Kindergarten?

HI Jodi,

My daughter did the pre-K class when she was 5 because she has a late b-day the school thought that was best. She had done a year of pre-school before that as well. By the time she started kindergarten she was really board. They were learning again the ABC's and 123's. It was really hard for her to stay intuned in class because she was just board. I wished I would have never let her do the pre-k class even though the teacher was wonderful and she loved it, it's now being in 1st grade she is trying to learn on to pay attention all over again, and it's h*** o* her. I graduated high school when I was 17 since I have an Aug b-day too, but I never had problems in school or had to be held back for any reason. It's a hard choise to make but I hope that my input has helped in some way. Good Luck!

The academics is just one aspect of school.. yes your son scores high on the test.. But there is so much more to school than the subject matter... he needs to be socially and emotionally mature..

Education is not a race- I would hold him back and give him another year to mature. It is an advantage to be the oldest kid in the grade and not the youngest. Especially for a boy.

My friend started her daughter in 1st grade at 5 (home school) she was a bright girl and did well-- But now she is graduating high school at 16 and will just turn 17 before she goes off to an out of state college. her mom now regrets starting her so young- becuase the girl is not as mature and experienced as some of her classmates. Even though she has done well academically.

Let your son be a kid for another year before he starts the real schooling in one year..

He is your son so you know him best, but also I would be very careful of putting him in the pre 5 program if he already knows everything they are teaching, he will be very bored-I think kids need a little bit of a challenge to keep them interested, and once he is in the flow of things I'm sure he will not have trouble later on. If kindergarden does not workout for him he can always repeat it and you will have him graduating at the same time as if you put him in the pre5 program now. Good Luck!!

Hey Jodi,
Thanks for asking the question. It looks like U got a lot of great advise. My son's b-day is mid-October and I've been thinking about early 5's too. It's a hard decision to make! My b-day is in the beginning of Oct. and I was held back in 3rd grade and let me tell U that is something that I will never forget,the way I felt....ashamed, stupid, singled out every time I would see one of my "old" friends, but back in the 70's I don't think there was such a thing called early 5's or my mom didn't know about it...just pre-K and then U go onto K,1st,2nd etc. I don't think we should make it to easy for our kids, but if we can help build their self-confident, mentally, physically and socially then why not? I would rather hold him back now and then promote him later on, which I'm sure he would feel pretty good about himself thinking that he's so smart we're moving him ahead w/the "older" kids (which some might be the same age but to him they're older b/c they're in a higher grade)than having him feel bad about himself like he's not smart enough to go on to the next grade. As a parent we have to listen to our own instincts. Keep praying about it and the answer will come.
Good Luck:)
Lupe'
p.s. the summer school before Kindergarten was a Good suggestion.

Jodi~As mother of a boy, an aunt of many boys and I work in a daycare, if teachers and your self feel that he is ready for kindergarten I say go for it. Every child develops at a different rate. My nephew who just turned three in March is more ready for preschool then his older brother who just turned five. Every kid is different. If it was me, I would put him in kindergarten. Good luck with school and I hope that he continues to grow and learn new ideas every day!

I'm in the exact same situation. My son's b-day is Aug 25th. I was planning to hold him for a year too, but was told he is ready for kindergarten. I say go with the teachers reccomendation. He may need to be held back laer, and he may not. If he's ready now, go for it. It's really hard to know what's coming in the future, so just go with what's happening. That's what I'm doing, anyways. Hope this helps.

Only you know your son, and whats best for HIM. I can tell you my youngest went into young 5's for the same reasons you want to send your son. I was in the same situation. I am very grateful for deciding to put him in young 5's. I was lucky in haveing a teacher who realized he was a little higher then the other kids in math so he gave him a bit more challenging workin class. My son is now in 2nd grade and is doing awesome. He reads at a high level almost middle 3rd grade and can do my 4th graders math homework. So like I said only you know your son and if you think he will do just fine in young 5's send him.

wELL IF THAT WHERE MY KID i'D BE SO PROUD

OF HIM AND i'D SEND HIM OFF TO KINDERGARTEN

i KNOW YOU HAVE PLANS BUT THINK ABOUT HIS

FUTURE AND HOW MUCH SMARTER HE COULD BE!

