Would you consider putting your child in kindergarten a year early?

Question

I don't even know if it is available and haven't talked to my husband about it yet, but I was curious. My daughter is three and attends pre-k and her teacher reccomended that I take her to the kindergarten screening today. After her screening the school's nurse goes over the results with each parent, and she kept going on about how smart my daughter was, she placed on average six points above where the "average" child her age is expeccted to be at in the three catagories that they screen for in motor skills, concepts, and speech/language skills. She is also seventeen points ahead in her development skills. I was just wondering if this was your child would you consider putting her in kindergarten a year early if it were available?

If I were to put her in it would be next year so she would be four when they start. Right now I am a SAHM with her and her two brothers one seven and one four months. She has benefited alot from participating when I help her older brother with homework.

Socially she is rihgt on track with the other kids her age, she is well adjusted at home participates in her church class and preschool class.

Answer 1

My advice to you would be to wait until she is 5 before you enroll her in kindergarten. I have been teaching in a Montessori preschool/kindergarten for over 12 years and in the case of every child who does not meet the cut off age for kindergarten and children who are last summer born or early fall born advise the parents not to send them on. It does not matter what they know academically. What matters most is social and emotional development. You say that she does fine socially with those her own age, but how would she do with children 1 or 2 years older than her? Children who start kindergarten early often fall behind. They cry more, have a hard time making friends, playing games, following directions, being on the playground. The other children often see them as the "babies" because they are the youngest in the class. Also, a lot of children who start kindergarten early are held back. They see their peers move on. They feel something is wrong with them because they were left behind.

Over the years I have contacted many former parents who decided to send their child on early. A lot of these children had the problems I mentioned. Every child was held back, most repeated kindergarten, some were held back a grade or two down the road. Every parent who sent their child on regretted their decision!

Also think about her later years. She will always be the youngest. She won’t be able to play sports (they have a cut off age). She'll be a 16 year old in high school with 18 year olds. She will forever try and catch up.

These are some basic skills that you daughter should have before starting school: hold a pencil in an orthodox way, recognize her name, write her name (upper case first letter followed by lower case), know 8 basic colors, cut with scissors, dress herself, take care of bathroom needs. Here is a link to some more readiness skills. http://www.srvusd.k12.ca.us/schools/REGISTRATION_INFORMATION/KINDERGARTEN/Kindergarten_Readiness_Skills/

Give her the "gift" of another year! Good luck!

Answer 2

This is probably a question to seek the advice of a child psychologist on. There are plusses and minuses - a jump start is great, especially if she would just be bored and lose interest in her education if you don't. However, her physical development will be a beat or two behind, which could cause some social problems. I was put in Kindergarten a year early. Gym class was very stressful because I wasn't up-to-speed physically, and kids can be cruel. HOWEVER, that was not enough to make me regret my parents' and psychologist's decision. I am now a socially healthy, well-adjusted 27-year-old. The only other time I noticed the difference was in about 10th grade when all my friends started driving, but I was still too young...oh well! Now, I wouldn't change a thing. I think it is something to consider, IF it is for the right reasons.

Answer 3

I'm going to address the "social ramifications" that I know everyone is mentioning. I started kindergarten when I was four. I went through school a year younger than everyone I knew. It didn't do a thing to me. In fact I was supposed to skip a grade in elementary school but my parents turned it down due to "social ramifications" and because they felt they were providing enough challenges mentally at home for me. It's all based on your child. I was extremely sociable with everyone and anyone as a child so it wasn't a problem. Also your daughter will do better in everything if she feels she's being challenged. If your daughter is as advanced socially as she is intellectually I would say there's no reason not to. And the chance of intellectual stagnation if you don't. : ) I hope that helps some.

