Starting Kindergarten - Clermont,FL

A child should be a full 5 years old before they start kindergrten. If you want to hold him back because you think he'll flunk kindergarten can't you work with him over the next few months to get him caught up with his peers? It's so hard on kids to be held back.

If she was in a state where they have to be 5 to start school that would mean he would be held back 2 full years because he's old enough to start this fall, then if she doesn't get to start the next year since she would only be 4 you are going to have to keep him out another year. That's just sad. He is going in school with many many strikes against him already by that point. Poor kid.

I would call the sch dist to ask but I doubt it.

They will generally go by her age AND when her birth date is.

I think her birthdate will be after the cut-off.

I also don't understand why you would hold back one child so that he would be in the same grade as a sibling. The decision to send your child to kindergarten should be made based on THAT child's readiness, not on the birthdate of his younger sister.

I think holding your son back is a huge mistake. HUGE. Children need to go to school when they are age appropriate. Your son's birthday is JANUARY. The cutoff is likely September 1 in your area. By holding him, you would be putting him school with children who are up to 19 months younger than him. That isn't fair for your son or the other children in school. He needs to be with children his own age.

He will not benefit from waiting an extra year. He is going to be one of the older children in his grade even if you send him when he's supposed to go. By waiting a year, he will be much too old to be in kindergarten.

Also, having siblings in the same grade that are not twins is just asking for trouble. Why inflict the possibility for so much competition when you don't need to? Let them have their own identity, their own friends, their own lives. Don't hold your son because you want him in the same grade as his little sister.

Your son needs to start kindergarten in the fall of 2014. He will already be five and a half years old.

Your daughter should start kindergarten in the fall of 2015. Yes, she will be almost six, but per school cutoff dates, that's when she will be eligible to begin.

I find it incredibly frustrating and concerning that so many parents hold their children back. It does not benefit them and, down the line, often creates more problems when you have 19 year olds in high school. Children are meant to go to kindergarten when they are five years old. Not when they are six and a half.

Holding your son back is a huge mistake.

Per our school district, no. A child has to be 5 by a certain date in September.

I don't understand why you would want them in the same grade level? The only time I've seen siblings in the same grade level in my 10+ yrs of teaching is when they are twins and even then, they are not in the same classroom. We promote individuality.

Your son is a year older than your daughter so he should be able to proceed with his education as planned. By keeping them together you could unknowlingly limit their socialization skills, etc. They need their own peer groups and friendships. I am sure both of them would be just fine on their on in their grade level. Brother does not need to be held back to keep an eye on sister, etc. Things fall into place.

If you hold your son back just so he can be in the same grade level with your daughter you could be creating more issues that you think. Since they are not twins, everyone will know they are siblings and the rule of thumb thought is that the older one was held back for some reason or another. (academically, socially or on purpose for sports later)

Just because your daughter is on track does not mean she is ready 100%. Children learn at different levels and K is a huge part of socialization, learning the rules, etc. Most of the time, the children level out by grade 2.

I would say to let them go do their own thing and support them in their respective grade levels. I know it is hard to let go, especially at the onstart of school, but at least allow them to thrive as individuals. They need independence.

Just my two cents worth.

You need to call you local school district to find out what the cut off dates are. I seriously doubt she will be able to start K when your son does, however, as MOST schools require the child to be 5 by September 1.

Yikes, putting them in the same Kinder class unless it's totally unavoidable is a terrible idea. This isn't just about Kindergarten, it's about the next 13 years of their education.

How do you think your son will feel later on when it's clear he's a year older but in the same grade as his sister? Do you want them competing throughout their school years? Don't they each deserve a unique and individual education that is just "theirs".

Girls usually mature more quickly so if your daughter seems "on track" with your son right now that is not necessarily the way it will always be. I agree with other posters holding a child back when they are of age and essentially ready for school is a terrible idea especially if it has ANYTHING to do with a sibling. You say your pretty much decided on this. Have you talked with the school? Have you ever heard of anyone actually doing this? Think long an hard and get some more opinions before you decide, this isn't really about Kindergarten, it's about their entire education.

Why would you hold you son back? Is there some kind of developmental reason? If so, he should get help from the school district. Usually when parents hold kids back it's because their birthdays are in the summer or September so technically they make the cutoff but they would be the youngest child in the grade. Your son will be 5 1/2 and at a perfect age to start school.

Just to be clear, was your idea to put them BOTH into kinder in September (or August) of 2014 when your son is 5 and your daughter is still 4 turning 5 in December?

If so, you'll probably need to apply for early entrance because most school systems are really serious about starting at 5.

