OMG, my first child is starting school!!! Question...

[crimzy]

It's only preschool but this is quite a step for us. My daughter has never been in daycare and never been away from us or a close friend or family member. She just turned 3 years old last month. School starts Monday... I hope she does OK without us there with her.
My question is this... Brooklyn's birthday is December 10. So she can either start kindergarten in the fall of 2010, when she's 4, and she'll be one of the youngest in her class... or she can start in 3 years when she'll be one of the oldest in her class. I'm not sure which is better for her. Any thoughts...

 

[coral keeper]

I never went to preschool.

 

[teresaq]

What is the cut off for your school district. Ours is Sept 1st, my daughters b-Day is Sept 8th. She had to wait until she was almost 6 to start kindergarten
My son Just turned 3 on dec 23rd and he started PreK at regular elementary school Monday. He has done great. He will be in this class for 2 and a half yrs and will start kindergarten when he is almost 6 also. This class is for speech and language. They also teach regular prek lessons. He has a bi-lateral cleft.
T

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/2905359
What is the cut off for your school distric. Ours is Sept 1st, my daughters b-dya is Sept 8th. She had to wait until she was almost 6 to start kindergarden
My son Just turned 3 on dec 23rd and he started PreK at regular elementry school monday. He has done great. He will be in this class for 2 and a half yrs and will start kindergarden when he is almost 6 also. This class is for speech and language. He has a bi-lateral cleft.
T
Ours is in September also. However there is always the option of starting early if we choose to go that route. Just not sure what's better for her???
Here's a pic... just for kicks.

 

[teresaq]

She is beautiful. We don't have that - our kids must be 5 by sept 1st to start kindergarten.
I would wait to decide. See how she does the rest of this school yr and next. If you see her struggling, then wait, if you see her excelling and getting bored then start her early. You don't really notice them starting to struggle until the second and third grade though.
T

 

[mimzy]

I would say let HER tell you how fast to move. Watch her as she moves through preschool. If she seems developmentally and emotionally ready to move on, move her right in to Kindergarten. If it seems to you that she could use some more time fleshing out her place among her peers, let her stay a little longer in pre-school. Her teachers will be able to help you with the decision as well. Hopefully they'll know what they should be looking for.

 

[teresaq]

Ethans first day of school

 

[crimzy]

What a handsome little man!
See that nice smile on his face as he walks into school? My fear is that Brooklyn will have the uncontrollable sobbing thing going on while she hangs onto mommy's leg and gets dragged into the school.

 

[teresaq]

I thought that too since he is a mamas boy. He has been home 15 mo and has only been left a few times. I had a chance to take him to class ahead of time to meet the teachers and other children. He didn't cry once, even takes a nap everyday.
Its rough having him go, gets kinda lonely during the day.

 

[lovethesea]

Later......all the way. My son is older and my daughter is right down the middle. Several friends of theirs are younger (by a lot) and they really don't catch up until way later. I was always older and in high school I loved it. (early Sept)

 

[ruaround]

Originally Posted by crimzy
http:///forum/post/2905343
It's only preschool but this is quite a step for us. My daughter has never been in daycare and never been away from us or a close friend or family member. She just turned 3 years old last month. School starts Monday... I hope she does OK without us there with her.
My question is this... Brooklyn's birthday is December 10. So she can either start kindergarten in the fall of 2010, when she's 4, and she'll be one of the youngest in her class... or she can start in 3 years when she'll be one of the oldest in her class. I'm not sure which is better for her. Any thoughts...
9 times out of 10 its the parents that have separation anxiety... she will be fine!!!
as far as starting her early... DO NOT DO IT!!! i had the same option with my daughter and the pediatrician told us that even though he thought she was mentally mature for her age it would be benificial to not put her in early...

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by crimzy
http:///forum/post/2905403
What a handsome little man!
See that nice smile on his face as he walks into school? My fear is that Brooklyn will have the uncontrollable sobbing thing going on while she hangs onto mommy's leg and gets dragged into the school.
Usually, (I'll make a note here, that not always) this is a sure sign of kid that has been pampered and had his/her a$$ kissed from mommy & daddy since the day they were born. Sound familiar...?

 

[t316]

Been thru this 3 times, so I can pick them out pretty quick....

 

[alyssia]

I know how you feel crimzy! I have been a stay at home mom with all four of our children, so letting them go off to preschool was a huge deal.
Both my daughters have July birthdays, so here they have the option of starting at 5 or 6. With our oldest daughter we chose to wait until she was 6 and our younger one started when she was 5. It really depends on the child. Some will be ready earlier than others, and her teacher will be able to tell you if she/he thinks she is ready. We made the right decision with both of our girls, our son has an April birthday so we didn't have a choice with him.
She's a cutie! I love love love the curly hair!