Answer 4

I just felt compeled to answer this one. I did the same thing and put my daughter in early. She knew her abc's and knew the sounds at 4. So I made the decision to put her in early. Everything looked good through elementary school and through middle school. She is at the top of her class academically. Socially she has friends. In high school I came to regret this decision. Your daughter will always be younger than her peers. Which means your daughter will go through the typical teen issues much earlier than maybe she is ready for. My daughter is very mature but the other kids will be driving before her. As well as experamenting with teenage issues a year earlier than her friends, such as drinking, drugs, smoking, sex, and also driving. When all her friends are driving she wont be able to. My daughter never had regret with my decision until high school. I think there is a lot your daughter will learn being home with you. I think it will benefit your daughter to allow ;her the extra year to start school. They grow up so fast. Don't rush it. I have two young children now one is 3 and the other is 1. I will not be sending them to school early. My husband and daughter support this decision. My e-mail address is [e-mail] if you have any questions or comments. Good luck with your decision. Janine

Answer 5

I personally wouldnt.My daughter had a little boy in her class last school year that is extremely smart and I asked her if she would have him skip a grade she said no he may be smart but not mature enough. A year makes a big difference with maturity. My daughter was extrememly imature at 5 then when she turned 6 it was a world of difference.The decision is your and your husbands though. I'm sure you will do what you think is right for your child. Good luck.

Answer 6

hi,
I would certainly consider it. Your kid is six points above average? That's cool. But I wouldn't put my kid in kindergarten early just because of that. Childrens minds develope at different paces, and the most likely reason for the high IQ is just that, and you should consider that if you place your child early in kindergarten, when she grows with the rest of the kids, at some point her acceleration will stop, and then go at a normal pace.
but maybe our school system is not that tough, and your child can handle the difficulties, and be able to handle future ones more smoothly.
Tough stuff, raising kids.
good luck

Answer 7

Yes, I would consider it. It would depend on my child's maturity and emotional development at the time as well. But I do think it's important that kids be stimulated in school. If she alrealdy knows everything when she goes to kindergarten (on a normal schedule), she'll be really bored and could end up acting out. Not that that's a huge deal, it's just a sign for you to watch out for -- that's what happened with a friend of mine, and once she put her daughter in a school and grade that challenged her, she was much happier.

Answer 8

BACK WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I ACTUALLY SKIPPED KINDERGARTEN ENTIRELY AND WENT STRAIGHT INTO 1ST GRADE DUE TO SOME TESTING THAT WAS OFFERED BACK THEN. I DID GOOD ON THE TEST (THANKS TO AN OLDER BROTHER THAT WOULD TEACH ME HIS HOMEWORK EVERY NIGHT) AND FOR THE MOST PART, I AM GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO MOVE UP.

THE ONLY DRAWBACK THAT I COULD POSSIBLY COME UP WITH FOR YOU TO CONSIDER IS THE AGE THING. AS AN ADULT, LOOKING BACK AT IT NOW, I DO THINK THAT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA, HOWEVER, BACK THEN I WASN'T TOO HAPPY ABOUT IT BECAUSE I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR MAKE-UP OR DATE UNTIL I TURNED 16. WELL, I TURNED 16 THE FEBRUARY OF MY JUNIOR YEAR, SO THAT DIDN'T LEAVE A WHOLE LOTTA TIME FOR ALL OF THAT STUFF. ALL OF MY FRIENDS WERE OUT LOOKING GOOD AND HAVING A GOOD TIME WHILE I WAS HOME WITH THE PARENTS. THAT KINDA STUFF MEANS A LOT TO A TEENAGER.

BUT I THINK THAT IF IT IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA, AND YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH IT, THAT YOU SHOULD GO FOR IT. BOTH OF MY GIRLS HAVE BEEN IN SCHOOL SINCE THEY WERE 3 YEARS OLD, AND MY 9 YEAR OLD HAS BEEN IN GIFTED CLASSES SINCE 3RD GRADE AND MY 5 YEAR OLD IS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD FOR THEM HERSELF.

CONGRATULATIONS ON HAVING SUCH A SCHOLAR!!!

Answer 9

it depends on the child; is she independent? how does she get along with other children in a play group? did she miss the cut off for regular school attendance by a few days, months or almost a whole year? and by all means discuss it with the school counselor at the school you may decide on; you may have to pay for private school for the 1st year, but many will take a child a year early if tests indicate the child could be successful;

Answer 10

Your daughter may be a bright child, but is she as socially developed as a five year old is? That is the biggest concern I would have, if I were to be in your shoes. Kids can be downright cruel, and you don't want to hamper your child socially if she's "babyish" compared to the other kids in her class. As someone else mentioned - a child psychologist would be helpful here, as would her regular pediatrician.

Good luck!