[quote author="new_to_irvine" date=1243054438][quote author="SoCal78" date=1243052657]This is a very hot topic among parents that is sure to elicit strong responses from both sides. Parents and even elementary teachers will disagree on what the correct approach is. What started out as giving boys an opportunity for an extra year's maturity, evolved into a practice of "redshirting" to give a normally-equipped child competitive strength in the classroom. In the local school districts, the child must be 5 years old by the cut-off date in mid-December of that school year in order to attend Kindergarten. Some parents who have boys with birthdays just prior to that date, will elect to hold out for the next school year. But this crept up to parents of summer-time birthday kids, fall birthdays, and even older. I have encountered a few of these parents myself. One mother asked me why I did not choose to postpone my son in Kindergarten since he has a July birthday! Having a July birthday would still make him five months older than the youngest child in the classroom but to some parents that is "too young". In my opinion, it is most helpful to get the recommendation of your child's preschool teacher. Many preschools will give a Kindergarten readiness evaluation and discuss this with you. I did this and we were given the green light so I had no compelling reason to hold him back a year. In his classroom, the oldest child is 6 yrs & 8 mos old. That is quite a bit older than the youngest who turned 5 in December. This child's mother elected to redshirt her son and has already decided to do so for all of her children despite any indicators of readiness they may show. Some parents will say it's better to pre-empt any problems that may develop down the line by giving the boy a delayed start. That way, if he does not succeed and is held back a year, he will not have to suffer the emotional trauma of his classmates leaving him behind and having to repeat a grade. My comment may sound biased because it is. After listening to all of the debates, talking with teachers, etc... my opinion is that I would send the child on schedule unless there is a compelling reason not to (and there can be compelling reasons not to.) I prefer this over a child not going unless there is some outstanding reason they should go on schedule. I am sure you'll get lots of responses. Good luck with what you decide.</blockquote>
Thank you for your response!
When we were entering K-class back in Los Angeles we were given "green light" to go a bit early from his teachers so we did. In our old school there was perhaps only 1 boy who was postponed to start school 1 year later. Rest of the kids were on time or even younger than cut off date. That was a case for my son as well - his birthdate is January, right after cut off date. He was doing absolutely fine both socially and academicaly in the old school. Now, since we moved to Irvine (partially because of schools, by the way), his social life went south and he doesn't seem that happy and interested anymore. He is getting in all sorts of troubles during recess. When his teacher learned that he is yonger than his classmates, the blame goes on age. It was such an unexpected turn of events that we now consider putting him back in private school. Any advice?</blockquote>
The general rule of thumb for teachers is to place kids according to their social age, not their academic or physical age.