Age Safe Preschool Tactics

Deciding when is a safe age for your child to start preschool is a decision that many modern parents have to make. There have been extensive studies on the subject over the past decade, resulting in many parents leaning towards the trend of holding their child back for a year. For children born in the summer months, the maturity and intellectual gap between them and their fellow classmates can be very significant, and put them at a disadvantage to their peers. This has resulted in many parents choosing to redshirt their child- holding them back from starting preschool for a year.

Here’s what you need to take into consideration before deciding if your child is ready to start preschool.

The national trend of redshirting was influenced significantly by Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers: The Story of Success, which mounted significant evidence that children who are the oldest in their class tend to achieve more intellectually and in a sporting environment. While the achievement gap does narrow over time, (with the belief that it levels out in 3rd grade) some believe that it never disappears completely. Children who are redshirted are shown to display greater confidence, social skills, better focus and a readiness to learn as opposed to their younger peers.

It’s important to understand that children don’t develop at the same rates. This is especially true with boys. Holding your child back from starting preschool for a year is not about trying to give your child the competitive advantage over their peers. It’s more about recognizing that your child is not emotionally and intellectually ready to begin preschool, and giving them an additional year to mature.

Forcing a child to start preschool before they’re ready can lead to a decrease in self-esteem, poor grades, resentment and anxiety. Redshirting a bright child to give them a competitive advantage can also have negative effects. When the child does start preschool, they can be left feeling unstimulated, bored or inattentive because of the lack of challenges presented in the curriculum that they have intellectually surpassed.

How to Decide if Your Child is Ready for Preschool

While this is not a definitive test and ultimately the decision lies with you as a parent, here are some of things you can look for that may influence the decision you make.

1. Observe Your Child:

   Pay attention to their behavior and development. See how they interact with others- kids on the playground, children at birthday parties, how they play with their siblings and other adults around them. Observe your child’s ability to listen, to share, to express herself/himself, to follow orders and to accept being denied something. Also important is a child’s ability to use the bathroom by herself/himself.

2. Find Out What the Preschool’s Program is Like:

   • When the school year begins
   • The teaching structure offered
   • The personality of the teacher
   • If there will be homework
   • What the size of the class is
   • How much recess there will be

   It may be worth sitting in on a class to see what the preschool has to offer, before making a decision. Bear in mind that children thrive in play-based, language rich settings.

3. The Decision is Entirely Up to You and Your Partner:

   Preschool is the beginning of your child’s academic journey, and your support plays a large part in determining their success. An additional year of childcare can be a financial burden for a family, and it’s important to remember that redshirting will delay your child enrolling in college/entering the workplace by a year. There’s no distinct characteristic determining if your child is ready for to preschool or not, but you can ensure that your constant involvement and support can make the transition easier.

Alternative Options to Sending Your Child to Preschool

• Find out if your town has a transitional preschool program.
  These programs were originally developed for kids who had summer birthdays, but are now popular with other children. The focus is on socialization and cultivating literacy skills. The days are shorter and the academics less demanding than a normal preschool.
• See if other schools offer half-day programs.
  These could be charter, private or independent school. Some offer play-based and multi-age preschool for children not ready to go to public school preschool.
• Homeschool your child for preschool.
  If this is a feasible option for your family, you can send your child to preschool the following year or first grade if they’re ready.