I've seen these threads in the past and since it's at the top of my mind right now I figured it's a good time to start a new one for Fall 2019. So, any parents with kids starting Kindergarten this year?
1) Child's name/initial
2) Birth month
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever
4) What method of transportation?
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro?
nectarine / 2460 posts
1) Child's name/initial: J
2) Birth month: August
3) Type of school: public
4) What method of transportation? probably bus in the morning, and pick up from aftercare in the afternoon
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? First kid
J has an Aug birthday with a Sep 1 cut off so he'll be one of the youngest. Holding him back isn't really an option for us though since our (highly subsidized) preschool doesn't accept kids once they're eligible for K so we'd have to find a new preschool and pay a lot more for it. We applied to a magnet and a charter school and found out we didn't get into either. We're technically still waitlisted, but I'm assuming we'll be going to our base school now.
pomegranate / 3355 posts
Oh my.. I can't believe my first baby is old enough for me to fill this out!!!
1) Child's name/initial-Alyssa
2) Birth month-November
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever- Public
4) What method of transportation?- we'll need to use before and after care and we are most likely going to use the YMCA that is offered right at her school sooo we will drop her off and pick her up from there
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? --<teary eyes> my first.. gulp and I can't believe it.
Alyssa is a November baby so she is going to be on the older side, turning 6 a month or so in. She's completely ready.. me.. not so much 
pineapple / 12566 posts
1) E
2) November. She’s on the younger side since her class is all kids born in 2013.
3) Private. She has been going to the preschool attached to the elementary school for the last 2 years, so she already knows most of the kids in her year. I don’t think the transition will be a big deal.
4) Bus, to and from. She already takes it now with her older brother, so it’s NBD.
5) 2nd kid. Older brother is in 2nd grade.
nectarine / 2460 posts
@Ajsmommy: That's nice that she's so ready. J started out TERRIFIED of kindergarten a few months ago and has only recently started warming up to the idea. Hopefully we can get him all the way to excited by the time August rolls around.
@lamariniere: Wow, that sounds like such a nice, easy transition 
apricot / 334 posts
Me! I can’t believe DS is headed to kinder, but am excited for him!
1) Child's name/initial- B
2) Birth month- September, held him back so he’ll actually be the oldest in the class turning 6 just a few weeks after school starts
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever- public
4) What method of transportation? - we are within walking distance but will prob drive him there
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro?- first! (Ahhh, it’s too early to cry right??)
nectarine / 2460 posts
@Jellyfish: I totally cried when they did a tour on registration day. I know I'm going to be a mess when it's actually time for him to go.
nectarine / 2521 posts
(1) Child's name/initial - O
2) Birth month - December
3) Type of school: public
4) What method of transportation? I will take him to school because the bus picks up our neighborhood first and drops off first (school 5 minutes away). That means a 6:15 am pickup and I don't see that working well for any of us. I do plan to have him ride the bus home.
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? First time! And I attended a tiny private school so first time in the public school world for me!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
Name: C
Birth month: July. Our cut off is sept 1 and I opted to hold her, so she will turn 6 right before she starts K. I really felt she needed the extra year to mature, and her troubles in jr K congirmed that, so now I just hope she isn’t bored and gets a teacher her can manage her well.
Type of school: public.
Transportation: bus. She is so excited to take the bus with the other kids in our neighborhood!
First?: yes, she is my first to enter K. Because up until a little over a year ago, I thought I would send her on time, I feel like it’s been a long time coming and that she’s as ready as she will ever be.
@Tanjowen: I hadn’t thought about this, but I also attended a smaller catholic school my whole life, and only took a bus in first and second grade, so this will be totally new for me too! But I have some good friends with kids just a couple years older than mine to ask questions, including a couple in our neighborhood whose kids will be on the bus with C.
nectarine / 2521 posts
@Foodnerd81: I never ever rode the bus because our school didn't have them. 
But same as you, I have several mom friends in our neighborhood with older kids at the same school so have been asking them how it works! And I feel good he will have kids he knows on his bus too.
kiwi / 524 posts
1) Child's name/initial: C
2) Birth month: September. He will turn six the weekend before he starts kindergarten.
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever: Our neighborhood public school.
4) What method of transportation?: Walking! I'm excited not to have to get in the car anymore after a few years of driving to preschool.
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? This is my first!
cherry / 146 posts
1) Child's name/initial - M
2) Birth month - February (he'll be 5.5yrs this fall)
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever - Public
4) What method of transportation? - Will do before and after care at school, so we'll drop off and pick up around our work schedules.
