Holding Back Your Child?

Kindergarten registration has begun! In most school districts, children must be 5 years old by October 1, 2012 to enroll in Kindergarten. Many parents are faced with the dilemma of determining when his or her child should begin school. Today, parents are becoming more aggressive in determining what is in the best interest of their child.

A new phenomena, however, is taking place among many families. According to Preschool Director Mary Innocenzi, parents are opting to keep their young child out of public school an extra year, even if their child’s age falls within the guidelines for school entry. Why? Parents say “I’d rather keep her in preschool an extra year, so she can have an extra year to mature. What’s the rush?” “I don’t feel my son is as mature as the other children. I feel it’s better to keep him out an extra year. Also, he will have more of an opportunity to do well in sports—he won’t be the smallest kid in his class.” “If I keep my child out of school an extra year, he’ll have a decided educational advantage over the others in his class.”

And so it goes…

In the past there were always a few parents who would opt to “hold back” their child, for various reasons. Today, however, many parents feel that they are giving their child a head start by keeping their child out of school an extra year.

It is a difficult decision and some of the social concerns, physical concerns regarding sports, and academic challenges do not often show up until the higher grades. Many parents make the decision solely based on academics. But it is also important to consider social skills, confidence, organization skills, and physical size, as well as family preference. These are important considerations, especially when the new trend to hold children back makes some August and September birthday children almost 2 years younger than their peers. One of the reasons I feel this decision is so important is that the stakes are much higher at 17 years of age, when you want your child to be a leader, not a follower.

If you have any questions where we can help, feel free to stop by the office at Kangaroo Kids to discuss your options and some creative solutions.