In a recent article in the New York Times, Pamela Paul tacked the touchy topic of whether parents should wait a year to put their kids in kindergarten.
This is a tough topic with many pros and cons. Delaying kindergarten a year gives kids more time to develop fine motor skills needed for reading, writing, and holding still for 8 hours a day, however, on the other hand there are social ramifications of your child being a year-and-a-half younger than their peers.
Kindergarten has Become the New First Grade
Parents are almost obsessive with wanting their children to excel and be top of their class in everything. These days, many schools require kids to be reading before entering kindergarten.
While kids are perfectly capable of learning to read before they can even talk (check out Glenn Doman’s work) I think that we are getting overly caught up in the demands we are placing on our kids.
The Biggest Con
The biggest con of putting your child in school before they are ready is the stress all the demands place on our kids.
According to a study done by Stanford Medical School, stress is the primary cause of at least 95% of all health issues. 95%!!! This includes colds, disease, as well as mental health issues such as depression etc. That is saying something!
Bottom Line
So what should you do? Ultimately, you are the only one who knows what is best for your child. It’s a tough decision that is going to affect your child through their entire school career (and really for the rest of their lives).
To keep your child healthy and happy, don’t overload them. As soon as your child begins to feel stressed at school, learning loses it’s magic.
Learning is meant to be fun! Respect your child and their needs. Allow them to grow at their own pace. If you feel they are ready for school, go for it! If you are hesitant, give your child the opportunity to develop a bit more.
Trust your gut and go with it.
