Kindergarten Redshirt
Our son starts kindergarten in less than 2 weeks and he is 6 years old. Yes, our son is one of the older kids starting. Sure. Go ahead and say it. He is being redshirted. I brought this up because I was browsing the blogosphere and came across a couple posts on this very topic on the same day that I was thinking about it. How weird or not so weird really since alot of parents have the same worries that I do.
The reasoning behind our redshirting was not to give our son an academic or athletic advantage. He simply was not ready to go to kindergarten last year at the age of 5 and so we were able to keep him at home. I know he was not ready because I am his Mother. All children are different. Emotionally our son was not ready to go out in the world alone mainly because he had no previous daycare or preschool experience. Sure, he could have done well with the academic curriculum last year but the academic aspect of kindergarten was not why we kept him out an additional year. It was the social/emotional/mommy knows best thing! I'm happy that our son didn't have to go to preschool or daycare but I'm sure some of you think it is the worst thing in the world for a child to not be pre-schooled. I also understand that some of you have no choice but to send your children on to school even if they are not ready.
This past year we spent alot of time preparing our son for kindergarten. We unofficially homeschooled, we participated in lots of sports, traveled, and had all the fun that we could because once school starts sadly most of the fun is over. I wish that weren't true but in most schools (from what I've heard and read anyway) kindergarten isn't like it used to be and teachers are more concerned about testing thany anything else. I tell my son that school is going to be fun and learning is fun but in all reality the way things are today in schools, this just isn't true anymore.
Anyway, as this school year comes near I am much more confident in my 6 year old son's readiness and so is he. I think most people who redshirt can sense that their child is not ready and ultimately we know our children best. Sure, there is going to be an age gap there but too me it's not a big deal. I'd rather see my son do well in school. And, if school doesn't work out to our expectations we always have homeschool to fall back on. We are absolutely NOT afraid of pulling our son out of school and homeschooling if our school ends up being a POS.
All in all I don't see it as a big deal if my son goes to school at age 5 or 6. The only ones who has to deal with it is our family. So what if my kid is older than yours. You'd never know it unless you asked.Labels: kindergarten readiness, kindergarten redshirt
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Our son starts kindergarten in less than 2 weeks and he is 6 years old. Yes, our son is one of the older kids starting. Sure. Go ahead and say it. He is being redshirted. I brought this up because I was browsing the blogosphere and came across a couple posts on this very topic on the same day that I was thinking about it. How weird or not so weird really since alot of parents have the same worries that I do.
The reasoning behind our redshirting was not to give our son an academic or athletic advantage. He simply was not ready to go to kindergarten last year at the age of 5 and so we were able to keep him at home. I know he was not ready because I am his Mother. All children are different. Emotionally our son was not ready to go out in the world alone mainly because he had no previous daycare or preschool experience. Sure, he could have done well with the academic curriculum last year but the academic aspect of kindergarten was not why we kept him out an additional year. It was the social/emotional/mommy knows best thing! I'm happy that our son didn't have to go to preschool or daycare but I'm sure some of you think it is the worst thing in the world for a child to not be pre-schooled. I also understand that some of you have no choice but to send your children on to school even if they are not ready.
This past year we spent alot of time preparing our son for kindergarten. We unofficially homeschooled, we participated in lots of sports, traveled, and had all the fun that we could because once school starts sadly most of the fun is over. I wish that weren't true but in most schools (from what I've heard and read anyway) kindergarten isn't like it used to be and teachers are more concerned about testing thany anything else. I tell my son that school is going to be fun and learning is fun but in all reality the way things are today in schools, this just isn't true anymore.
Anyway, as this school year comes near I am much more confident in my 6 year old son's readiness and so is he. I think most people who redshirt can sense that their child is not ready and ultimately we know our children best. Sure, there is going to be an age gap there but too me it's not a big deal. I'd rather see my son do well in school. And, if school doesn't work out to our expectations we always have homeschool to fall back on. We are absolutely NOT afraid of pulling our son out of school and homeschooling if our school ends up being a POS.
All in all I don't see it as a big deal if my son goes to school at age 5 or 6. The only ones who has to deal with it is our family. So what if my kid is older than yours. You'd never know it unless you asked.