Hi Jodi! My opinion: your son might be smart enough for Kindergarten but I think a big question would be,is he SOCIALLY ready for it? And not just right now, but think about when he gets into middle school too.
I think starting him with pre-5 would give him an opportunity to socially develop, b/c he'd have more "play" time and interaction w/children his age. You can always promote him up down the road if 1st or 2nd grade is just too easy for him. Biggest thing - just follow your intution! ; )

Hi Jodi,

If your son has never been in a school/daycare setting, I would strongly encourage the Pre-K experience for him. I teach 1st grade and have taught kindergarten in the past. I completly understand what the teachers are saying about him possibly being bored, but it is their job to make sure he is not. Now a days teachers are almost always required to teach students at their developmental levels, so if he is smarter than most pre-k students, they should be able to provide activities that keep him engaged at his level. Also, the pre-k setting is important for social development as well, especially if he has had limited contact with kids his age thus far. Good Luck!

I would listen to the experts on the subject. If the teachers think he is ready, he probably is. They see many, many kids and have a good idea of who is ready and who is not. They are obviously not God and can't predict with a 100% certaintly, but they are pretty close. The first few years of school are so important. You do not want him to get the impression that school is boring and that he doesn't need to try. If he is challenged, great! Work with him on how to apply himself and work throuh challenges. Plus, his birthday is August, not December. He will be 5 either when he starts school or shortly after. Let us know what you decide and how it works out! Pray about the decision and let God make this decision. He is always the ultimate expert! God Bless!

Personally, if my son tested that high, I would put him in kindergarten. I think the teachers see a variety of students and their assessment is probably pretty acurate. If he seems to be having problems, it is easy enough to pull him out and start kindergarten later down the road... I would not worry about five to six years from now.

You know your child better then anyone, if you feel he needs the early 5 program then you should do it. My son will be doing the kindergarten in the fall but his birthday is in a few days. He has several friends that are doing the early 5 program. Actually most of the male friends he has are. The decision is yours not the school, so go with your gut and do what you feel is right for him. You aren't going to regret giving him an extra year to develop. You might want to check with the school and see if the posibility of lifting him to kindergarten is there. My district doesn't do that, once they are in the early 5 program they stay all year. I'm sure that varies by district. Good luck!

My son makes the cut off for K by 5 days and we were debating (and likely will) hold off on starting him. My father is a school superintendent in Wisconsin, and we also have a family friend who is a junior high principal in Ann Arbor, and both have recommended waiting. It's not just an "academic" or bored thing at this point - it is also maturity and other factors.

Go with your gut feelings. Then you won't have regrets later. My two girls both August birthdates went to Pre-K then K at just turning 6. Both are now college graduates. It went very well raising them into mature young women. They were never too young for their peers. Pam R.

Legally, your son doesn't have to be in school until he is 6. You don't have to send him to school if you are not comfortable. I would send him to a preschool program and then enroll in kindergarten the next year if you feel that it more appropriate. You know your son better than they possibly could in the 20 minute assessment.

My niece was recommended to go to young fives because she has a November birthday. She is a very bright girl, but socially she was behind. She really felt that in the third grade and was sad quite a bit. They moved out of state and we urged my brother-in-law to put her in the third grade again since none of her peers would know. She has always struggled and seemed so depressed. I myself, have a late Nov. birthday and did start kindergarten. I did just fine with peers, etc. It really depends on the kid. Point being.....if you don't feel your son is ready, I wouldn't follow the schools recommendation.

Jody, I would go forward with school--he is your only child and he has had alot of adult interaction, this may mature him quicker than you think. I think the school just thinks why would you send him through that when he knows all that stuff anyway? You would be board too if you were taught the same things over and over again. He sounds real mature for his age-My daughter is a young kindergarder and she is doing well. goodluck...

The kindergarten I went to had the "regular" students in PM and the students that tested higher in the AM. I tested higher but my mom wanted me in the PM class for the same reasons you have. If the school offers this, I would try that route. If not, see if there is a summer program somewhere to start him in now so you know for sure what you want to do in September.
~B.

