[Vincent'sMommy]

Since our Fireflies will be the younger ones in their class if they start Kindergarten at 5, do you think you will start them then or wait a year? I know a lot of it depends on individual readiness, but I was just wondering what you all think? Any BTDT moms with summer babies that have dealt with this before?

[sfarrow3]

I personally will start London. She will be going to a pre-k program so she will be ready for kindergarten. I have friends with summer babies and they just started them. I've never known of anyone waiting a year, but if the child is not ready then I'm not opposed to it.

I personally think Caden, who turned 4 in March, is ready for kindergarten. The kindergarten programs here teach the same things he is now learning in the pre-k program (the pre-k program is private school vs. public school kindergarten) . He is in a private pre-k program and knows alot of information already that he would learn in kindergarten. This summer we worked on alot of things. He can now write his first and last name, he can recognize his name, he knows letter (A-Z) recognition (which is really big) and he can count to 100 (with some assistance). We are now working on his address, which he knows most of it. He can even spell simple words like cat, dog, bat, hat. I'm not sure about other states pre-k or kindergarten programs.

[iluvgummies]

I plan on starting both my summer babies (DS will be 3 on Aug 11) right away. I'm not sure yet whether we'll do the 4K program or wait until they're 5 for regular kindergarten. Our district has only half day 4K & that would cause some daycare problems (currently dh's aunt watches the kids, but she lives 30 mins away). For 5K they offer the choice of half or full day.
As a teacher, I say do what you're most comfortable with.. I've had some very immature students who were the youngest in the class, but then the 8th grade class that just graduated had a girl a year and a half younger than the oldest kids and she was far more mature than most her classmates.

[Daffodil]

at age 5. My sister was one of the oldest in her class (her birthday is late october, so she was 5 for a few months before she turned 6) and she hated it all throughout elementary school. She always wanted to be in the class ahead, where most kids were her own age. I am a July baby and I was "on track", starting at age 5.

In Arkansas where I was born and raised until I was 10, they started at age 4, if you turn 5 by October and I turned 5 in September. No idea if they still do that, I doubt it now days. So I started at age 4 and I was only 17 when graduating high school. Right now, I think my 4 yr old is mature enough and ready to go right now, so I will probably send Kaileigh at 5 as long as I think she is ready.

[Hollybear]

I was one of the oldest in the class, the cut off was September 1st and my birthday is October 16th. So I turned 16 a few months after my Sophomore year started, which was cool because I was one of the 1st of my girlfriends to get to drive to school!

Sophie will be starting as soon as she's able to. She'll be starting Montessori as soon as possible...or maybe Waldorf....maybe just regular ol' pre-k! I have no idea, I haven't even done enough research honestly :/ I think I'm in denial that she's going to actually grow up LOL

(Is anyone else trying to make a decision just in case there are waiting lists?)

[Arei_720]

We sent DD1 to pre-k at 4 and she was the youngest in class. All others were 5 or turned 5 shortly after, and there were even a couple who turned 6 during the school year! We'd been working with her on writing her name, learning ABCs and counting so she was slightly ahead of some of the kids, but by the end of the year, she was reading books. That really helped nudge her ahead in Kindergarten!

I think the earlier the better. Especially if you're doing pre-k or preschool, because it also helps with teaching social skills (like cooperation, sharing and taking turns) It's also more one-on-one, with its smaller (10:1) classroom size. Does that make sense? Well, I'm going with it.

[Daffodil]

Originally Posted by Hollybear

I was one of the oldest in the class, the cut off was September 1st and my birthday is October 16th. So I turned 16 a few months after my Sophomore year started, which was cool because I was one of the 1st of my girlfriends to get to drive to school!

Sophie will be starting as soon as she's able to. She'll be starting Montessori as soon as possible...or maybe Waldorf....maybe just regular ol' pre-k! I have no idea, I haven't even done enough research honestly :/ I think I'm in denial that she's going to actually grow up LOL

(Is anyone else trying to make a decision just in case there are waiting lists?)

