Home › Forums › Meath Chat › What age to send child to school?
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February 11, 2013 at 11:22 am #15708AnonymousInactive
Hi All, just hoping for some advice!
Am struggling to decide whether to start my twins this year or next..they will be 4 in April but one in particular is quite immature and I don’t want to start one without the other. At times I feel both are not ready..and am just not sure whether to start them in Sep or keep them to next year. Any advice welcome!February 11, 2013 at 12:25 pm #126873JedtKeymasterIt depends on the child but for us, we felt it was better to wait until ours were all 5. Our son could have started when he was 4 as he turned 4 in May but his speech was not great and he was quite small, so we decided to wait and give him the advantage of being a bit bigger when he started.
It was definitely the right decision for him, he is thriving now and is doing great in his class. He is 9 now and is getting on great in school – he was very shy when he started and I think if we had put him in at 4, it would not have been good for him.
Our daughter was another matter altogether – she was a right little chatterbox and could easily have started when she was 4, as she was well able and is very clever and her speech was great but we decided to wait until she was 5 too, to keep it fair with all our kids getting the same advantages. She is thriving in school too and we are very happy we waited.
If a child is a bit small or has any issues with speech I think it can help them to wait until they are 5.
In our school, the teachers often say the 4 year olds take a long time to settle in where the kids starting who are 5, settle in much quicker and with less fuss.
Hope that helps – best of luck whichever you decide!
February 16, 2013 at 4:42 pm #126929Taylor5MemberI think 5 is a better age. Good luck x
February 16, 2013 at 4:59 pm #126931chewieodieParticipantMy son turned 5 in the September…. and I sent him… and he is flying. My daughter only turned 4 in the April, and I sent her to school in the Sept. She struggled a little initially, but that is because she is a quieter child (well at least to everyone on the outside of the family… in our house she rules the roost)…and is a bit shyer and also the smallest in the class. I was a bit concerned initially…. but after the last teacher meeting I was told that she is absolutely thriving… her shyness isn’t as much of an issue any more… and she is even further ahead in some areas than some of her classmates.
So, it all depends on your child… and whether or not you in your gut feel its the right thing to do. I was lucky, my daughter has her brother one year ahead of her, and he is incredibly protective and close to her. So, he "looks out" for her. If she had started first… I think I would have kept her behind until 5, but because she was desperate to join her brother, I sent her…. and it has worked out for us perfectly.February 18, 2013 at 11:37 am #126947GemmsParticipantHi everyone, thanks so much for the replies..i had posted on the Louth and Meath chat and really appreciate the different feedback..its a hard decision..every day i am swinging back and forward but i think the fact i am feeling like this means its best to wait until next year. Hopefully its the right thing to do..i hope so!
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