What age to start kindergarten

Remember that when we were kids lots of us started school cold with first
grade, and we did okay!
I wish that was the case with me.. lol I went to Head Start (3) Preschool
(4) Kindergarden (5) then they still thought I needed time so I went to
Readiness (6) so that put me 7 in first grade 19 when I graduated high
school. And I still did horrible in school with no mention of a learning
disability.. You would think with all that education I would have a 4.0
average in 12 grade

Tori

--
Bonnie 3/20/02
Anna or Xavier due 10/17/04

John Taylor wrote:
My son will be 5 on Aug. 5th and my wife has signed him up but we are
worried that he wont be ready. He hasnt been away from us much at
all. We tried to sign him up for pre-school but they were all full.
What is generally the right age for them to start kind.?
http://www.memoriesmagic.com

I was really struggling with this question too. I posted about it in
misc.kids so you might want to google that group. Here is a link to some
articles that I read to make my decision.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/kindergarten.htm

My son is in preschool this year. His teacher recommended waiting another
year. There were no concerns raised at his kindergarten screening though
and I didn't feel the reasons for waiting were concrete. At this time we
have decided that he will go to kindergarten next fall. I've paid for his
preschool registration though in case we change our minds :-)
He was 5 in April.

--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (5) and Luke (3)

Jen said:

My son turned 2 in February and we're getting a lot of social pressure to
sign him up for school in the fall, when he'll be 2 1/2. I know that it's
fine if he's not in school and he's extremely attached to me...AND doesn't
do very well in kid's gym classes, birthday parties, etc. I've been
struggling with this as well. I know that I didn't start until I was 4 and
I was just fine. I hate the idea of forcing my son to separate in school at
2 1/2, which in my book is still a baby.

From what you've written about him, he doesn't sound ready. And I personally
think 2 is awfully young for any kind of group setting if it isn't necessary.
Recommendations I've read are for three.

Anyway, IMHO, the whole preschool thing is just not necessary. If you want
some time to yourself and your kid enjoys it, fine. But as long as he has some
opportunity to interact with other kids, he doesn't NEED it. Emily went for
one year, one half day per week, and Jake and Teddy never went at all. They
were (and are) fine.

Leslie

Dave Leason wrote in message
...
In the UK, children tend to start pre school at age 3, if parents dont
want
them to start pre school, then 'reception' starts at age 4 which is full
time school!
we probably start our children far too young in the UK, im dreading the
thought of my daughter starting, but it is the law.

Not totally correct. Pre-school can begin when they are 2.5, but only 2 half
sessions a week. At 3 they can have up to 4 (or 5, not sure) half sessions a
week (paid for too now!)
They have to start school full time by the term after they are 5. They may
start school from the 1st of September they are 4. Those are the legal
issues.
In our area (having just had a leaflet on it) The rule is that those that
are 5 in the winter term (1st Sept to 1st Jan) may start full time in the
winter term, must start full time in Spring term. Those 5 in Spring term
(1st Jan to 1st April?) MAY start part time (mornings only) in winter term,
may start full time in spring term, must start full time in Summer term.
Those 5 in Summer (1st April to 1st Sept) may start part time for Winter and
spring term. May start full time in summer term, and must start full time
the following winter term, but will go straight into year 1, missing out the
reception year.
#1 will be nearly 5 by the time she starts, which is going to be on the late
side for her ,but has another year of preschool. I wouldn't want her to be
starting this year (born 2 months earlier she would be) but I think she'll
be more than ready this time next year. Cut off's got to happen somewhere,
and won't suit everyone.
Debbie

From what you've written about him, he doesn't sound ready. And I
personally
think 2 is awfully young for any kind of group setting if it isn't
necessary.
Recommendations I've read are for three.

My kids all started at 2 (or thereabouts, depending on birthdays and cut-off
dates). 2 mornings a week, for 3 hrs, they did just fine. Where I am, most
people start drop-off things at 2.

Anyway, IMHO, the whole preschool thing is just not necessary. If you
want
some time to yourself and your kid enjoys it, fine.

It's also good for Mom to spend time with her other child(ren). When I
would drop Charlotte off, it would be just me and Patrick. Then when
Patrick went it was just me and Charlotte (she did afternoon pre-K). Now
when Patrick goes it's just me and Lewis. In the fall when Lewis goes it'll
be be me, the baby, and Patrick (he'll do afternoon pre-K).

But as long as he has some
opportunity to interact with other kids, he doesn't NEED it. Emily went
for
one year, one half day per week, and Jake and Teddy never went at all.
They
were (and are) fine.

Leslie

In NZ it is compulsory for all children to start school at 5, but most have
already been at kindy for a year by then, some even start kindy at 3-3.5.
One thing they do here to get children accustomed to the idea of going from
kindy to school is to visit the school with their parents on a couple of
occasions before they're due to start, and let them be amongst the other
children.

"John Taylor" wrote in message
...
My son will be 5 on Aug. 5th and my wife has signed him up but we are
worried
that he wont be ready. He hasnt been away from us much at all. We tried
to
sign him up for pre-school but they were all full. What is generally the
right
age for them to start kind.?
http://www.memoriesmagic.com

I'd be
worried honestly about sending a child to kindergarten cold. He's not been
in any kind of toddler or preschool playgroup or anything at all?

Oh come on... a generation or two ago it was routine for kids to start K
without having gone to preschool!

Naomi

Naomi Pardue wrote:

I'd be
worried honestly about sending a child to kindergarten cold. He's not been
in any kind of toddler or preschool playgroup or anything at all?


Oh come on... a generation or two ago it was routine for kids to start K
without having gone to preschool!

But kindergarten isn't anything like what it was
a generation or two ago.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Naomi Pardue wrote:
I'd be
worried honestly about sending a child to kindergarten cold. He's
not been in any kind of toddler or preschool playgroup or anything
at all?

Oh come on... a generation or two ago it was routine for kids to
start K without having gone to preschool!


Yes but sending in a kindergartener without preschool today is more
comparable to sending in a first grader without kindergarten years ago.


--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (5) and Luke (3)

"Nikki" wrote in message
...
Naomi Pardue wrote:
I'd be
worried honestly about sending a child to kindergarten cold. He's
not been in any kind of toddler or preschool playgroup or anything
at all?

Oh come on... a generation or two ago it was routine for kids to
start K without having gone to preschool!


Yes but sending in a kindergartener without preschool today is more
comparable to sending in a first grader without kindergarten years ago.


--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (5) and Luke (3)

Some states still do not require kindergarten so some kids are STILL going
to first grade without it. When I went to K my mom had to pay for it
because our town did not have a public K... I have lived in other towns with
it but not when I was the proper age.

Tori

--
Bonnie 3/20/02
Anna or Xavier due 10/17/04