One thing that really helped us was the phrase, "All of his friends (but one) are going to kindergarten next year." It is the truth, but somehow just saying that we could feel the tension and the concerns that we're horrible hot-housing parents setting our child up for a lifetime of stress completely evaporate. Although our facts about what he could do in terms of reading, math etc. mattered, they didn't seem to matter as much as the social aspect to most of the folks we talked to during this process. We're doing the right thing for him because it's the right thing socially. The academics are of secondary importance. I know that's messed up, but that's our experience here.
They also seemed concerned with, does he follow directions, can he sit still etc. Again, sighs of relief when we said he's a rules follower. YMMV on that.
Academics taught in kindergarten vary a LOT. It makes us really sad that our kid has been able to do everything they expect kids to do at the end of kindergarten since long before he was 2. That isn't true in all states.
