Age Starting Primary School-Feedback Pls

[Wonderwoman]

Hi
Like many other mothers I am undecided whether to send my DD to school in Sept 2012 or 2013. She will be 4 in Aprli. She has been in a creche since 12 months and Montessori since last sept. so she is quite independent and bright so the academic side I’m not worried about but I am more concerned is she emotionnally ready. I’ve gone through all the pros and cons in sending this year and next year.

I won’t be making the decision until the Summer as 6 months can make a huge difference in a child that age and I want to consider the Mont. teachers opinion.

I was hoping for some feedback from Mothers in similiar situations and how they found the child coping and settling in, and any problems that arose, hopefully feedback from mothers who have done both, sent at 4 and others who waited the year?

Thanks!

[Fabienne]

My daughter did turn 4 in april and did start school the same september.
Playschool told me she was ready, had friends, was doing well "in class".
So I sent her. The learning, was easy enough for her, no trouble there.
She was and is a quiet child, so the sitting and listening to what she had to do in class was not a problem.
But socialy it took her a while to be mature enough and make new friends.
I did see her struggle a bit, it took her 6 months to fit in.
It wasn’t too bad, also she was one of the youngest in her class and other classmates were most of them 4 to 6 months older.
It does make a difference, so it depends on the age of the rest of the class.

She’s now in second class and all well.
Some people might say itwas more difficult because we sent her in a gaelscoil, but i don’t think it made a difference.
I do not regret it as it went well for her. But not easy start, not too bad either.

My son born in january, so he was 4 and 9 months, was easier for him. As well i learnt from my dd. so few months into junior infants I did organised some playdates with classmates, does help the social side.

It’s a diffucult choice, as if you wait she might be bored doing playschool again, but if you send her to school more socials challenges.

I talked to teachers (friends) after, they said from years of experience talking to parents, they never heard a parent regretting to wait an extra year, but did hear parents regretting sending kids too soon.

I would do the same sending her to school early (small roll number that year, it was only 22 or 24 in the class), even with the light struggle, but I would help her to socialize by having more playdates with classmates (had playdates but with my friends children, and parents there having tea with me, so it’s a bit different).

As you said assess the situation again in few months, a lot can change. And get points of views to make your own, as you do by posting here.
A child who’s bored in playschool can then reject school later (not often but can happen) especially if playschool as the same structure than big school.
If you keep her another year, send her to a different playschool or group within same facility so she doesn’t repeat the same things. My son did 2 playschools, so the last one before big school wa scalle dby us, medium school, so he went from playschool to middle school then big school so he could see him progressing, getting somewhere.

Best of luck with your choice, let us know.
And in a couple of years you’ll be the one sharing your experience with a mum asking herself the same question.

Fabienne

[chewieodie]

My daughter turned 4 in the April, and I sent her to school in September. She is the smallest in her class, and probably one of the youngest. However she has had a throng of friends from the firstday. She was well able for it, and she had also been to Montessori etc….
Would I do it again? Without a shadow of a doubt.
She also has her big brother one year ahead of her, and I think that helps a lot in terms of confidence etc.

You’ll know yourself if she is ready for it….
My son turned 5 in the September that he started, so he was the 6 months older, and he also fit in quickly.

It all depends on the child…. trust your gut… 😉

[Taylor5]

Wonderwoman you will have to make your choice by march or April, this is when you have to confirm your place in school.

I find this a very touchy subject, its kinda split 50/50 parents who think 4 is okay and parents who think 5 is better. I sent my ds at 5 and my ds2 (please God) will be 4 turning 5 in the October.
My reasons i like the older age is that i started school 3 weeks late (my birthday was the end of september)on the day i turned 4!!! I was fine at the time as i was the youngest of 6 and looked at their books and did pretend homework with them, it was later years i found it a pain… i was 15 for the first 3 weeks of 6th YEAR and i was 16 sitting my leaving cert, way too young.
God with your heart, i was told by a teacher its not how they are in the class room, its how they cope in the school yard at 4 with 300 other students iykwim

[Wonderwoman]

Thanks for the feedback! I’ll know more after talking to her Montessori teacher…and have a better idea if she’s able in a few months. I think it will become fairly evident.

Cheers all 🙂

[munchin]

mmmmm april is kinda borderline month. Some schools have a rule that the child must be 4 in the spring before they start, my little one is a june baby which means the school she’s going to won’t take her until she’s 5. To be honest that would have been my choice anyway and not because she wouldn’t be able for school for me it’s more about the age they would be when they are finishing school – i’d personally prefer her to be a older than younger leaving school.
Think Fabienne said that school told her haven’t come accross a parent regretting holding a child back but there are parents out there who do regret sending a child too early.
At end of the day it’s a personal choice, i have quiet a few friends who sent their children are 4 and 1/2/3 months and are doing very well in school but i’ve also heard plenty of stories of older people who themselves would have prefered to be older leaving school (my own sister and a girl i was in school with). There was a girl in my class repeated 6th class because she was too young…….. but i believe the schools are very reluctant to do this nowadays. Actually my sister wanted to keep my niece back but she’s just about ok with school work and school won’t hear of it.

[Taylor5]

I was only talking to my SIL about this, she sent her first at 4 and she is doing brilliant at school, never a days trouble.
Her son could start school at 4 in September but she is going to keep in him Creche for another year, she just thinks he wouldnt be able for school at 4… it really is down to the child.

[beams]

Wonderwoman – i felt i was reading my Post !!! I had the same dilema last year with my daughter who was 4 on the 1st June – i talked to everyone i could including her montessorri teachers and they all said – although acedemically she was well able for school emotionally and socially was a different story. I was under pressure from a local school to send her aswell . After much discussion we decided NOT to send her and she will start this year at aged 5 and 3 months. The montressorri teachers told us that NOONE has ever regretted keeping their child at montessorri for that extra year (that they know of) – however they had come across plenty of parents who had regretted sending their children too early and watched as the child tried to fit in and grow etc. Remember your little one has to be able to do alot of things themselves at school and look after themselves in the school yard etc. etc. I just thought the extra year would make all the difference – she is now due to start this September and NOW i can see how ready she has become even in the last 3 months – so i have no worries now and quite look forward to her starting school in September . Best of luck with your decision !

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