Wait an extra year?

Billy and I have pretty much decided what we're going to do, but I wanted to get opinions from others to see what they would do and why.

Alexander's birthday is early September, meaning he would enter kindergarten at 4 and turn 5 about a month later.

OR we can wait a year and send him to kindergarten when he is 5 and then he would turn 6 about a month later.

There are pros and cons for both scenarios and we've debated them back and forth. What would you do? Go ahead and send your child or wait an extra year?

Here the cut-off date is the middle of October, around the 15th.

Alexander will only turn four this September but we needed to go ahead and make our decision a couple of months ago because we want him to go to pre-school the year before kindergarten and the one we are planning to send him to had registration in March. We think that sending him to pre-school will help get him ready for the routine and schedule of school since he doesn't have that now.

We have decided to wait an extra year before sending Alexander to kindergarten and will instead send him to pre-school the year he would be eligible to start kingergarten.

From all we've heard from Billy's sisters who have kids in school and from all we've read and heard on the news, school - especially kindergarten - isn't what it use to be. It has changed so much from when we were going and we decided we didn't to put our kids into the system any earlier than we needed to. They need time to be kids and we want them to have that freedom of nothing to do, nowhere to go for as long as possible.

As far as Alexander being able to sit still, follow orders, share, pay attention, etc., he's doing all that already. Storytime has really helped him there and so I know he will have the skills and maturity to start school at four, we just have made the choice to wait an extra year.

That's not to say that we won't be teaching him at home but it won't be as structured as school would be. I am excited about Alexander going to school one day but as we all know, once they begin, their carefree life is over and to me, that's sad. Sure they still have summers, but those aren't near as long as they use to be so kids don't get all that time to unwind and just be kids.

Waiting an extra year will also mean he and Elizabeth will only be two years apart in school instead of three, and I'm hoping that's good. He'll be able to watch out for her a little longer.

Thanks Elaine and Annie.

I remember my SIL saying her kids had homework in kindergarten and I couldn't believe it! I loved kindergarten and while we learned, it was so much fun. But today, with the end-of-year testing being pushed, kids are expected from kindergarten on to sit and learn all day rather than have fun at school.

I wish I were the one home with the kids and then I would seriously be considering homeschooling. But because of where we live (in the boonies with the closest house five minutes away), Billy wants to make sure our kids have the social interaction that other kids their age are getting. Storytime and an occasional playdate just isn't gonna do it as they get older.

And because of his early morning job, it's all Billy can do to take care of the kids, take care of the house, do the shopping and take them to storytime once a week. He doesn't have the time to arrange daily school activities and lesson plans or work out field trips with other homeschoolers. Plus he just doesn't want to homeschool and that's fine. I know my kids will get a fine education through the public school system as long as we stay involved and help them out.

But I'm just rambling now. Thanks again!

Me and my twin brother started school at four since our birthday is early October. I did fine and thrived while he didn't do well at all. He just didn't have the maturity level he needed to start school and I think that just gave him a bad start to his education.

Because of that and knowing how boys often mature slower than girls was also a factor in our decision. I don't want Alexander - who is very bright - falling behind and getting discouraged simply because he isn't equipped emotionally or mentally for kindergarten as compared to those that are already five and almost six.

I know each child is different and for us the decision is made. I just hope and pray that we're making the right one for Al.

That's sad that kids can be so mean, Annie.

Thank you so much, Shelia! Your post made me .

More tears here, Shelia! You are really helping me feel very confident and proud as a parent. Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and words.

Thank you so much, Brenda. We feel like we're making the best informed decision we can, but it helps when others tell you that you are.

I hate that Drew went through what he did early on but it sounds like he's forged ahead and is doing so great now!