do you think kids should be able to start kindegarden at 4 1/2 ?

There's more to being successful in kindergarten than ABCs and 123s. Children need to be emotionally ready. Kindergarten is very different from preschool. It is more demanding, requires children to be able to work independently, follow directions, follow a routine and wait. Kindergarten teachers are usually on their own and don't have the time to give a lot of one-on-one attention. It also requires physical maturity- meaning going the day without a nap (for full-day kindergarten), being independent using the bathroom, and so on. Maybe your child is ready, but most aren't at this age. That is why they don't allow children to start earlier. Many parents don't realize how demanding kindergarten is, and some would put their children in early just to avoid having to pay for day care. That is why they do not make exceptions. Most school districts will evaluate children periodically and if she is ahead of her class and not being challenged, they may skip a grade later and bump her up. But for the most part it is best to wait.

I can only speak from my own experience with my son. He was only 4 and He was READY! He was academically ready but also socially ready. He was more mature than others his age. He was talking at 2 (in lengthy conversations) with anyone. adults included.He was my first and really longed to be around other children. I guess a mother just knows these things. If you are not sure than trust your instincts and make the right choice for your own unique child and don't explain yourself to anyone. You are the mom and you know your child. I think you sound like you can handle this.

I thought in order to start kindergarden it was based on when the child's birthday falls, not on the actual age of the child. My son started at age 4 and 9 months because his birthday is in December. I started at age 5, but my birthday fell in July. There is a schedule, I am not sure what months they are , but it is like if your child was born in X year before X day, something like that which determines when they start school. That is why some people finish high school at 17 and some at 18, My son and I finished high school at age 17, but my sister was 18 because her birthday came in January.

Where I live, in Ontario, Canada, we have Jr. Kindergarden which starts at age 4. If the child will be turning 4 within the year (until the end of Jan), then they are able to start school. Some kids are 3 in september when they start and turn 4 in december. My daughter was one of the older kids in her class due to her birthday. She had to wait until she was 4 1/2 to start as she was born in January. So kids here have 2 years of Kindergarden. My daughter is now in Sr. Kindergarden and they try to help out the little Jr's as much as possible. However, my daughter is like yours. She is extremely smart and knew so much prior to starting JK. I tried as well getting her in early but they wouldn't allow it. I found that she was extremely board in JK and we asked the teacher and principal if they would bump her to SK but they said no, they are not emotionally ready. They did however, with lots of persuation, gave her SK work to do. Now with her being in SK, I have to have a meeting with the teacher to ask her to give her harder work. Unfortunately even though our kids are smart and could have used school at an earlier stage, emotionally and socially they really aren't ready. Sorry to hear that your schooling system doesn't have JK. It really does help the kids. What about trying to put her in Pre-School or a Montisory? (I know they get quite pricey). Just keep up the good work with teaching your daughter at home. That's the best place to learn anyways.

A lot of kids can be advanced at an early age. The problem is social skills and being ready for that aspect of elementary school. I have heard of kids doing great in Kindergarten but then beginning to have a hard time in 1st and 2nd grades. I believe that they have spend a great deal of time deciding the correct age. I know that a lot of times when kids have their birthdays really close to the cutoff, some are just not ready socially. You would rather your child be advanced than fall behind because they are too young. I have a friend whose son will turn six this Nov and she held him out of Kindergarten last year. He is now in it this year and is very ready and loving it. But, he would not have done good last year. He also knew all of the things that your daughter knows. Just keep building on what she knows and she will do great next year.

I do think children should be able to start kindergarten at age 4 if they are ready. I started when I was 4, but only because my parents put me in a private school. A public school would have held me back because of my birthday. I was younger than most of my class, but it was never a problem. My son will be 5 1/2 when the public school lets him start kindergarten, but I am thinking about homeschooling him (for other reasons), and can start him at 4 1/2 if he is ready at that time. I won't push him if he isn't though.

My daughter is the same way. She is 4 1/2. Her birthday falls one month after the cut off for school, so she will be starting when she is five. We did get into the prek program at the school though so that is nice. She knows a lot, including how to write and read or sound out most three and some four letter words. Although she would be ready for kindergarten academically, I don't think she would be socially.

I think I started pre at the age of 5. After Prep came Grade 1. Nowadays, toddlers are already going to school ---and it doesn't come cheap. I don't think I will let my daughter (she's 2) study early because I don't want her to feel burnt out by age 6. LOL! Also, a daughter of an officemate is already studying at age 3 and she is having a hard time coping upin school. I just think kids that age are too young to go to school and start studying. If they are about 4 or 5, I think that is great because they can converse very well, think and follow instructions without throwing a tantrum like toddlers do.

It depends on. Here the normal age for a child to go to the kindergarten is 3 years old. My son went to the kindergarten when he was at the age of 3. But some parents will let their children to go to kindergarten earlier, even they are only 2 years old. There are various reasons. Since both parents have to go to work and they can't find trustworthy one to take good care of their children, so they have to go to the kindergarten earlier. I think it's better for a child to go to the kindergarten on the right age, not too early or too late. As here children will go to primary school when they are 6 or 7 years old. They need some time to adjust to the life of school. So they need to go to the kindergarten to learn it at first and adjust to this life. I love China

I know that when you have a bright child you want them to start "formal education" as soon as possible, but my advice from experience is don't rush it. My brother started school when I was 4. My mother was at her wits end to keep me occupied while he was a school because I was so lonely and bored without him. At that time we didn't have kindergarten, (I'm truly an old fogey ) we had pre first which everyone attended starting at the age of 6. Sometimes the Spanish speaking children needed that year to learn English, and they would go to first grade which was basically a repeat of pre first. Those whose first language was English got to skip first and go to second. My mother convinced the principle to let me start school at 5. I was bright enough and had learned much of what my brother learned the previous year and I was always a good student. The problem was that I was always a year younger than my classmates, so I didn't fit in with my class, but I was a grade ahead of the children my age, so I didn't really fit in there either because their recess and lunch time didn't coincide with mine. I graduated from high school at 17 and couldn't find a job until I was 18. I can't say it scarred me for life or anything, but there was always the feeling of not belonging any where. My point is, keep your child out of kindergarten, make learning a game and keep teaching her and enjoy her for another year. There's really no rush for her to grow up.

i think its really nice that your kid knws all but they need to be strict in their rules as these rules are generic. I think all the kids are not that smart and some times the mother rushes to get their child to the school. I think it is extremely important to let the kid do not feel the pressure at the starting age. They have enough time to grow. Lets not rush them!!!

i think its the perfect age to start a kindegarden!!! thats the age when you can mold your child according to your world!!! and more over at that age the children are very graspy! so ifeel that the right age!!! but i should say!!! children should be let free before that age!!

I think they should, if you have the nacessary requirements. In our country, they accept children whose age is four and a half. My niece was accepted in kindergarten at the age of four and a half.

I think thats still a little young i think there still not that mature and probly wouldnt like to be away from there moms that young.