Great job! Yur son sounds liek he pick things up quickly. What you need to remember is when people say "boys mature slower than girls" it is an average. So are faster and some are slower. What I think you need to consider is what the "scoring system" is based on. Is it just whether he knows certain shapes and colors? Or does it go more in depth as far as how he interacts with other kids his age? It is not just about how smart they are or how fast they pick thing up, they also need to be at a certain social level as well. If your son does well in groups of kids his own age and he pick things up quickly then maybe you should go for kindergarden. On the other hand, if he has not got the "social skills" to interact with other kids, you shoul probably still concider the pre-5 class.

Remember, you are the parent and know your child best. Call and talk to th epre-5 teacher to see what they focus the class learning on and do the same for the kindergarden teacher. maybe if you know how th elessons differ, you will be able to make a decision you will all be happy with.

HI Jodi, You know your son. I could kick myself for not pushing for my son to be in pre-K. He is a senior now, and has stuggeled the whole time. He also tested high. He is my youngest of three, my middle one was in pre-k, did wonderfully. The big difference here is, your son is the oldest and only one, the oldest tend to be ahead of younger siblings, so maybe he would do ok. I know my son didn't, that extra year would have done him alot of good. He was in pre school before pre-k, so it wasn't like it was the first school experience he had. Good luck, go with what you feel is right:)Sue

Dear Jodi,
I have a 8 year old daughter in the 3rd grade. Her birthday is in early november and I remember the same thing as u back in kindergarten. The school told me that i should hold her back because of social reasons..... and i thought dang she would be bored and already had 2 years of Headstart. She is a very smart girl, infact right now she is the only one in her class that do division on the the timing tests. She will be the only one to finish it this year. Anyways the only thing i have seen in her steps to 3rd grade is yes she does act younger then the other kids. Its harder to keep her on track of her work. Finishing it, Turning it, etc.. Anyways i think it is up to what type of child the kid is and what kinda battle u want to have to push ur child to their strength.
But i will tell you that it is great when she does come home with a smile cause she beat the test that i knew she could.

Jodi,
Only you know what is best for your child. My daughter was put in Pre k and got taken out and put in K because she was so bored, she started acting out. It is true that some boys are slower developing, but i know many that start k at this age. I drive school bus, on top of having 4 kids, so i see a good vairety every day. I have some k that should never have even been put in yet, then i have some pre k that should be in 1st grade... so my best suggestion is to go with your motherly instinct, and if he is ready, hes ready dont slow him down with your fears. If you expect them to fail they will, if you help them succeed they will.... good luck

Hi Jodi
I have a 6 year old daughter with a late Oct. birthday. She is currently in an all day kindergarden. This is her second year. We decided to hold her back and repeat kindergarden, because emtionaly, she really struggled, and was overwhelmed with some of the ciriculum. If I had the chance to do it all over, I would have put her in a young five program 1/2 days. We were told by a teacher that she was ready for reg. kindergarden, but my gut told me to wait. I went with the teachers advice, and regretted it. Bottom line, you know your child the best. Follow your motherly insincts.

Dear Jodi

Please send him to K as he has achieved that level. Otherwise he will be bored. He willnot fail in 5th as it is not a pressure for him rather he will be pleased for your decision.

C. Sengupta

I dont understand what your thinking. You should start him this fall. My daughter wont be 4 until August and she will be starting this fall. Why would u wait for him to turn 6 before putting him in pre school? It just dont make sense to me. If he is scoring good on the assessment, then he is obviously ready. Just let him go to school.

Hi Jodi -- I have a 4.5 year old daughter as well, and I had her in preschool this year and I was the same as you, I really wrestled over putting her in kindergarden here or doing another year of preschool, she has a late birthday as well which is October and Kindergarden here is all day, everyday which really bothers me, her going from 2.5 hours of school only 3 days a week to fulltime will be an adjustment and she is a small girl, but she is sharp and ready and I feel that its better to put her ahead and if she isnt doing good I can always take her out vs. her being bored with preschool and having issues. So she is signed up for kindergarden this fall and excited to go....here is another thought to give you, my girlfriend was in the same situation and felt emotionally her daughter was not ready for kindergarden so she put her in pre-k and it was a big mistake, a couple months into school she developed alot emotionally and pre-k became to easy for her and not structured enough so she was hanging out with kids that were problems and started acting out from it, and it took 2 months of ongoing battling to get her bumped up to kingergarden, so anyways just weigh all the factors, and as far as your son failing 5th grade, if that was to happen it wont be from you starting him early at that point!! good luck!!

