Steve Biddulph "Raising Boys".

[Phteven]

I enjoyed it but there were aspects I didn't agree with.
TBH the whole starting school late thing doesn't resonate with me. At the other end of school you end up with young adults who are being still being forced into what is essentially a routine for children. It seems kind of wrong that someone who is allowed to enter a pub and vote should also have to follow a school routine. I started Yasin at the age he was meant to start in the NSW system. When we moved to the ACT system he wouldn't have had to start because their cut-off is later in the year. As a result he is the youngest in the school (him and one other girl are the only ones who haven't turned 6 yet) but he loves school and does really well academically. Socially he isn't friends with many of the kids in his class because he's made friends with some boys in year 1 and 2 who he prefers to spend his time with. My younger boy will be starting school next year. He could stay at home another year but he's ready for school and looking forward to it.
I don't see any benefit in keeping children home when they are ready for school just because of their gender.

I'm not planning on taking my boys out to dinner to celebrate their sexuality either. That's just cruel.


ETA - I don't usually agree with Miranda Divine (in fact I usually feel like strangling her) but I came across this article ages ago and surprised myself by nodding along. I just googled it because I thought it was relevant to my post.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/m...818724394.html

[YoYo]

A bit off topic but with regard to schooling, it jut frustrates me that it differs from state to state. I started school in NSW (kindy) when I was 4. I couldn't imagine DS doing the same, but I was an academic square when I was little!

If I don't think Max is ready when other kids start school, then I won't send him. In the book though and remembering from when I was at school, the boys always came across as the 'naughty' ones in class coz they didn't listen, or were disruptive, which can (now I realise) just come down to the fact that they are boys, which doesn't seem fair!

As it is with DS I can see he can't keep his focus on something for a long period, and will run off and do something else, or want to go outside and run around.

I'm off to read that article now Onyx!

[boomba]

I don't see any benefit in keeping children home when they are ready for school just because of their gender.

I'm not planning on taking my boys out to dinner to celebrate their sexuality either. That's just cruel.

Yup I wont keep him back if he is ready but it made so much sense...the boys were always in trouble for moving around not wanting to sit still etc
havent reached the part about the sexuality...is it celebrating who they are or their fist sexual encounter...if its a celebration of who they are themn I dont see a problem if its not forced ont them?

I see what the article is saying but I guess I would hold back my daughter if I had one if I thought she would benefit? It really comes down to the individual child...I couldnt imagine sending my son to prep at the age of 4 then I just know he wouldnt be ready and would rather him learn through play???

am off to read the article....spose like most books you take what resonates and discard what doesnt...but it certainly gets the mind thinking

[boomba]

Cool...see school is a the big un known for me lol! So am a bit scared too cause I would hate for him to fall behind or be in trouble

[Phteven]

I think that lots of schools have recognised the difficulties that small children have with staying still and have moved on from the model of expecting children to sit still and face the front all day. At Yasin's school they are seated in groups of 4 around square tables and when it's time to listen they get up and sit in a circle on the floor then go back to their tables. They play lots of learning games that have movement in them and so on too.

I thought that lots of what he had to say about role models and learning to be men was fantastic.

eta - I was trying to edit my post and I deleted it *oops*.
Now it looks a bit mixed up

[Beach Mama]

"There are plenty of examples of 4½-year-olds who do very well and six-year-olds who don't. Age is not the central issue … It is how they fit into the system - their social and emotional maturity."

I think that about sums the whole thing up, kids shouldn't be held back from school simply because of their age, how they will cope is far more important. As Onyx mentioned many schools run a play based learning program for preps now which is far more appropriate for them at that age. Im lucky enough to be a Performing Arts specialist now (and oh how I love it!) and get to teach P-6 - the preps really are such babies still and have 3 terms under their belts. I can sing pre-school songs with them all day long and they just thrive on it still. Interestingly countries that have a very late starting age (7 in Finland) and who value teachers who have to be Masters trained, do extraordinarily well. Pity we are going more down the data driven path of our US friends rather than our porgressive Euro ones. Babbling now, please forgive!