I've been looking at the Montessori school but haven't actually talked to anyone about it...not sure what age to send her. They start preschool at 2 years and pre-k at 4.

[iluvgummies]

Originally Posted by Hollybear

I was one of the oldest in the class, the cut off was September 1st and my birthday is October 16th. So I turned 16 a few months after my Sophomore year started, which was cool because I was one of the 1st of my girlfriends to get to drive to school!

This is something to consider. The district I grew up in the cut off was Sept 30th. My BFF started school a year a head of me b/c her bday was Sept 26th (mine is Oct 30th). When she got to HS she absolutely hated it b/c ALL her friends got their license before her. She had to take driver's Ed when they did, but then wait another 6 months before she could get her license. To this day she talks about how she wished her parents would've waited a year to start her in school so she could have been the "cool" older student...lol!

[Jule'sMomInOR]

Originally Posted by Hollybear

I was one of the oldest in the class, the cut off was September 1st and my birthday is October 16th. So I turned 16 a few months after my Sophomore year started, which was cool because I was one of the 1st of my girlfriends to get to drive to school!

Sophie will be starting as soon as she's able to. She'll be starting Montessori as soon as possible...or maybe Waldorf....maybe just regular ol' pre-k! I have no idea, I haven't even done enough research honestly :/ I think I'm in denial that she's going to actually grow up LOL

(Is anyone else trying to make a decision just in case there are waiting lists?)

Yes, I put Juliana on the wait list for Montessori school when she was 6 months old. The wait list is about 2 years long. I was thinking I wanted her in at 2 when they first let kids in, but now I'm thinking I want her home with me longer (even though I work from home) so 2 1/2 may be about right. Of course, when she turns 2 I may change my mind and think 3 is about right ... and so on ... until she turns 5 and I have no choice but to send her to kindergarten!

[SarahBethsMommy]

I'll most likely hold him out a year. I'm VERY scared about my DD starting this year. She turned 5 in April, but she was supposed to be born at the end of June and still acts like the kids who turned 5 this summer. I'm just not sure she is emotionally ready for it, although she is intellectually ready for it. She is the shortest in her class too, which is really something to consider.

So, I really think I'll hold off on starting Daniel in kindergarten until he is 6. He is a boy (notorious for taking longer to emotionally develop) and he is still fairly small for his age. We'll see though. He could take off growing in every way possible and I might change my mind.

He will go to a preschool somewhere for sure though. I think kids almost HAVE to go to a Pre-K or at least have some homeschooling before starting public school for kindergarten. It is so much harder now than it was when I was a kid.

[Jule'sMomInOR]

I always wanted Juliana to be one of the youngest in her class. I think the perfect day to have a baby is Sept. 1st, so they can get into school ASAP. :-) We spend a lot of money on daycare, and public school is free. Also, I'm hoping Juliana will be smart. Some smart kids skip a grade. I don't know if Juliana will be smart enough to do that, but now we won't have to worry about that because she'll already be with kids who are older. If I had a baby on Sept. 2nd I might have to go through the annoying process of testing and petitioning the school board to allow him to skip a grade, if I thought he was ready.

[Daffodil]

I'm actually wondering what the difference of montesori preschools are to regular preschools. The only reason I was really considering the montesori school is because that one is the closest. LOL I read the description but I can't figure it out. I went to a regular preschool and I just remember it being a lot of fun.

Originally Posted by SarahBethsMommy

I'll most likely hold him out a year. I'm VERY scared about my DD starting this year. She turned 5 in April, but she was supposed to be born at the end of June and still acts like the kids who turned 5 this summer. I'm just not sure she is emotionally ready for it, although she is intellectually ready for it. She is the shortest in her class too, which is really something to consider.
.

Just curious, why would that affect anything? I was always the shortest in my class.

[dinamommy]

I'm almost positive I'll hold Eli out until he's 6. I do kindergarten stuff at home with my kids when they are 3 or 4 and they do fine in school. Tyrael's birthday is in April and she went to pre-4 but I'm not doing that with Bella. She'll stay home until she's 5 1/2 (her birthday is in December) and will go to kindergarten then. We're going to start preschool stuff with her this fall.

