Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Changes to kindergarten age rule proposed

This is precisely why I have an issue with cutoff dates to begin with. If a parent is able to keep his/her child out of school an extra year, then a parent should be able to enroll his/her child a year earlier. I'm ok with a testing process for the latter, or something, but it still shouldn't be a door slammed in a parent's face (which it is here in GA) for even questioning it. Physical age should not be the only thing that determines when one starts school.

There you go dreaming again!

But great point about the preschool environment and one I hadn't thought about. In our area social preschools are huge and though private, have pull with the public school district. They provide information to the district on each child's readiness for Kindergarten, meaning if they don't feel the child is ready they voice their concern and the district considers it. They don't, however, help with early entrance into Kindergarten, but this is due to the district's rigid rules about the date. Logically, if the preschools have the ear of the district shouldn't they be able to lobby for a child's advancements that would at least get an evaluation?

I don't support univeral public (taxpayer-funded) preschool, because for many young children, the ideal environment is to stay home with their mothers, who spend a little time teaching them directly and a lot of time giving them various learning experiences. Society should not subsidize preschool over the stay-at-home alternative.

In GA, there's a state funded pre-K, for kids who are 4 on or before Sept 1. It's funded with the GA Lottery not tax payer dollars. And I would venture to say, that while space is limited, a vast majority of parents (working or not) are putting their 4 year olds in this program (including me). It would be WONDERFUL if this was the opportunity to assess where kids are and whether or not Kindergarten is needed. Maybe I'm the only one, but even if I was a SAHM, I'd be searching for morning out/preschool programs for my two for at least half a day, both for their benefit and mine.

And for the record, my mom was a SAHM back many moons ago, and I still went to a preschool (in NJ). I was actually assessed, and it was recommended for me to go to Kindergarten early (which NJ would've allowed back then), but my mom held me back until I was 5. But it had nothing to do with her staying home or wanting me to be home with her.

My two have been in childcare since they were both 8 weeks old. They are not any less behaved, not any less loved, and not any less traumatized because of it. And I am not any less of an involved, in tune, mother. I hated that I had to work while they were babies, but I'm truly grateful for the many programs out there that weren't just babysitting them while I was at work.

Umm. I'm not really sure why mothers are the only or best ones to stay at home with their kids. I know a couple stay at home dads who are wonderful parents. Their kids seem very happy and very well-adjusted. And I don't see anything wrong with daycare or preschool that allows both parents to work.

In fact, many parents have no choice. Not to mention that some kids are better off in school or preschool because of suboptimal home environments.

Bostonian, mandating that kids should stay at home with their moms is just as dictatorial as mandating that kids should go to universal preschool. It strikes me as odd that you advocate for different educational options for gifted students, yet fail to see that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work with adults ("Moms and only moms must stay home with their kids until age 5") any more than it does for schoolkids.


Hmm. Why did you put your daughter in preschool if she'd be better off at home with mom?

Val

I'm going to tentatively back Bostonian on this one, though of course I agree with Val that stay at home dads (and grandparents, etc.) can be every bit as wonderful as stay at home moms.

I do support subsidized preschool for low income children and children with disabilities, for whom I think it can be very helpful. But I don't see it as particularly beneficial for most children. If you want it for your child, that's fine...I just don't want to pay for it, unless you really can't afford to pay for it yourself. I don't expect the government to pay for my preschooler to stay home, and I don't expect the government to pay for my preschooler to go to school. If they pay for the latter, I'd like them to pay for the former.

I don't think the government should be in the business of paying for things that don't have significant proven benefits.

Perhaps people are taking things to literally? I certainly did not see Gifted Mom's comment about preschool to mean every child should have to go to public preschool nor do I see Bostonian's comment making claim that only Mothers can stay home and provide what is needed.

That said ... I do see arguments for preschool especially if the home environment is not providing opportunities for the child to socialize. I know of one situation where the mother was a SAHM but due to issues of her own never left the house and basically neglected her children. And without getting into details it was clear that the children were not getting the love and care they needed so I was overjoyed to hear that they were putting them in a preschool environment. I literally breathed a sigh of relief.

As for my DD ... I'm a SAHM but we decided to put her in an academic school after trying a social preschool at age 3. I have seen the benefits of allowing her to spend some time away from mommy. Now would I look to place her into a public preschool? No, but mainly because I feel those schools should be available for families that need assistance be it due to income or handicaps.

What private Kindergarten in Missouri did you send your daughter to? I'm having trouble finding any, and my daughter only misses the cutoff by 13 days.