 

[veni vidi vici]

I had to drop my daughter off at pre-school ONCE.I put her down and said "Have a nice day peanut"she stuck her arms out and started crying DADDY!!!.I couldn't for the life of me turn around and walk out the door.I stayed home from work and she got a day off school lol.
Good luck and remember never let your wife con you into dropping her off under any circumstance.

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by Veni Vidi Vici
http:///forum/post/2905461
I had to drop my daughter off at pre-school ONCE.I put her down and said "Have a nice day peanut"she stuck her arms out and started crying DADDY!!!.I couldn't for the life of me turn around and walk out the door.I stayed home from work and she got a day off school lol.
Good luck and remember never let your wife con you into dropping her off under any circumstance.

Maybe that's the difference between sons and daughters. I have 3 boys, and only one of them went thru this, and I said..."Have a nice day son"....and walked away. Turned out that was the best day he ever had.
Point being...they are just looking for that string to pull....mommy/daddy ain't going to make me stay here....
Well, cut off the milk supply, grow a pair, and JUST DO IT....

 

[flpriest]

Originally Posted by Mimzy
http:///forum/post/2905389
I would say let HER tell you how fast to move. Watch her as she moves through preschool. If she seems developmentally and emotionally ready to move on, move her right in to Kindergarten. If it seems to you that she could use some more time fleshing out her place among her peers, let her stay a little longer in pre-school. Her teachers will be able to help you with the decision as well. Hopefully they'll know what they should be looking for.
I think this is great advice!!!

Between you, your wife, and the teachers you's should be able to figure out when she'll be ready for Kindergarden.

 

[dobber1111]

Kids. Smart little boogers. It's like they have this sense to know which button to push on their parents and they will push it and push it till you take away the remote. They will most definitely reflect any feeling you have about starting school. Not to say I wasn't sad about mine starting school. I cried my eyes out. And I didn't hide it from her. But, I told her that she was growing up and this was something for her to experience and have the comfort of coming home to mommy and daddy still. I emphasized all the positive things about school, no matter how much I thought it was a bunch of crap.

Because its not like she could just choose not to go. If you give in once, you'll be pressured to give in more and more. ushing button pushing button: But my daughter was 5 and starting kindergarten. I started sweating the whole school thing when she was quite a bit younger. And I tell you the difference between 3 and 5 may only be 2 years in time but it is eons in the maturity department. She was very ready. But if a child is secure in their themselves and have been taught already in the home that they can be alright without mommy or daddy for a few hours, the transition is alot smoother.
I have strong feelings about this because we are entrusted with these little people and we need to be teaching them to be self-sufficient and make decisions with adequate information that they have learned to gather themselves. It seems wrong to a mommy especially to do this, I know. But you know deep in your heart you can't be there for everything. You simply cannot. They must learn to function. And what better time to learn then when they're young and you can still mold their thinking?
So, cry. But not too hard. You are doing your job.
Just my two cents.

 

[crimzy]

Thanks for the comments all.
I think that any parent who cares about his/her kids happiness is going to have some anxiety about them starting school. Which brings me to the posts below...
Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2905444
Usually, (I'll make a note here, that not always) this is a sure sign of kid that has been pampered and had his/her a$$ kissed from mommy & daddy since the day they were born. Sound familiar...?

Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2905450
Been thru this 3 times, so I can pick them out pretty quick....

Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/2905474
Well, cut off the milk supply, grow a pair, and JUST DO IT....

The rudeness is pretty unnecessary but I also have to disagree with your ideas about parenting. There are TONS of worthless fathers who think that their only obligation is to provide food and shelter and neglect the emotional needs of their kids. Sound familiar...?
Tough love is all well and good... if you want your kids to end up dropping out of high school and finding emotional gratification from substances, violence, $ex or some combination of the 3. My daughter just turned 3 years old so I don't know that I'm in favor of the "pull the car to the curb and kick the kids out" approach that you are so proud of.
Remember this... any piece of garbage can become a father. Having 3 kids does not make you a good dad. You may sound like a tough guy but just tell me this... would your sons come to you if they were facing issues involving drugs, alcohol, $ex, $exual abuse?
Rant over... T316, why don't you soften up a bit and go give your kids a freakin hug? Don't worry, it won't affect your tough guy persona or your precious man-card.

 

[t316]

I think maybe you took it personal Crimzy. I was speaking generalizations of many of the parent/kid "first day of school" encounters that I have witnessed. Could elaborate more, but it's your thread, I have insulted you, so I'll leave it alone.