[my3beautifulboys]

Hi, This year my Ds will be turning 4 in April, he is enrolled in kindy starting next week> I somedays feel he is too young to start kindy, i know he wont be the youngest there, but i feel i'd like to have him at home abit longer. He is my youngest, and my smallest too! I dont think he'd have any trouble at all learning and socially he is quite shy, quiet, like my other two were.

Dh is not pleased at my thoughts of not sending him, he thinks he need the social interaction. I feel that i can give him that by taking him to day care one day a week and i can teach him everything else they learn at school at home.

Wdyt have any of you kept youre child home for the year of kindy or not, i'd love to hear youre thoughts please.

[Natttmumm]

I would definitely send him at least the yr before school. At 4 he needs to get ready for school.
I wasn't sure if you are holding him black another yr.
Personally I would send him to preschool 2 days per week. DD2 is 3.5 years and will be starting next week 2 days. I could easily have her at home but I think she needs interaction with other kids etc. she is not my youngest so maybe I feel differently

[KylieMin0gue]

My son is also 4 in april, and I could have started him at kindy this year and FYOS next year when he is 4 and 3/4. I personally felt that this was too young for our son (he also has a speech delay), so I am holding him back a year. He will do kindy next year, and FYOS in 2015, which means he will be 5 and 3/4 when he starts school.

I personally think that 4 is too young for FYOS. My daughter started school at 5, and she is quite advanced in speech etc, but even her I would not have started at school when she was 4.

My son does go to daycare 4 days a week though, so he gets social interaction from that. If your son was not spending much time with other kids his age, I would suggest a couple of days at daycare in the interim.

[SlinkyMalinki]

Mine was 4 in October, she starts kindy tomorrow (I'm in Qld - so pre-prep year). I can't wait to wave her off, she's more than ready, I actually wish she was starting Prep. She's been bored at home the last year (and that's with 2 days of day care, dancing classes, and swimming classes).

[lsolaBella]

I am waving my just turned 3yo off tomorrow to three yo kinder with joy.

I am also waving off my 5yo to start Prep on Friday.

Good for time by themselves away from me.

[tamjk]

If he's not coping with it you can always pull him out and wait another year.

Personally my son started kindy today, he turns 4 at the end of April. He had a blast today, although I was at a loss as I wasn't constantly separating fighting children. DD was at a loss too, her brother wasn't here to fight with.
It's harder on the parent than it is on the child, it's going to take a little while for me to adjust to 2 days a week without fighting kids.

[my3beautifulboys]

Thanks for youre replies, yes i think it will take me a while to adjust to having no children at home for 2 days a week, when my youngest starts kindy next week. I think it will be good for him socially, but im sure it will be quite a long and tiring day for him. I'll have to see how he goes, and if its too much for him, perhaps he could just go for one day a week, if they allow that.

[2bundles]

Are you thinking of him or yourself? Reading between the lines it sounds like you are just not ready to let him go. This is very different to thinking he is not ready.

Personally I think Kindy / preprep (we are Qld) is invaluable. My DS is 10 and still says it was the best year of his life!!

They are not long days, and he needs some buildup to a 5 day prep program.

I think Kindy would be easier than a day of daycare, as all the kids are there for the same days and times, so the get a proper chance to develop friendships.

It is not about the academics, it is about school readiness, socialisation, listening skills, routines etc.