Sew happily ever after Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Well, he'll be 4 in 6 weeks anyway...this is not a thread about bragging how smart my DS is, I just want to know if it would be OK to call him a kindergartener for the purposes of letting him participate in some programs. The free pizza program from Pizza Hut--Book It! and Six Flags Read to Succeed program. He could do the kindergarten work, but he is young, so would it be OK to call him kindergarten even tho he's only 4? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCoffeeChick Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Yep -- I did for my ds when he was 4. :D I always made sure that it was okay with where ever I was signing up with something like ... "My son is in Kindergarten, but he is only 4, is it okay for him to participate?" Most people don't care and wouldn't even bother to ask for proof of grade, but most of the time I would ask. I don't even think you'd need to ask, because really, what person at Pizza Hut cares enough to say (or notice for that matter), "Hey, you don't look like you're old enough for Kindergarten!!" :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I wouldn't and haven't. My youngest is 4. My older kids are 10 and 8. I wouldn't like to give him or my other kids the idea that rules are only for convenience. My son will be officially kindergarten age this year. Then he can participate in those kinds of things. I will say that my older kids have October birthdays and I did declare them to be kindergarteners when they were four almost five. However, I did not have them repeat kindergarten. They moved up to first grade the next year at five almost six. Sorry to be the dissenting opinion. I do understand why you want to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaMamaMama!! Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 When my son Logan was 4 he was doing Kindergarten work but we didnt call him kindergarten. Even know he would be a PS Kindie but is doing 1st grade homeschool and we call him a Kindie. His birthday is in December and he is very smart in alot of ways.... But we've never participated in programs like that, just sunday school and Wednesday night church stuff. And I think he should stay in the K class even though he can read and write well. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emilylou Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Can he read independently? I know for the Six Flag, your child has to read for 6 hours in a certain time period- not including school stuff to be eligible. My DS is 5 1/2 and I had a hard time finding stuff he could read for 6 hours! Since there are only so many Level 1 Readers. I didn't feel right just letting him read BOB type books over and over, for six hours. I think with Book It~ You set the "goals" yourself. So my DS has to read 4 new books on his own each month to get his pizza. If your son can read independently I would sign him up. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 No. He won't even be five by the time the new school year starts next year. He's only three now. He's not a Kindergartner, and I think that it's dishonest to claim that he's something he's not so he can get something for it. Those programs will still be around in two years when he's actually a Kindergartner. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melenie Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 (edited) . Edited February 22, 2009 by Melenie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in WA Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Don't do it. There are just a few years to a little child and many many more years to be "school aged". Don't waste those years away just for free pizza :) Kids take greater pride in those programs when they are a bit older. Anyway, you don't want to find yourself calling him a kindergartner (or whatever grade) for multiple years. He may be zooming ahead now, but you never know what the years ahead hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I always try to remember that I am representing not only myself, but other homeschoolers, as well. I don't want to be the reason someone thinks poorly of "all" or "most" homeschoolers. When I signed up my oldest for the Pizza Hut Book-It progam a number of years ago, I know that there was a requirement for age 5 by xxx date. I don't know if the rules have changed or not - we no longer eat there, so I haven't kept pace with the program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I wouldn't, because he's not a kindergartener. It would be dishonest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 The Pizza Hut forms say the child must be 5 by September 1st to be in the program. Which is odd, because our school district's cutoff is October 1st, and state law allows districts to start children after the 4th birthday (no districts I know of use this lower age for their guidelines, though). My dd was a kindergartener at age 4, but we never participated in those sorts of programs until she turned 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Regarding the original post, I personally do not think it is okay to enroll a child as a K'er when s/he is so far from K eligible age. I know for the Six Flag, your child has to read for 6 hours in a certain time period- not including school stuff to be eligible. My DS is 5 1/2 and I had a hard time finding stuff he could read for 6 hours! Since there are only so many Level 1 Readers. I didn't feel right just letting him read BOB type books over and over, for six hours. Just to clarify this, for Six Flags a younger child does not have to do the reading themselves. A parent can read aloud to the child. From their FAQ: What type of reading counts?"Any recreational reading including newspapers, comic books, novels, and nonfiction. Kids can read on their own, or parents can read to younger students." (source) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCoffeeChick Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 hhhmmm...interesting replies. Makes me rethink a few things. :001_huh: I never looked at it as dishonest, especially since I was upfront with asking if it was okay. Granted I only signed by 4 year old up as a Kindergartener for 2 things, Karate and Story Hour. Both times the people looked at me like I was crazy I even asked and said it was no problem. But I also agree that if something has age limits in the rules, then it would definitely be a no. A 4 year old is not a 5 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Well, he'll be 4 in 6 weeks anyway...this is not a thread about bragging how smart my DS is, I just want to know if it would be OK to call him a kindergartener for the purposes of letting him participate in some programs. The free pizza program from Pizza Hut--Book It! and Six Flags Read to Succeed program. He could do the kindergarten work, but he is young, so would it be OK to call him kindergarten even tho he's only 4? I would not do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emilylou Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Regarding the original post, I personally do not think it is okay to enroll a child as a K'er when s/he is so far from K eligible age. Just to clarify this, for Six Flags a younger child does not have to do the reading themselves. A parent can read aloud to the child. From their FAQ: My poor DS... I made him "read" his whole six hours.:o He is only 5. I guess "Mom" needs to read the directions better... