<p>When my son was 5, we had the choice of K–where he would be old for his class–or 1st–where he would be one of the youngest boys (because of the red-shirting). We put him in 1st after I found research showing that by 3rd grade there was little difference in actual performance. When I went today to look at that research, I notice that there is now a wealth of research that essentially shows that both sides are right. Some of the research shows that older kids do better, and some shows that there’s no difference. (None show that younger kids do better.) </p>
<p>One issue that is now discussed (which I don’t remember from my previous look at the research) is that only wealthier families can afford to red-shirt, because of the increased child-care costs of keeping the child out of school.</p>
<p>I can speak on this issue from the perspective of a student. My birthday is in mid-May (cutoff is June 1 where I live), and my parents enrolled me in kindergarten right after I turned 5 (I was the youngest in my class). I did very well on most things, but I struglged with letters and phonics. I just wasn’t ready to read. My parents decided to send me to kindergarten another year to help me catch up on reading. I didn’t learn to read until the summer before first grade. Once I did, though, I was reading almost instantly at the upper-elementary level. I was definitely a late bloomer. I have always been one of the oldest kids in my class. However, I think this has worked to my advantage. Had I been pushed into first grade before I was ready, I think I could have been labelled as “dumb” by other children and learned to hate school. I think that extra year y is in mid-May (cutoff is June 1 where I live), and my parents enrolled me in kindergarten right after I turned 5 (I was the youngest in my class). I did very well on most things, but I struglged with letters and phonics. I just wasn’t ready to read. My parents decided to send me to kindergarten another year to help me catch up on reading. I didn’t learn to read until the summer before first grade. Once I did, though, I was reading almost instantly at the upper-elementary level. I was definitely a late bloomer. I have always been one of the oldest kids in my class. However, I think this has worked to my advantage. Had I been pushed into first grade before I was ready, I think I could have been labelled as “dumb” by other children and learned to hate school. I think that extra year made a huge difference for me. I am going to be a senior this fall (I turn 19 the week I graduate), and I recently scored a 2290 on my SAT (an 800 CR from a kid who didn’t read until age 7!). I am successful in the most rigorous courses my school offers, and I am a leader instead of a follower. I don’t think this would have happened had I been one of the youngest kids. I am sometimes embarrassed when I meet kids who are a year or even two years younger in my grade, but I think in the long run this was best for me. I would encourage parents to send kids to school a year late if it appears they could benefit from some extra time to mature.made a huge difference for me. I am going to be a senior this fall (I turn 19 the week I graduate), and I recently scored a 2290 on my SAT (an 800 CR from a kid who didn’t read until age 7!). I am successful in the most rigorous courses my school offers, and I am a leader instead of a follower. I don’t think this would have happened had I been one of the youngest kids. I am sometimes embarrassed when I meet kids who are a year or even two years younger in my grade, but I think in the long run this was best for me. I would encourage parents to send kids to school a year late if it appears they could benefit from some extra time to mature. My situation is slightly uncommon because I’m a girl (I think boys are normally slower readers), but parents need to do what is best for their child, and I’m thankful to mine that they were not ashamed to let me have an extra year.</p>
<p>As a side note, will colleges look down on me for being a year older. Will they assume I failed a grade and was held back (this was not the case) Could this hurt my chances at elite schools? (Sorry, but this IS college confidential. I’m paranoid :))</p>
<p>Did it make a difference to kids’ experience in kingergarten if they had gone to day care beforehand? My two Ss went to full day daycare since 2.5yrs old and were very ready for school. They were in the middle of the pack in kindergarten. In subsequent grades, their classes were mixed grades. The oldest/youngest issue did not arise for them or for any of their classmates, as I recall. In high school S#2 was in some classes with agemates and in some classes with kids significantly older than he. His riends run the gamut in terms of ages. Although he is on the short side, it does not seem to have affected his social life.</p>
<p>Emswim, I can guarantee you that the colleges will not look down on you in any way because you are older – there are many kids who are older for various reasons. Some are kids who were “redshirted” according to the practice emeraldkity described – others may have had life events which interfered with schooling at some point, such as moves or short periods when they were out of school. If anything it works in your favor - although it really is unlikely that the college’s will even notice. (With so many applications to review, the last thing anyone has time for is doing the math with your birthday to see your exact age)</p>
<p>Marite - my kids were both in day care from infancy – and I still was very comfortable with the fact that they were an age-grade match. I do think day care helped somewhat with social skills, but it helped more to give me a sense of where they “belonged” socially, because of the mixed ages in a day care setting. My kids could get along with all ages, but my daughter’s best friends at day care were kids about the same age & size. Both kids were very petite - so “same size” was often, but not always, somewhat younger. </p>
<p>I have to also say that as an accellerated kid, I felt tremendous pressure to succeed and “prove” to everyone that it was not a mistake for me to be in an advanced grade. The problem was - in hindsight - I did not really understand that it was normal for me to lag behind older kids in terms of social & emotional growth. I mean, I thought that if I was ahead intellectually that it was all one thing. </p>
<p>I agree with emeraldkity - I was very happy when my kid were in mixed-age grades, even though most parents at my kids’ school didn’t like them and they are now a thing of the past.</p>