Hi mom123 - You sound like you went the same path we did. We were worried when our DS was 3 that he already knew the kindy curricula, so we had him tested (at 4y1m) to see if early entry to k would be a good option. DS is a january birthday, so he would have been 4y8m if he started kindergarten early. He more than qualified for early entry based on score, but the psychologist recommended waiting, since there would be a lot of accommodations needed later on, and he may as well play another year. It's not like he hasn't learned anything!
Our guy is also pretty small and not quite as coordinated as many other kids (he didn't jump until 3.5!) We started him in gymnastics at 3, and his coordination is very much improved. He's still small, and I think that makes more difference with boys than girls. His social/emotional is age appropriate, though he is not shy in the least.
Since you mentioned the shyness, I want to make an argument for doing exactly the opposite of what we did. I would suggest thinking about starting your DD early. I would think that a grade skip later on would be harder for a very shy kid once she has become comfortable with her friends in kindy. It seems an early start will get you closer to her learning level in a gentler way. Just a thought!
Good luck with your school decisions (the first of many it seems!)
(Oh - forgot to say we are happy that we waited a year, because we do not have a quietly mature kid -- we have a kid who wants to talk and interrupt constantly, which probably wouldn't have gone over too well. And he hates writing and pretty much refuses to do it and I think the extra time may help him ease into it better. And he is a kid who never wants to go to school - ever! (His latest plan includes going to school just long enough to build a robot that looks like him and then send the robot.)
Last edited by st pauli girl; 02/18/09 06:53 AM.