Maybe I'm the weirdo here, but I think all the lack of socialization stuff that people say about kids who don't go to preschool is kind of crap unless you don't have your kids in anything where they interact with other kids. Bella goes to story time at the library, children's Bible study on Wednesday nights, and Sunday School on Sunday mornings. She also plays with kids in the neighborhood. They actually teach less in the preschools around here than I do with my kids at home. My niece has been in preschool for two years now and doesn't know half as much as Bella does.

[Hollybear]

Originally Posted by Jule'sMomInOR

Yes, I put Juliana on the wait list for Montessori school when she was 6 months old. The wait list is about 2 years long. I was thinking I wanted her in at 2 when they first let kids in, but now I'm thinking I want her home with me longer (even though I work from home) so 2 1/2 may be about right. Of course, when she turns 2 I may change my mind and think 3 is about right ... and so on ... until she turns 5 and I have no choice but to send her to kindergarten!

I don't think the list is that long here (since we're a lot smaller in comparison to PDX) but the thing that's holding me up is that we plan on putting Sophie in private school, the private school also has Pre-K---so I couldn't decide if maybe we should put her in Pre-K with that school (so she would be familiar with the school, classmates, etc.) I just remember really liking the principles of Montessori when I took Child Psychology in college.

Originally Posted by Daffodil

I'm actually wondering what the difference of montesori preschools are to regular preschools. The only reason I was really considering the montesori school is because that one is the closest. LOL I read the description but I can't figure it out. I went to a regular preschool and I just remember it being a lot of fun.



Just curious, why would that affect anything? I was always the shortest in my class.

Me too! My best friend (Lauren, who I'm still friend with today) was the tallest so we would always cry when we lined up for pictures because we couldn't stand by each other!

She's still a foot taller than me, I'm 5'0 and she's 6'0!

[Hollybear]

Originally Posted by Daffodil

I'm actually wondering what the difference of montesori preschools are to regular preschools.

In a nutshell - Montessori education - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Although some schools will try and operate under a Montessori name, there is actually some criteria that they need to follow to be "true" montessori.

[Daffodil]

LOL Holly I read that but I still don't get it. what do they exactly DO in th school? Like say you put your 3 or 4 year old in there...what do they do???

Of course I don't remember too well, but I remember my traditional preschool was story-time, playtime, singing time, etc. I'm wondering how montesorri is different.

I do more with my child at home then she did in school. I hate to admit that but it wasnt worth the money when I did more with her at home. I did it for the social reason but I soon learned it didnt helped her at all to be social. I began going to story time and doing tball and that helped her social skills more then preschool.

[sfarrow3]

Originally Posted by Daffodil

LOL Holly I read that but I still don't get it. what do they exactly DO in th school? Like say you put your 3 or 4 year old in there...what do they do???

Of course I don't remember too well, but I remember my traditional preschool was story-time, playtime, singing time, etc. I'm wondering how montesorri is different.

Well I'm not sure about Montesorri, but Caden goes to private pre-k. He will do way more than just story time and singing time. Also it is more individualized, for example if Caden is ready for reading and spelling then they challenge him there. The some of the kids in the pre-k 4 will be reading when school ends. I wouldn't pay if that's all they did was story time, playtime and singing time. The public preschools here really suck because that's really all they do!

[Daffodil]

Originally Posted by sfarrow3

Well I'm not sure about Montesorri, but Caden goes to private pre-k. He will do way more than just story time and singing time. Also it is more individualized, for example if Caden is ready for reading and spelling then they challenge him there. The some of the kids in the pre-k 4 will be reading when school ends. I wouldn't pay if that's all they did was story time, playtime and singing time. The public preschools here really suck because that's really all they do!

I think it was just to get us out of the house since my mom had 3 kids so close in age LOL. I do remember my actual learning coming from my parents when I was in it though- my elementary school was excellent though. Hubby and I moved into our house because this area also has an excellent public school. If that weren't the case I would defininately send her to a private school like you are doing!