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 The Pizza Hut forms say the child must be 5 by September 1st to be in the program. Which is odd, because our school district's cutoff is October 1st, and state law allows districts to start children after the 4th birthday (no districts I know of use this lower age for their guidelines, though). My dd was a kindergartener at age 4, but we never participated in those sorts of programs until she turned 5. Maybe Pizza Hut is trying to cover all states with one cut-off date, as many states do have September 1 cut-offs. This levels the playing field maturity wise, KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I wouldn't do it either, and not b/c of sticking to the rules. :001_huh::tongue_smilie: Things offered for kindergarteners are geared for 5/6yo's. Even a bright 4yo is still a 4yo. There is a lot of maturity gained in that year, reading aside. For academic stuff, I don't really talk about grade level b/c we HS and I don't HAVE to - we will just keep moving forward. For extracurriculars, my dc will stay with their age-mates. Karate - I am most concerned with that one and would wait. Story Hour at the library is probably not a huge deal, but he'd likely have more fun with other 3yo. imho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary in KS Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 (edited) He's 3. If you want to have him do schoolwork, that's up to you. But he's not a kindergartner. We had all 3 boys doing "fun school" when they were 3 and 4. (and 5). But I didn't call them kindergartners until they were the appropriate age. Calling a three year old (even a four year old) a kindergartner in order to participate in programs and get freebies is dishonest. I would not do it. Edited February 23, 2009 by Hillary in KS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Mine is 5 and is doing some K and 1st grade work although he would be entering K this coming fall. I still call him prek. I decided that I would just call him the grade he is supposed to be in. It is easier because he is at different levels in different things. Plus I want him to stay in activities that are for his age. Even though he can do the work socially he acts like a prek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpidarkomama Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Some people call it K4 and K5. I never know what to say... usually I just take their age and say that's what grade they're in when people ask. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaik76 Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I called my son a kindergartner for the ages of four, five, and six. Worked perfectly for us. Because we homeschooled I. didn't know that most kids just do K4 and K5, and since he has a late summer birthday we called him kindergarten at age 6 too (for social/emotional reasons...he was doing first and second grade work). It's really up to you how you want to do that. ETA: We didn't do Pizza Hut Book-It until he was five years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama2Three Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I'm in the follow-the-rules camp -- to model what DC should do. I am not a big fan of pizza as a reward for reading books. I let my DC pick a book from Scholastic as a reward for keeping up with their reading and having a good attitude for schoolwork (the books are usually just a couple dollars). This could be a compromise for him until is old enough for the programs you want him to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I've called my son a kindergartener this year. He has a late birthday so wouldn't be in K in public school but he's been 5 most of the year. We've done K work and I expect next year will be 1st grade for him. That said, when it's come to outside programs and such I've gone by their age guidelines. For example, there is a co-op we were interested in joining (good friends go there) but had an age cutoff he didn't meet. I didn't try to argue the fact that he was in K...we'll just wait a year. Same thing with other things like sports or programs like the Pizza Hut one. They'll still be there next year. And the next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 If you really want to do the Pizza Hut Program, they also offer a preK program as well. It is similar to the regular one, just different enrollment times and can include books you read aloud. It is called the Book It Beginners Program. http://www.bookitprogram.com/enrollment/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 You can call him whatever you want. :) I am not sure as far as reporting him for your state with intent to homeschool though. Most states don't require reporting until a child is 7. We reported my 5.5 year old last year to the umbrella school as a Kindergartener (he was 4.8 or so then). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josie Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 He is only three. He will be five before you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 When you enroll it will ask how many children in that age range. My younger one complained when she couldn't enroll at 4 even though she was reading chapter books, but I didn't do it. It costs Pizza Hut a lot of money to run this, and I don't want to take advantage of their generousity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 You may be tired of hearing this by now, and it is certainly your choice, but I would call him a preschooler. I consider grades to be a designation of age. When someone asks what grade my child is in, I don't say what level work they are doing in different subjects or talk about their capabilities, what they want to know is how old they are. I think telling someone your child is in K means to most people that they turned 5 by whatever the cutoff your ps uses. Here that is August 1st. Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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