DS will be 5 in July. Schools here start mid-August. I've been leaning towards sending him to Pre-K at the Christian school he attends now. DH has slowly came on board w/ that decision. We consulted w/ pediatrician who said he never knew of a family that regretted the decision to hold back a child.

I know many of you homeschool. However, have you or someone you've known dealt w/ this situation? DS's progress report was very good. We just want him to get the best start to his education. I'd rather him go to Pre-K than have to repeat kindergarten.

I have prayed about this situation and will definitely be talking to his teacher. But w/ the progress report being so good and school registrations coming up, I just would like some other opinions. Thanks ladies!:-D

Of course no one can decide for you. It is a decision that you and your DH will have to pray about together. IMO it depends on what he knows. Does he know how to write his name? Can he count to 20? Does he know his letter sounds? Does he have an interest in learning?

Our DD turned five last April. I wanted to keep with the public school and start homeschool in the fall. So even though she was still five, I didn't rush her into kindergarten early just because she was already five. She will graduate kindergarten just before she turns six. (We will be ending school early this year due to vacation....but we've also schooled through the holidays.)

Anyways, as long as you feel good about where he is in school and he is not bored (needing more of a challenge), I say why not? Would they consider letting him move up early if he does well?

I taught first grade for six years before becoming a mommy and I say keep him home another year for sure! We retained boys every year, not because of their knowledge base but because of maturity. IMO it's much better to start them late than have them repeat a grade. Even if your ds doesn't have to repeat a grade I still think it gives him an advantage to be on the older side verses the younger, especially because he is a boy. Just my opinion:) It never hurts to give them another year before starting kindergarten.

What is he in now? Does he already go to 4 year old preschool?

He is in a 4-year-old preschool class now.

I talked to his teacher today and she suggested to hold him back. That's what we're going to do. Thanks for all the replies!

Thats good. Like you said, it would be easier to repeat Pre K than to go on and struggle. A lot of children are like that (especially boys) when their birthdays are close to the cut off. Our DS will be five next month, so he will have a full six months of growing to go on to Kindergarten. If he didn't I know he wouldn't be ready.

Teelee, I like your decision.

I am on the verge of that very soon too, a couple months to decide, we do homeschool. My son is going to be 6 the end of this month and isn't mastering kindergarten well. So I may do another year of K with a different curriculum.

Just wanted you to know I'm kind of there with ya!

Sounds like you made a good and prayerful decision. FWIW my oldest was a July b-day and second oldest was a Dec. So we had a both young and older K'ers, we wished now we had held the older back. She was ready academically but still had some issues socially. Plus they are only 17mths apart but ended up two grades apart in public school. We homeschool now and they are often working on stuff together.

I've seen this in my classrooms as well. As mentioned above, no one has ever expressed regretting the decision to hold their child back but many wish they had delayed.