The reasoning behind our redshirting was not to give our son an academic or athletic advantage. He simply was not ready to go to kindergarten last year at the age of 5 and so we were able to keep him at home. I know he was not ready because I am his Mother. All children are different. Emotionally our son was not ready to go out in the world alone mainly because he had no previous daycare or preschool experience. Sure, he could have done well with the academic curriculum last year but the academic aspect of kindergarten was not why we kept him out an additional year. It was the social/emotional/mommy knows best thing! I'm happy that our son didn't have to go to preschool or daycare but I'm sure some of you think it is the worst thing in the world for a child to not be pre-schooled. I also understand that some of you have no choice but to send your children on to school even if they are not ready.
This past year we spent alot of time preparing our son for kindergarten. We unofficially homeschooled, we participated in lots of sports, traveled, and had all the fun that we could because once school starts sadly most of the fun is over. I wish that weren't true but in most schools (from what I've heard and read anyway) kindergarten isn't like it used to be and teachers are more concerned about testing thany anything else. I tell my son that school is going to be fun and learning is fun but in all reality the way things are today in schools, this just isn't true anymore.
Anyway, as this school year comes near I am much more confident in my 6 year old son's readiness and so is he. I think most people who redshirt can sense that their child is not ready and ultimately we know our children best. Sure, there is going to be an age gap there but too me it's not a big deal. I'd rather see my son do well in school. And, if school doesn't work out to our expectations we always have homeschool to fall back on. We are absolutely NOT afraid of pulling our son out of school and homeschooling if our school ends up being a POS.
All in all I don't see it as a big deal if my son goes to school at age 5 or 6. The only ones who has to deal with it is our family. So what if my kid is older than yours. You'd never know it unless you asked.
Labels: kindergarten readiness, kindergarten redshirt
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5 Comments:
You've got to do what's best for your child. Every kid is different.
One of the things I worry about most when it comes to Julia and school is that she'll be labeled or dealt with strictly in terms of pre-defined standards or test scores. I want to be sure she'll be treated like a human being, not a number.
A friend of mine in England has 4 children (!) all of which she is very successfully homeschooling! They are all well rounded children with talents in all areas as she has exposed them to not only the curriculum but those things she sees they have natural ability in. This is where there is a definite advantage. Shannon is a bit of a mainstream child and a voracious leader so going to preschool was the right thing for her, but in my job I regularly come accross kids who reach the next level of school and are kept back because they are not emotionally ready! Far better to start them later than to destroy their confidence by holding them back when they are older while their classmates go on to the next level without them!
As a former Kindergarten teacher (I've resigned to raise my family), I was very intrigued to read your post.
I have never heard of the term, "redshirt" before. Where we are, a child starts JK at the age of 4 (or 3 if their bday is before Dec 31st), however, JK is optional. Most parents do put their child into JK and many come not ready because their parents either don't see it OR don't want to pay for daycare. It's just a reality, I suppose, but very unfortunate in my opinion.
I totally agree that if a child isn't ready, for whatever reason, that they should not be pushed. The last thing you want is for them to have a horrible first school experience--that could set them off for years to come.
Teachers are under a lot of stress to cover so much curriculum and to test, etc. In my opinion, it is very unfortunate because Kindergarten is meant to be fun. It is a child's first experience with school and should be nothing but fun--learning at that age is all about fun and play, NOT tests. It's very difficult when you feel this way, but the school board is forcing you to complete all of the paperwork/tests/stats, etc. Hopefully where your son goes, it isn't too bad and he has a teacher that values Kindergarten children.
I wish you so much luck. I am thinking of you and cannot wait to hear all about it. I cannot believe he starts school in August! Here, the kids don't go until the first week of September.
It is awesome that you have the confidence to do what is right for your child. Not all families are like that.
As for preschool, I doubt Becca will be going. I do not get why we would. I am home, we go out and experience things together, playdates, zoos, hikes etc. Isn't that pre-school but better?
This is nuts. As we talked already we are doing the opposite sending our son when he is in fact just five. Everyone here sends kids later for the reasons you did not--- to be ahead of the curve. And I just do not think that is a good reason. Our kiddo is ready and so in our area he will be the shortest but most think by the way he speaks he is older. I say whatever. God gave those babes to us not them, whoever them happen to be. Follow your gut.
Love ya,
K
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