So I have DD enrolled for 3 year old kinder next year. She is 3 in January. Local community kinder, will be 2x 2hrs a week.

Our situation is that she is home with me as I am pretty much a SAHM, we go to a playgroup once a week and DD does 3hrs a week in an occasional care so I can go to the hairdressers etc. it took her a while to adjust to this but she is settled in now didn't even cry last time I left her there! She's a bit shy initially with people but once she warms up she is social. No concerns about her development etc.

I didn't think sending her to 3yo kinder would be particularly controversial seeing as though she will be 3, but I notice a lot of people mention holding their kids back a year. A primary teacher friend from mothers group seemed surprised that another mum and I were sending our kids to kinder next year and not waiting another year ( she isnt sending her daughter to kinder til 2017, but her daughter has a few delays with speech etc)

Today when I went to the kinder to have a look around, the kinder teacher also mentioned that she would be one of the younger ones there, and talked about how some people wait another year or let them do another year of 3yo kinder.

I feel like I am missing something here- is there a reason I should be holding her back? I don't think people are saying specifically that my daughter should stay back, just that it's what everyone does. Why is this? Why is it called 3yo kinder then if everyone is going to be 4 there?

I personally started school (back in the dark ages) grade prep when I was 4, which is obviously too young, I was intellectually capable but socially I should have started a year later. I don't see a problem with Dd starting school at age 5, as I believe she would manage (as far as I know at this stage) but if all the other kids are going to be 6 turning 7, will this be a problem?

My gut is telling me to send her, she will love it (when we went to see it she wanted to stay and play), but I feel like I don't know what the reasons are to wait another year, so can someone enlighten me?? Thanks!!