Based on my personal experience and that of my husband, I would recommend delaying Kindergarten. My husband and I both were fall babies and scored very high on early assessment tests. In both of our cases, our elementary schools recommended starting us early. Both of us also ended up repeating 1st grade, albeit for different reasons.

I couldn't physically deal with the transition from a half day kindergarten to a full day of 1st grade--I would come home and fall asleep immediately. I exceled academically but struggled a little socially before staying back because I just wasn't as mature as the other kids in some areas. My husband also just wasn't mature enough, although very bright. He was not quite ready for the structure and self-control expected of 1st graders, so he repeated 1st grade as well.

Whether or not a child should start Kindergarten or wait is NOT about intelligence or academic ability. The level of academics kids are doing at those ages isn't all that important anyways--the skills they are developing are developing social relationships, learning about rules and expectations in school, self-control and awareness and other subjects that are non-academic. If your son is in a good Pre-5 class, his teachers should be more than capable of stimulating him in a variety of ways to prevent boredom.

I can give you some advice based on experience. The same thing happened to my mother with me. I too was tested and scored above average. She did put me into school and I had no problems. He is probably ready too with a score like that. You don't want him to be bored and he might be in a pre K class. Don't worry about 5 or 6 years from now, he will grow with his classes. Just have faith in your little boy. How does he feel? Does he have an opinion? Maybe you should feel him out and see what he tells you. That may be your answer.
Good luck to you.

HI Jodi,

I use to teach preschool for years in the school systems. I totally understand what you are saying, and it is true that boys d develop slower. That may not be the case with your son. How does he behave with others? Is he a follower or a leader? Kids also get in trouble when bored and stop trying to learn. If you decide to put him in Kindergarten and see that later in life he is having problems emotionally you and your husband can be there to help. If he starts to fall back in his work, you can hire a tutor.

good luck
R.

If he seems ready for Kindergarten put him in. My sons b-day is in Sept so he is a young 5. He is doing great in Kindergarten. It sounds like your son is ready. Like someone else wrote he may be bored in Pre-K. If they don't feel he is ready once he starts Kindergarten they will let you know and you can put him back pre-k. Good luck

Hi Jodi,
Bored in Pre-K? Hopefully the school isn't all about sitting at a desk doing paperwork. They should be playing a lot, since kids learn by playing.

I had to make the same decision with my daughter. I decided that I wanted her to be SUCCESSFUL in her early academic career, build her confidence, even doing things she knows easily. I can CHALLENGE her at home with other academic work I find online or other sources. I did not want her struggling later on in school being the youngest. Pre K and Kindergarten should be fun and social and not concentrating on all academics.

Is it a half-day or all-day program? 3 hours of school doing things a child is CONFIDENT in will give him SELF-CONFIDENCE and probably won't bore him.

Good luck with your decision. Ask God for discernment with this and He'll guide you.

hello jodi
if your son istesting at that high of a range i would start him in school so he dose not loose intrest if later down the line you don't think he is ready in fifth or sixth grade you can hold him back well hope i helped

Studies show that children that are the youngest in a class tend to do poor compare to their peers. This does not mean it will happen to your son, but the majority do. I had to make the same decision last year and chose pre-5 and I do not regret it one bit. The pre-5 that my child is in, is teaching her to read, do math, she actually wrote me a book for Mother's day! It is by no means boring and has given her more confidence in herself.

Good luck with your decision....and let us know what you decide!

I returned to college 3 years ago and my 4 year old son attended an on-campus preschool for the last 2 of those years. While I know he has the physical, social, and cognitive skills to go into kindergarten this coming fall, I also know he is not ready emotionally. He just does not have the same impulse control, etc. that 5 year olds have. I think one more year of pre-k will do him wonders. Just remember that you know your child best!

If you're in the Kalamazoo area, and you've decided to pursue the early 5's route, you may have found limited options. I'm the president of a cooperative preschool, and we're looking to begin an early 5's program for next year... if you're interested, take a look at the web site and get in touch: www.comstockpreschool.com

JH