Reevaluating the Decision to Delay Kindergarten: A Personal Perspective

home insemination Kit

Hey there, fellow parents! Let’s chat about something that’s been on my mind lately—redshirting, or holding your child back from starting kindergarten. Picture this: you leave the hospital with your little one, and it feels like you’ve just stepped into a surreal nightmare. You’re at home, staring at the pristine nursery and all those adorable baby gifts, wondering what on earth you’re supposed to do next. Each morning, your heart races as you reach for your phone, anxiously checking in on your tiny miracle in the NICU.

Now, living in the suburbs of Philadelphia means our cut-off date for kindergarten is September 1. If our daughter had arrived on her original due date, she would have missed that deadline. But she didn’t, so suddenly, we found ourselves faced with the tough choice: do we redshirt her or not? Given her rocky start, you might think it would be an easy decision. But honestly, it was anything but.

Sure, she was a little on the small side, but she was feisty and confident, ready to take on the world. I mean, she was already showing her spirited personality just days after her birth. Sure, she had some separation anxiety, but so did kids who were practically a year older. In the end, her tenacity won us over, and just a month after her fifth birthday, we sent her off to school as the youngest in her class.

Fast forward to today—she’s thriving as a seventh grader, excelling both socially and academically. But I’d be lying if I said I never felt a twinge of guilt. Watching her grapple with math homework or walk down the street beside friends who tower over her makes me wonder if we made the right call. However, a recent study published in the Journal of Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology has given me some peace of mind. It found that delaying school by a year doesn’t necessarily improve academic outcomes for either pre-term or full-term kids; in fact, it could lead to worse performance as they grow older.

As Julia Jaekel, one of the study’s co-authors, pointed out, many parents feel pressured to hold back preterm kids, especially if they were born in the summer. But the study clearly showed that missing out on a year of learning opportunities can actually hurt their scores on standardized tests by the age of eight. So, maybe I can ease up on that guilt a little.

Ultimately, the decision to redshirt is a personal one for each family. While I may have some anxiety about letting my daughter eat Pop Tarts for breakfast now and then, at least I can let go of this particular worry—for the time being, anyway. I might have different feelings when she heads off to college in five years!

If you’re interested in more information on similar topics, check out this blog post on home insemination kit. And for those looking for more resources, Make A Mom is an authority on this topic, plus Johns Hopkins Medicine provides excellent insights into pregnancy and home insemination.

In summary, reconsidering the choice to redshirt your child can be a journey filled with doubt and reflection. Each family’s situation is unique, and it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons carefully.