@jadaley07 Search redshirting on r/ScienceBasedParenting for lots of discussion
@jadaley07 Here's how I looked at this
- Would you rather your kid be the oldest or youngest when her peers start driving/drinking/going to college
- What does she win if she graduates high school really young and enters the work force earlier. Being the youngest one in an office? Is that positive?
- Would you rather give her 1 more working year or 1 more year to play and be a kid?
@geodextro I agree with all these points. Something to think about for sure. Her current play mates in the neighborhood are older than her so she is used to be the younger one and she plays well with them.
@jadaley07 I had an October birthday and still wasn’t the youngest in my class. I never really had any issues with being the youngest and was often seen as more mature when adults learned my age because I advanced at pace with the peer group I was in school with.
@jadaley07 My daughters birthday is late April. She’s currently 6 and in kindergarten and her preschool teachers say it was the smartest thing we could’ve done for her. She did a 3rd year of preschool and gained so much confidence and really became a leader in her classroom. They expressly said she wasn’t really on their radar as “needed” to stay another year, but she’s become an example of what a positive impact it can have. She is neurodivergent, but the ways she’s grown with that extra year are just incredible. The only negative for us is as having to pay for another year of preschool.
I exhaustively researched red-shirting. I mean like spent months pouring over accredited studies, listening to podcasts, reading books and blogs, and tons of first person anecdotal stories. Time and time again I saw how sending a kid before they are truly ready can lead to so many long term challenges, the biggest of those being positive mental health and self esteem. So many people regret sending their kid too early. But I seriously never found a story where someone regretted sending their kid late.
I exhaustively researched red-shirting. I mean like spent months pouring over accredited studies, listening to podcasts, reading books and blogs, and tons of first person anecdotal stories. Time and time again I saw how sending a kid before they are truly ready can lead to so many long term challenges, the biggest of those being positive mental health and self esteem. So many people regret sending their kid too early. But I seriously never found a story where someone regretted sending their kid late.
@postcard Cut off in our area is September 1 and my kids birthdays are in September, October, and November. They’ve always been one of the oldest in their class and they’re all doing great. I’m happy they went when they were a little older. My mom was a primary school principal for years and she said they were always very thorough before recommending a child be held back.
@jadaley07 Redshirting is so weird to me. I live in Canada and the way it works (at least in my province) is Jan 1st 2023-Dec 31st 2023 kids will all be going to school together. I started kindergarten at 3 years old because my birthday is late. I did great in kindergarten! My son is also 4.5 with a July birthday. He started kindergarten in September and he’s doing amazing! He also had a speech delay. He’s made friends, he’s writing, he’s able to count to 100 with minimal assistance. He also attends a private school and we couldn’t be happier with it. Even his behaviour has changed for the better. 100% enroll her in kindergarten and if you could, the private school. I would just tell the preschool that you appreciate their feedback but will still be enrolling her and would appreciate a recommendation letter.
zackjohnson922
New member
@zackjohnson922 No I was 3. Even in my son’s classroom some were 3 when they started. My son started kindergarten this year (he turned 4 in July) and all of September - November he got multiple birthday invites for friends who were turning 4 which means they started at 3. I was born 94 and started school September 97 and then turned 4 in November. There’s dated pictures at my parent’s house of me in kindergarten aging me at 3.
katrina2017
New member
Oh well! No going back now.@katrina2017 My comment should have been more thought out! Whatever works for your family works for your family! If your sons is doing great, that’s great! Didn’t mean to sound insensitive!
katrina2017
New member
@kleio Oh no, I was agreeing with you (I think?) that this seems to be less of a topic in Canada! And you certainly have no responsibility for my overactive insecurities. 
ETA: I was referring to other comments making me feel insecure, not yours! Like people who have kids turning 7 in kindergarten. My kid will turn 7 in grade 2!
ETA: I was referring to other comments making me feel insecure, not yours! Like people who have kids turning 7 in kindergarten. My kid will turn 7 in grade 2!
katrina2017
New member
@jadaley07 I was a kid who went early (October birthday). I graduated top of my class and had no issues socially. I talked to my parents as an adult and their take was “you were reading, why make you repeat?”
As the parent of an October baby, we will base this decision off of readiness when the time comes.
As the parent of an October baby, we will base this decision off of readiness when the time comes.
@jadaley07 As a mom of a 3.5 with articulation issues (he knows the vocabulary and is very smart, but others have a tough time understanding him) with a late summer birthday who will probably red shirt for that reason and because he socializrs better with younger kids (possibly related to speech)... I think you need to go with your gut. It sounds like your gut says not to redshirt?
One of my hs besties was an entire year younger tag everyone and was prom queen and valedictorian. Everyone is different. Good luck!!
One of my hs besties was an entire year younger tag everyone and was prom queen and valedictorian. Everyone is different. Good luck!!
godssontoo
New member
@jadaley07 I've thought a lot about this for my own daughter who has a July birthday with a Sept 1 cut off. She's also only in preschool. We ultimately enrolled her in the appropriate class, and it has been better than I could have hoped.if your daughter is doing well and has friends, etc., why repeat? She can always do ST in kindergarten, no?
One factor I've considered is that my daughter will turn 18 after graduation. It would be nice to have a gap year or similar then.
One factor I've considered is that my daughter will turn 18 after graduation. It would be nice to have a gap year or similar then.
saskiasarah
New member
@jadaley07 If she’s socially able to handle kindergarten I say why not give her a shot. If she ends up needing to repeat kindergarten, that’s no big deal, it’s the most common grade to repeat, and little kids don’t get the (stupid) stigma that unfortunately goes with it when they’re a bit older.