My son is 4 and starting kindergarten tomorrow. He is turning 5 Sept 27th

Question

I am just worried that he is to young. . I have had numerous conversations with his mom about this and I can't get my point across that we should wait until next year. He is a smart kid. He passed his test to start early but was not allowed to attend one school because his mom and I are no longer together. So they have him going to another school. Not sure why that happened?

He gets along with everyone. He is pretty much the certain of attention everywhere we go with adults. He talks to everyone and says hi. Just a very friendly little kid. But that is not the attention he gets with kids that are older then him. I take him to he local park and it’s a different story. He tries to play with kids there but they just ignore him. These are older kids. The ones his age or younger he gets along with great! I feel that when he goes to school he will be left out of the bunch. Not to mention that he will be graduating when he is 17 instead of 18. I am stressing out already. Sorry if this message doesn't make sense. Am I over reacting?

Answer 1

You are right to be concerned as I see lots of parents sending their children before they are ready.  From your description, it sounds as if he will be fine academically.  Since he is young, he "may" struggle with maturity issues.  Social issues and maturity issues are very different things.  You know your child best and you have to go with your gut.  With that being said... the maturity issues will eventually work themselves out.  Just know that you will probably have to work with him at home on somethings both academically and socially to keep him caught up to his peers.  Make sure you keep in contact with his teacher so that he or she can keep you updated on what they are seeing in the classroom.  Best of luck!

Answer 2

Everything seems fine except the kids who are older then him dont play with him at the park? Thats pretty standard - you want him to be playing with kids his own age anyway surely? In time you will be glad he isnt hanging out with older kids - being a bad example etc!!

I am sorry that one school wouldnt let him go because you werent together - thats kind of old fashioned isnt it?

If the kindi think he is ready then he surely is. Are you just thinking he could have an extra year of just being a care free kid? - I can understand that. Ever country has a different starting age anywhere from 3-7 so there are different theories. See how he goes - he might love it and it might be the best descion you have made yet :)

Answer 3

Dont worry he will be ahead of the game. If he can do it let him go.

Answer 4

your son is smart, you said so why worry about it? there are kids who we call it an advanced learner so i guess your son is one of those so i think its just okay for him to be at that level as long as he could understand pretty well already. he is one of a kind.Let him go.Congratulations.

Answer 5

When sending children to school early, it really depends on the child.  I feel that socialization is far more important to entering kindergarten then academics.  It sounds like your child is social, and that will help him  tremendously.  Children who do not have social competance have a very difficult time with academics.  Since your child seems to be okay with same aged peers, he will not struggle as much.  He will always be the youngest in his class, and that is not always a bad thing.  I was 17, when I graduated and it just meant that I was the last to drive, which was not necessarily a bad thing. Just make sure that your child is social enough to interact with children his age, he will get better with older children.  Good luck.

Answer 6

a boy in my grade i sthe youngest... he was in my classes 9th and 10th we're both honor students. i think it's great that he's all young and smart as ever. most of the people in the class of "10" thinks so. we're knida jealous that he's so smart and younger than us. he has a lot of friends in each grade... so u shouldnt be worried. coming from a 16 year old. plus he'll be happy when he is a lil order cuz that helps him with the older girls!! lol

good luck

Answer 7

I think its very wrong.  Ability has nothing to do with maturity, and it is usually doing the kids very wrong to send them so early, especially boys.  He is going to be in school with kids that are possibly almost 6 because they missed the cut off.  They will be 2 years older than him.  4 year olds DO NOT have the ability to sit and do kindergarten curriculum.  

Answer 8

When I started kindergarten many years ago I wasn't five until September 28th.  I wish my mom had kept me home a year.  She was selfish.  She admitted that she sent me because my brother and sister were already in school so she didn't want me home another year.  I always struggled socially and academically.  I think that an extra year at home would have made such a huge difference.  Boys are more delayed than girls so I would have given him another year at home.  I feel that even if he doe well academically that he may struggle socially and I think that the social aspect is as important as academics.

Answer 9

He's smart, and gets along with everyone - why hold him back? I would consider that wasting a year that he could use later on.

As for the older kids ignoring him - sure, they're older. What use is that? He'll be with kids his own age in school, and that's what matters. You said he gets along great with them, so there it is.

I graduated when I was 17 because I had a late birthday, and I turned out just fine. I had twelve years of schooling just like everyone else, and my six month discrepancy between the other students was pointless - as long as I was the same grade as everyone else, it never mattered how old I was. In fact, I rather enjoyed thinking that I was younger and still as smart as everyone else.

Don't hold your kid back, just because YOU are not ready to let them go.

Answer 10

Do not doubt your own child ability. No one learns swiming without entering a pool. So just let him attend school and leave the rest on destiny.