When should my son start kindergarten?

Question

My oldest son son will be 5 in the middle of July, so I keep going back and forth on whether or not I should start him in kindergarten next year or the following year. The only problem is I have another son that will be starting kindergarten the year after my oldest. His birthday is in January so I am not worried about him, but I dont want my oldest to feel like I held him back to be with his little brother. My oldest son is very smart and does pick up things very quick, but I have heard about the difference in boys and girls, learning wise, so I just dont know what to do. Any advise or suggestions?

Answer 1

I have a 4 and 6 year old and my 4 year old will be 5 next month and I have already enrolled her for school and my 6 year old started when he was almost 4 in pre-k. most states say that if they are 5 by the start of school then they should be enrolled. The 1st day of school is always hard for moms i cried when i left my son the 1st day as soon as i got in the car. I think that he adjusted to being at school faster then I did.

Answer 2

In my state they have to be 5 before September first of the year there going to start.  they HAVE to start at 5

Answer 3

Is he ready? If he's ready send him.  If he needs to stay back the teachers will make that call. But chances are he's ready.  And yeah. It wouldn't be fun to be in the same grade as your baby brother.

Answer 4

Every child is diffrent, its not wise to hold your child a year just so that he can start the same year as his other brother.  He needs to do his own things by himslef with out comparing himself with his brother.  You know what I mean.  They will be competing for the teacher's approval and yours.  They need their own space and their own friend to be able to grow up and learn how to solve their own problems in school with out having the other sibling help.  I had alot of problems my self when I was in school becasue my sister was held back so that we would start the same year., I stugled to be like my sister, she was smarter than I was and I was constantly compared to my sister by all the teachers.

they would ask me "why can't you be like your sister", why are you not smart like your sister".  I felt like I was the most stupid kid in class for a few years.

Your child can start kindergarden at 5 years old, if your child is held back one year he will feel odd knowing that the other children are younger than him.  He will be presured to learn and be smarter than the others because he is older then the rest of the class.

Children need to be 5 years old before semptember 1st to be able to start kindergarden.

Good luck with your desition.

Answer 5

I had this exact same situation with a july baby.  I sent him to school and I'm glad I did.  He's very smart and doing well.

Answer 6

Its kindergarten not college. Don't worry so much mom.Like that can happen! You said he's smart and quick so get him in school. He is supposed to start at 5 and he will love it. Plus he will wonder why you made him stay back and wait for his brother.

If he isn't ready the school will let you know. If he needs more time you can take him out and start him the next year. My daughter turned 5 on August 31st and started kindergarten a week later. Your son probably will not be the youngest in his glass.Let him fly Mom, he'll have a blast!

Answer 7

My birthday is in mid August and I started Kindergarten when I was 5.    If your son is smart I wouldn't be concerned.

Answer 8

He should start this year.  They start Kindergarten the year they turn five.

When he gets older, he would wonder why you held him back.

Send him to school.  It's time.  :)

Answer 9

Unless you have some strong reason to believe your son needs to be held back, start him this year.  If preschool teachers have mentioned that he doesn't seem to have the skills or maturity (emotional, behavioral, social, or academic) for kindergarten yet, then you might consider holding him back (I'd go talk to the school first, though, to see what they recommend and why).  But don't just hold him back because he's a boy.

My daughter turns 5 in August, less than two weeks before our school's cutoff.  She does seem so much younger than the kids who turned five last fall ... and she's also really small for her age, so she seriously looks like she's too young for kindergarten.  But she can follow directions, take turns, resolve conflicts, make friends, write her name, read simple words, identify letters and numbers, etc.  I'm sure she's ready for kindergarten.  So I'm going to send her.  Somebody has to be the youngest ... If I held her back it would be the kid with the birthday before hers.  And I can say my other kids have had problems not being challenged enough at school ... and holding a kid back a year unncessarily would obviously make that problem even worse.

edit -- I don't know if you realize this same question posted five times ... you might want to delete the other ones....

Answer 10

let him start this september, I hope you dont live in NYC where your kids has to apply for kindergarten!

Answer 11

When he is 5 years old. So if he's turning 5 this july, enroll him to start this september.

Answer 12

5 is a good age but make sure they are ready...

Answer 13

He will be five before the beginning of the school year, so I would definitely send him.    I don't think it would be a good idea to have two children in the same grade, particularly when one is 18 months older than the other.  If he is socially competent, let him start this year.

Answer 14

Start him this next school year. It sounds like he'll do ok and it would be rough on him if he shared a grade with his younger brother. Not only that, but school expenses would be that much rougher with them in the same grade (think class rings, graduation pictures, etc.). My daughter has a June birthday and started this past year. She's done fine in her class, even if she's one of the youngest there.

Answer 15

He's five, enroll him so he can start THIS year. The younger the better, and it will be eaiser on him. I started school when I was four. Some said that was too young, but I didn't mind :)

Answer 16

I would start him in the fall.  That is probably what the school will suggest as well.  There will be other kids that just turned 5 so I don't think he will be out of place or too young.

Answer 17

You should go ahead and enroll him now, you'll be amazed at how well he'll adapt. My son turned 5, 3 days before he started kindergarten and wow, he is now 12, he is in TAG( Talented and Gifted) he has taken his SAT's twice and attended the University of Denver for a summer program for gifted children. Don't hesitate children are marvelous beings!

Answer 18

The usual cut off date is September 1st.  So anyone 5 before then should be enrolled in kindergarten.  You should also find out when you need to register your child.  Some schools start enrolling in January!

Answer 19

I am a teacher and can tell you first hand that YOUNG children have a hard time.  Holding him back or rather waiting a year is the best for him in the long run.  Starting him now may be fine but when he is the last to turn 16 or 17 and going to college.....you'll be sorry. I can tell you this from first hand experience. It is hard to be the youngest in the class.  Also as a teacher I knew day one who the real young ones were.  We are waiting with our son who will be 5 this August.  I am very confident we are doing the right thing.  You'll make the right choice.