Mesa public schools has a young learners kinder program as do many school districts. I put my now 5 year old into this program (her birthday is late september) so she started when she was 4. At this point nearing the end of the school I have to decide whether or not to put her in all day kinder or first grade. I have been dealing with her teacher on this matter and at this point she is ok academically but her teacher is saying that because of emotional development is why she suggest all day K. Not my daughters emotional development particularly but just in general. Her teacher is very supportive and says the decison is ultimaley mine.
I don't know what to do. Compared to my other children she does seem a bit immature then my others were in Kinder. I feel like no matter I will regret my decision. If I put her in first grade and she struggles I'm going to feel like it was my fault. I think I will feel at fault if I move her up and she struggles during any point in school. On the other hand I feel like if I put her in all day K and she excels I will always feel like I should have put her first grade. Honestly I just don't know. Only a few of my friends have been in this situation and I have gotten split opinions. About half say they wished they kept their kids back and th other few say they wished they moved them up.
I have the option of letting her go to all day K and maybe move her up or vice versa.
Any moms ever been in this situation? What did you do?
I would go with the
I would go with the teacher's advice and put her in all day Kindergarten. If it turns out she is ready for first, it's a lot easier to move her ahead than it is to move her back, emotionally anyway. I think it's just a safer move academically, and it will be much less stressful for you.
Susan & Neil Hampton have three spectacular children, Alexander, Isabel and David, plus one amazing teenager, Eric. Susan does community outreach for arizonamoms.com.
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” - Margaret Atwood
I'm in the same boat. My 5
I'm in the same boat. My 5 yr old (Nov birthday) was admitted to Kindergarten early (July 07). He's coming up on graduation from Kindergarten and I'm not sure whether to put him in K again (all day, this time) or 1st grade. The reason for the question is that he tends to not stay on task and work independently. Academically, he's doing fine. He's finishing the first set of beginner books of sight words...writing numbers up to 30...counting up to 80 (they want him at 100)..."adding" numbers on dice. He started having seizures in Oct last year and was medicated starting in Feb, and stepped up to his full dose in April. A 24 hr EEG showed that he was still having abnormal brain spikes all day long, but they are only seconds long. The neurologist is surprised that he's not showing developmental delays. So, I can't tell if his lack of attention to his work is due to the seizures, or his age. Probably both. My older son didn't really stay on task well until 3rd grade. So, I'm inclined to believe that he'll focus better by 3rd grade, so why hold back his learning? But, I sure don't want to push him if he's not ready. Yet, I don't want him to develop classic underachiever habits by things being too easy. The teacher says that she could go either way and that it's my call. Ugh!
My daughter is a little
My daughter is a little younger (3 1/2), but she'll be 4 the end of Sept., so I also have that decision to make. I will probably just put her in kindergarten. My birthday is in October, so I started school at age 4. I always did well and have no regrets, but my mom always says she wishes she would have waited another year...only because I left the house a whole year earlier! If you put your child in kindergarten instead of 1st grade, you'll have her under your care another whole year before sending her out into the world. Whatever you decide, don't second-guess yourself. Life is too short to be full of regrets!
I did the early kindergarten
I did the early kindergarten with my daughter due to an October birthday. The next year half day kindergarten. She just wasn't ready for first grade. Each child is different. I would go with your heart. You know what's best for your child.