[NATPR]

My daughter turns 4 at the end of January 2014.

There are no issues at all with her and just because SO many people are holding back I am thinking of doing this and if so, I need to defer her 4YO kinder a year (We are in Victoria). To obtain another year of funded kinder she needs to have at least 1-2 issues going on to be able to repeat, so I cant really decide at the end of kinder as she will be in the send her on to school group.

Am I silly to do this?


I think the biggest issue in my head is that she will turn 5 the minute she starts school and there will be a majority on the older side. As she goes into further grades. It does concern me that if she cannot handle things friendship wise, it will impact her learning. Academically, I really dont care. We do a lot of things at home to encourage a love of learning, she has great communication and 'toddler knowledge' (did I just come up with a new saying lol).

Her brother was a July baby, so there was no issue. He started school at 5.5 and it was so great. He was ready to go and had been 5 for half a year before starting.

What would be your advise for a January girl and a mum that just wants to make 100% sure her baby is ready??

[Etta]

My DS turned 5 when he started school. I thought about keeping him back but there was no reason to, and he is doing really well. As it was he found kinder boring, and I don't think it would have been great for him to do it a year later.

Our 4yo kinder teacher said they only recommend holding them back if there are (I think) 2 out of the 5 indicators that they aren't doing well on. And he was doing well on all of them.

[Brattacino]

I would send. I have sent two kids born early in the year and one less than a month from the cutoff (DS usually has his birthay in the first week of school, DD several months later). It was a good decision for us. I find they only learn friendship skills by practicising these and they weren't just going to get that sort of practice at home with me. The funny thing is by the end of year 2 it is really hard to spot the difference between the older and younger students maturity-wise as the young kids do kind of catch up.

[kriattica]

Its probably a bit early to decide. MY DD1 turned 4 on Dec 29 and started school in the first week of Feb, we had doubts but felt it was the right thing for her to go. She is the youngest in her class but she was so ready for school, she needed to be pushed and challenged. And has excelled at school. She is very shy but has also had a friendship group and fitted in, she has a variety of friends and has really started to grow in confidence in the last couple of years.

I wouldnt consider holding my kids back unless there was a actual reason for this. I dont think any kid is 100% ready for school but kids adapt and manage it all a lot better than the parents some of the time.

[cinnabubble]

I'll be sending my daughter who turns five in March 2015 to school in 2015. There's really no reason not to.

[Puffin]

I would send. I have sent two kids born early in the year and one less than a month from the cutoff (DS usually has his birthay in the first week of school, DD several months later). It was a good decision for us. I find they only learn friendship skills by practicising these and they weren't just going to get that sort of practice at home with me. The funny thing is by the end of year 2 it is really hard to spot the difference between the older and younger students maturity-wise as the young kids do kind of catch up.

My experience is almost identical to this.
Didn't hold any of my Feb born children back and they are going great. They were tired to begin with, but then so was my other one who was a July baby, so started school at 5.5yrs - I think generally, all FYOS kids are tired during these early weeks of school.

[My-3-Pinks]

DD1 wasn't quite 5 (Mid February birthday) when she started Prep (in Victoria) and has thrived at school. Yes, she is younger than some of her friends but academically she is ahead in a lot of areas.

Speak with her Kinder teachers (if she goes to 3 year old) and see what they think. I wasn't sure if I should send DD1 at the time as it was so hard deciding while still very young and she also had some language issues. By the time she got to 4 year old kinder and within the first couple of months her teacher was quite confident DD1 would be fine to attend school.

So glad I sent her when I did as she would have been very bored. I know a lot of parents hold their kids back because 'they'll be smarter' than the other kids if they are older but this isn't the case. It of course depends on the child though.

[Monket]

I would send her. DS is a February babe and turned 5 a couple of weeks after starting. He is loving school and is certainly not the youngest in the class. The majority of kids in the class are February babies. DD turns 5 in April and started prep this year, she is absolutely thriving at school. DD attended kindy last year and wasnt that thrilled about it but this year, she is doing great! I wouldn't hold back unless there are developmental issues, I think it could put your daughter as a disadvantage rather than provide any advantages.

[delboy]

My twins have Jan birthdays and began school this year just following their 5th birthday.
Academically I had no worries, socially I worried a bit but I discussed with their kinder teacher who was sure they should go and this confirmed it for me.
I don't believe in holding kids back "just because" there needs to be a reason. One of my friends has held her daughter back and already 2 months in to her second time at 4 year old kinder she is bored and beginning to be disruptive in the class.
My girls have been fine and are loving school. Socially I am still not sure but it is hard to tell as they tend to rely on each other rather than make new friends. That will change in time.
My three year old is a late Jan baby and has just started 3 year old kinder, I can already tell there is no way I will be holding her back!
I think she should go to 4 year old kinder and then you can get advice from her teacher.
Good luck

[Bam1]

You have to make the decision on your child not what other parents have decided will be best for their child. Its is a bummer though if your child is ready but will still be one of the youngest my DS will go when he is 4.5 (June birth) and will most likely be the youngest boy as most boys are held back until they turn 5. But I've found with all my other kids who started at 4.5, they cope well and have really gained a lot from starting school instead of another year at preschool.