I'm in a bit of a dilemma at the moment.
My daughter is 4 in August, and we are currently debating whether or not to start her in school in September or to hang off another year.
Some points in favour of sending her
The main point in considering holding her back is her age - at just barely 4 I'd have concerns about how she would handle being the youngest in the class, even though she is tall, and her emotional maturity.
Many people are saying hold her back, but I'd be afraid that if we do that, it would stifle her development.
We have a baby due in June/July, so there is also the question of whether she would see being sent to school as her being ignored for the new baby, or whether she would see it as her moving on to new things and now she's the big sister with a whole new set of responsibilities.
Any opinions?
My daughter is 4 in August, and we are currently debating whether or not to start her in school in September or to hang off another year.
Some points in favour of sending her
- She has done an assessment in her creche/playschool and they say that she is ready (she's on the same level as another girl who is 9 months older).
- Her 2 best friends in the creche are starting school this year (one of them in the school she will be going to), so I'd be worried that she will feel she will be held back, and get bored or disruptive
- She has the opportunity in later years to repeat the leaving.do transition year, and still be relatively young finishing education.
- I started school when I was 4, and did okay
The main point in considering holding her back is her age - at just barely 4 I'd have concerns about how she would handle being the youngest in the class, even though she is tall, and her emotional maturity.
Many people are saying hold her back, but I'd be afraid that if we do that, it would stifle her development.
We have a baby due in June/July, so there is also the question of whether she would see being sent to school as her being ignored for the new baby, or whether she would see it as her moving on to new things and now she's the big sister with a whole new set of responsibilities.
Any opinions?