Is there a reason you want them to start together? I hear you saying that because your daughter is even with your son right now. They are 2 and 3 years old... that's a long way from 4 and 5 (and an even longer way from 5 and 6 if you for some reason hold your son back). A 2 year old girl on par with a 3 year old boy is not uncommon... it doesn't mean she needs to go to kindergarten at 4. Your son is a year older than his sister, why not let him be her big brother?

Even if you send them together, I can say with almost certainty that they won't be in the same class... not for Kindergarten or any grade thereafter until maybe middle school, so keeping them "together" can't really be the issue.

Send your daughter to Pre-K if you want them both in school.

Hope this helps,
T.

Depends on cut off, but I would not send them together to K.

Your son would start school in September 2014 and if you lived in my state, with a September 1 cut off, your daughter would start in September 2015. If he ends up being ready at 5 years and 8 month old, there would be no reason to hold him back another year and she wouldn't be old enough to enroll. I don't really think you'll have a decision to make unless he's significantly delayed. In any case, you have almost 2 years before this is an issue and there's a lot that will change in that time.

FWIW, every family I know with "Irish twins" (kids less than 12 months apart) where both kids met the cut off opted to have the younger child start the following year so that the kids wouldn't be in the same grade.

ETA I did a quick google search and Florida requires that a child be 5 years old by September 1 before enrolling. So keeping them together would only happen if you hold him back, which is a decision that should be made based only on his Kindergarten readiness, not your desire to keep them together.

This will probably depend on school chosen. I think your daughter might have to wait one year. Ask at the school you'll be taking them to.
When my daughter was five, we had moved to a small town, where there was no kindergarden. She wanted so much to learn, she was like a sponge. So she went afternoons to a retired teacher's home, who tutored. She was already reading when she got to first grade the following year.

It depends on your school district. If you were my neighbor, your son would go to Kindergarten August 2014 (at which point he will be roughly 5 and 7 months old) and your daughter would go to Kindergarten August 2015 (at which point she will be roughly 5 and 8 months old). The cutoff date in my district is September 15th.

I guess they could go together if you waited to enroll your son.

Since you live in Florida, another option is that your daughter can attend Free Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten since she will be four by Sept. 1st of 2014. This would be the same year that your son starts Kindergarten. The VPK program in FL offers 3 hours daily (M-F) for free. Most daycare, preschools and church preschools offer this program. You would just have to check into the places in your area that offer it. There are websites to check it out.
Your son would be able to take advantage of this program in August 2013. It would be the year before he starts K.
Not sure how the schools are in your county but the state of FL is now changing the standards of children in school. There are more requirements now for K so a good VPK program could be very helpful. Plus, it is a way to get children used to the school setting since it is just 3 hours a day.
Good Luck!

I see that you live in Florida, I do too. In the state of Florida your child has to be 5 yrs old by Sept 1st to be allowed to go to Kindergarden. My daughter's birthday was Sept 12th and they would not make an exception for her. Therefore your son will be able to go to kindergarten in August 2014 but your daughter will have to wait until the following year.

More than likely not. Most schools have cut offs. I know where it's they must be 5 by Sept 1st.

Check the school district, but usually there is a cutoff date, and I do not believe your daughter made it.

My son had to be five by July, in order to start Kindergarten. He's now seven and in first grade. His birthday is also in December. My friends son's birthday was on cutoff date, and he went.
The only way you could keep them in the same grade is to
A) Homeschool him for a year(too many bits you have to go through to do that, at least in my area),
B) hold your son back a year(not a good idea if he is doing well), or
C) if your district allowed a dibels bench test and the STAR academics tests to be taken and her skills were the same as your son's, but there are very few places that do it.

Hope this helps.

It depends on what the cut off dates are, for the school that your kids will be attending.
So, call that school and ask them.

They probably will not be in the same grade at the same time.
Or, if the school has one, your daughter could go to a Jr.K class. This is typically for later born kids.

Most Kindergarten grades, the child needs to be 5, by either August or sometime in September. For example.

It depends on the cut off date in your area. Some areas it's August, some it's December, and others are somewhere in between.

If you are wiling to hold back your son they could. Children must be 5 by a predetermined date set by the SD so your daughter would not be ready when your son is able to go is my bet. Find out the cutoff date for your district.

what is teh cutoff date for kinder in your state?

in michigan it used to be dec 1.. (child had to be 5 by december 10 but they moved it back to sept 1.

If i had a young 5 boy i would absolutely positively hold them back. kinder is about sitting still listening following directions.. cutting coloring...etc... but they also cover letters numbers...

kinder will be hard for a young bouncy boy.