How do you know if your child is ready for Kindergarten?

[Mildez]

DD will be 5 in the end of April next year. DH and I always intended on sending DD to school in 2013.

DD wants to go to Big school as soon as possible but I'm not sure if she is ready. I'm worried if she doesn't go its going to be a very long 12months next year waiting for her to start in 2013.

At the moment she goes to preschool 1day a week with the plan to start her 2 days a week next year maybe even 3days. As this was our plan she is in the 3yr old preschool not the 4yrs so they haven't started learning the alphabet, writing there names etc.

At the moment DD knows about 1/3rd of the alphabet and can write those letters when asked, point them out etc, she can write her name and count to 12 (before getting muddled up)

The thing is the private school we will enrol her in where her sister goes closes the enrolments on the 27th May this year. If we do decide to send her we need to enrol now. Also her big sister is in Yr6 there next year and if we hold her back DD1 will not be there as she will be at high school then.

What are other parents doing in this situation? Do I enrol her and possible cancel later on? One of the teachers has said start her and if she doesn't cope pull her out and start her again in 2013. If I don't start her next year I'd like to home school her next year but DH is very much against that idea.

[~Kim~]

I totally understand. My DD has just turned 5 last week and i had actually always planned to start her this year. Last year we had interviews at the private schools and they were most impressed with her abilities and offered her a place on the spot. Then I spoke with her pre school teachers and they advised against it. Academically she would have excelled, but emotionally she wasn't ready. In my heart I knew that, but I never knew i had the option.

At the start if this year I really questioned my decision, but now, in hindsight, it's been the best decision for her. The amount she's changed and grown able to tackle challenges in her own time as opposed to me forcing them on her by sending her to school, has been astounding. Yes she is a bit bored I guess, but I'm really of the school of thought that playing rather than enforced learning for as long as possible is better for kids.

Only you can truely know your DD, and it's a really PITA that you have to decide within 10 days. But I honestly believe that if you make your gut decision, it will be the right one.

[Mildez]

Kim I feel exactly like you that Academically she will be ready but socially she wont be. Well socially I think she will be with her peers but I'm concerned she wont perform her best as she tires so easily and will be a sobbing mess when I get her home if that makes sense. She sleeps in until 8-9am so she will need to be woken to get ready. DD also doesn't always want to go to preschool although she goes without crying and enjoys it once she is there. I think 5days a week will be too much for her to deal with when she has not been in childcare and only in preschool 1day a week starting this year.

But on the other hand I think she is ready to start learning the cirriculum and I'm worried I wont be bringing out her full potential by holding her back a year and what she learns at home next year will make her alot more advanced then most of her class mates. I think she will be bored at home she is already now and if I start teaching her phonics next year she will also be bored with it in 2013 when she starts and most of the other children haven't.

I don't want to enrol her now but I am woried if I don't she could be well and truely ready next year and then wont have a spot.

[Olive]

its far far more important that the child is socially and emotionally ready for school!!!!
google kathy walker, she has some great info
id be holding her back! my DD2 is being held back and shes a feb baby

[~Kim~]

Ha Mildez, we have the same child only 12 months different.

FWIW I've never heard of a child being disadvantaged for being held back.

My other concern was her not coping and having to repeat. I think for her that would be worse.

[Mildez]

Kim that would be horrible for DD to repeat. I have thought of that as a possibility. When I write it down as I have now it does show that DD is emotionally not ready.