Registering my rising 7 yr old.... as a 1st grader

[SonshineLearner]

Hey there,

 

Down the line, I'm wondering if there's a negative for registering my rising 7 year old... in 1st grade for this coming school year. We have to test here, in 3rd grade, and I'm not sure I want to do that sooner than I have to... It seems to be "the thing to do" for people to register their children a year behind.... whether they are in Public School or another school environment (including home). Is there a reason that registering a year behind will bite my in the tush, later??

 

His bd is in July, so at the earlier age, I wouldn't have wanted him to start school "on time", but academically and socially... he will be on target later.... (it's just his activity level that's wouldn't have been ready for sit down academics early.)

 

Thoughts??

:bigear:

[Lightly Salted]

Well, my 7 year old is in first grade this year - we moved back from overseas when she was 4, and at 5 she was just not ready for kindergarten (CS and church classes). The school year started just 2 weeks after she turned 5 so we put her in K4. She's still socially immature and easily distractable, so we see it as the right decision for her. I know that down the line that means she'll always be a year older than 'classmates' but I figure homeschool will make it easier for us to 'accelerate' her back up a grade if needed. Interested to hear other responses, though.

[meet me in paris]

I think it's a great idea. My younger has a late Sept birthday, and we did 1st grade twice for that very reason. It's the best decision we've made! I'd much rather have her tested against younger students than older.:001_smile:

[Dmmetler]

It is very typical for parents to hold kids out of K until they're 6 here, so a 7 yr old 1st grader isn't unusual at all. I also know quite a few families who have had their child do 2nd twice, skip to 4th, then do 4th twice, which avoids the testing in 3rd and 5th.

[Ellie]

I don't consider a July birthday to be late, or that a child with a July birthday is "young" for his grade. I have a July birthday. :-)

 

I wouldn't register a 7yo child, with a July birthday, as a first grader. Nope. No way.

[Lovedtodeath]

I tried keeping DD in first grade at 7 and it didn't work for us. Her best friend who is one week older is in PS in 2nd grade, so she wanted to keep up with her. Her birthday is in July also.

[AudreyTN]

My 1st grader (turned 7 a few days ago) is doing K work. We don't have to test, so I'm calling him the grade that he his by his age... but if he doesn't catch up in a few years I'll have him "repeat" a grade.

 

IF we had to test... I would definitely have him repeat first grade instead of moving to 2nd.

[MerryAtHope]

I figure that it's easier to call a child by a younger grade now and bump them up a grade when they are older if it's necessary, than to call a child by an older grade now and need to "hold them back" for some reason when they are older.

 

Merry :-)

[Haiku]

If he's capable emotionally and socially of second grade work, and he's of second grade age, he should be in second grade.

 

I figure that it's easier to call a child by a younger grade now and bump them up a grade when they are older if it's necessary, than to call a child by an older grade now and need to "hold them back" for some reason when they are older.

 

There's no indication this child would need to be held back. Redshirting a kid "just in case" seems odd to me.

 

Tara

[Malenki]

We did just that. In our state you *have* to indicate grade as well as age since the tests are done by grade (3rd grade, 5th grade, 7th grade, etc) and not by age.

 

My son is at the end of 2nd grade officially but is ahead in everything "academically". We're still very happy with our decision and will be doing exactly the same thing with our younger son who we have to register this year.

 

We have a good friend who is a child psychologist who says boys shouldn't start any academics until they are 7 if you can help it. And certainly not formal schooling. So, we take that (with a grain of salt) into consideration as well.

[AudreyTN]

 

We have a good friend who is a child psychologist who says boys shouldn't start any academics until they are 7 if you can help it. And certainly not formal schooling. So, we take that (with a grain of salt) into consideration as well.

Interesting. Makes me feel a little better about my son. :)

[PollyOR]

When registering my now 11yo (April birthday) in OR, I didn't put a grade level for her and they put her in first grade. It has worked out nicely so far. There is NO way she was ready for standardized testing when she was in "3rd" grade.

 

It worked so well for her that I've done the same for my almost 8yo (March birthday). She will test a year later than other kids her age.

 

Will it come back to bite me? I hope not. :)

Edited March 2, 2010 by PollyOR

[susankenny]

My child was almost 6 when we started grade K (she missed the cut-off by just weeks). We did homeschool previously, but when we registered her, we did so according to her age and what grade she would be in public school. She is now 8 & in grade 2. Lots of kids are like this. It's no big deal at all. I'm totally fine with it.

 

Susan