[newphase]

Has anyone, or know of anyone, who has had the option of when to send their child to school because of when they were born (so in VIC Jan-April children) and sent them earlier rather than later not because they were ready so much but because of things like child care costs not needed anymore etc...and this is a big factor in things??

And that is not saying that said child should definately have been held back (due to developmental delays, or due to social intergration issues etc), though perhaps in may have been more benefical for another yr at kinder etc.

Any one toyed with the decision and done this....not done this in the end??

Curious is all.

TIA

[EBeditor]

I am not exactly sure of what you are asking but I sent my son earlier (March birthday) as he was ready for it as well as it being easier logistically.

ETA: In his first year he has done very well academically as well as making lots of friends. He is one of the youngest in his class though, definitely.

I also thought of it as sending him 'on time' rather than early.

[Glr-r]

You don't get a choice in WA, if they were born before 1 July they go, I think under extreme circumstances you can delay by one year but it is certainly not the norm like it seems to be over east, I've got a April baby (so 2 months before the cut off) and a February baby (4 months before cut off) and both have been fine.

[Chocolate Addict]

I know two boys from two families that started school at an earlier age than their classmates.

They are about to start grade 2 and one turned 7 last week, the other turns 7 in February. All their classmates are about to start turning 8.

Both boys are a bit behind the classmates. The one just turned 7yo is struggling big time with no social skills and is well behind the others.

I think it depends on the individual child but if my child was that young I would not have sent him to school early. My son was born the end of May so he is one of the older kids in his class.

[Bbtimes2]

I do know someone that did this about 5 years ago. Her son was born in March and would have benefitted from another year but she just didn't want to pay for another year of child care.
So,what she did was send him to the local public primary school for a year and then the next year moved him to the school that her older children went to where he did Prep again. I felt really sad for her son because he spent a year learning and making friends but all along his mum had the intention of using that year as "cheap childcare".
My younger son is a late Feb baby and could go to school next year but for various reasons won't be going. I am doing what is best for him, not what is best for me.

[newphase]

Well, in VIC in seems the norm to send children to school the yr they turn 6 (not 5) if they are born Jan-April (the cut off being 30th April), especially for boys, and especially if born March or April. Not exclusively so, but more often than not!

So has anyone sent their child to school more out of necessaity due to childcare costs, or work logistics or any other reason apart from your thought they were 100% just ready to go no questions asked. Or in questioning readiness, did any of these factors influence the final decision to send to school earlier, starting at 5, rather than wait another yr...as is the norm to do it seems in my experience!

[No girls here]

I sent a child to school young (May birthday, NSW) but childcare costs did not come into the decision. I know many others who have sent children young, and am not aware of any where cost was a deciding factor.

[EBeditor]

I would have only kept my son back if 4-5 days pre-school had been available, as he could not have done another year of free play at daycare without being seriously frustrated and bored out of his mind. It wasn't, so that did influence our decision a bit, but his teachers all thought he was ready for school.

I don't know anyone who has made the decision just on financial grounds.

[tait]

My youngest son started full time scool this year. His birthday is in June and met the cut off date by a week. Most of his friends were/are turning 6 while he is 5.

I was a SAHM before he started FT school, so freeing up child care money wasn't an issue. We decided he was ready for school. He has had a good year, lots of friends and learning wise, he is middle of the class.

I think, like a PP, that it depends on the child.

[bmieke]

I do know of a couple of boys in my son's Kindy class (first year of school in NSW) last year that were sent to school to save on daycare. My son and those 2 boys were June birthdays (NSW the cutoff is end July), however my son was a full year older than the other 2. We held DS back due to his ability to throw some massive tantrums for me.... of course once he was at school it was never an issue

Anyway, my son slotted right in and has taken off at school. The other 2 boys have struggled. For the first term or so, they were falling asleep in class after lunch. Now this year (year 1) one has had to go into reading recovery and the other desperately needs it, but can't get a spot.

Obviously, this is just my limited experience with boys close to the cut off.