"I think my oldest dd would have been fine if everyone started according to the state mandate but there is a big difference between kids starting kindergarten at age 6 and those starting at age 4. It seems teacher expectations are much higher as well. I had my triplet girls tested recently and my little peanut is clearly not ready for kindergarten being a full year behind the other girls developmentally. This makes our decision a lot easier this time around as we want to try and keep them together. Take Care."

I do appreciate, like I said, that there are exceptions that should be made for kids that are not ready for kindergarten developmentally, because of their very young age. There would not be such a big discrepancy in age and abilities though, if people did not hold back their younger, but developmentally normal kids, just to give them an artificial advantage. With multiples, I do believe that it is important to keep them in the same grade if possible, and challenge the more advanced kids if necessary in other ways, in order to accomadate the child who needs to wait.
Some disticts will not allow a child to be held back, if no problems are identified.
It makes it more difficult for the kids who are following guidelines, if others want to make certain their kids are artificially given an advantage. What the parents may not have considered is how that may feel to the kids who are singletons/developmentally normal/healthy, down the road, when they realize they 'were held back'. I think it sends the wrong message to the kids, and perpetuates the problem.
If school districts would seperate the kindergarteners into younger and older groups, then maybe some of the problems could be adressed early. Then if a child truly is not ready socially or developmentally, they could attend the 'older group' the next year
Lorraine

Lorraine

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