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? - First!
My son is so overly ready for kindergarten academically (he is reading chapter books already!) but has ADD and I'm nervous about how he'll do with the social and behavioral aspects. Hopefully he gets an understanding teacher who will know how to bring out the best of him! Any other parents with kids with ADD/ADHD or other challenges?
pear / 1565 posts
1) Child's name/initial: K
2) Birth month: Dec
3) Type of school: Public
4) What method of transportation? DH will drive her
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? First timer!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@bananasareyellow: my daughter hasn’t been diagnosed with ADHD but it’s on my radar as something I’m concerned about- and those types of behaviors are why we held her the extra year. I’ve already been in touch with the school a few times (at the request of her current preschool) regarding her behavior challenges. And I believe we can write a parent letter describing our kid and specifying which type of teacher we think would be best for her (like she needs someone who is firm and very routine oriented). She’s doing so much better now, at 5.5, than when she stared this school year at just barely 5. I also might request that a certain child not be placed in a class with her- they just set each other off and both kids behave worse around each other.
I’ve accepted that the school will think I’m a crazy parent. 🤷♀️
cherry / 146 posts
@Foodnerd81: Who's going to advocate for our kids if not us?!? Do what you feel you need to! M is currently in the school district preschool designed for those with special needs and his current preschool teachers will write a full report of his strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations for teaching strategies that will follow him to kindergarten, plus he'll be put on a 504 (ADD doesn't qualify for an IEP in our district), so I'm hopeful that the transition will go ok!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@bananasareyellow: oh that sounds great then. Since my daughter isn’t in the public school system yet her preschool teacher fills out a form for the public school before placement. As it happens I’m not in touch with the school for my younger daughter who needs a speech eval, so I’m definitely feeling like a crazy parent calling them about both kids before I even have one actually in school. But I am fine with that.
coconut / 8079 posts
1) Child's name/initial: T
2) Birth month: April
3) Type of school: Public
4) What method of transportation? Bus, most likely.
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? 1st
T is nervous about starting Kinder, but I'm pretty confident he's ready. He has had a wonderful PreK-4 teacher and I know she's doing a lot to prep them. He currently goes to the school once per week for speech therapy so he's a little familiar with the building. Registration is in April so we should get some information then.
persimmon / 1064 posts
1) Child's name/initial: B
2) Birth month: March
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever Public (literally the only option in our tiny town 
)
4) What method of transportation? I think bus. I SAH so I could potentially do dropoff/pickup, but we also have two other littles so I think the bus would be ideal for us!
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? First (cue waterworks)
We have an interesting dilemma...our district has essentially two cutoffs. The regular September cutoff, and then a March 1 cutoff off for half day (transitional) kindergarten. Since my boy is a March bday, he will be assessed to see if he will do the half day or full day K...I spoke with a K teacher, and she made it sound like they usually recommend half days for the March-August birthdays.
I am super struggling with this! I feel like he is ready for full day K academically, but he has always been very shy. Of course, he acts totally different at preschool when I'm not around. I think part of the reason I am having a hard time is that I selfishly WANT him to go to half day K so that he gets more time at home with me! ...but I don't want to do it to his detriment, ya know? If he does half day K this year, he will do full day next year, making him turn 7 in March of his K year. (which is similar to most of the students of the district).
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@bees_knees: I know I commented on your other post, but I would want him to be age appropriate with the other kids in his class. If half the kids are turning 7 in their K year, they must teach to that, right? Academically I’m sure my girl could have handled kinder this year but she wouldn’t have had the focus to sit still and learn. But every kid is different so it’s great they actually do an eval!
persimmon / 1064 posts
@Foodnerd81: so true. I don’t even know why I’m sweating it. I’m an advocate of play based kindy, and this is probably the closest he would get to that anyways!
It’s jist different. Change is hard
It also made me feel better talking to a K teacher...she said if they are struggling in one program, they will move them mid year to the other (half to full day, or vice versa). So just knowing that makes me feel better too. We will get him assessed, then go from there!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@bees_knees: because we are parents so we sweat everything!
cherry / 108 posts
1) S
2) September - our cutoff is Sept 1, so she will be one of the oldest kids
3) Type of school: public
4) School bus one day a week, before/aftercare rest of the week
5) She’s my firstborn
pomegranate / 3113 posts
1) Child's name/initial: A
2) Birth month: December
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever: public, but we applied to go to one of the other schools in our neighborhood rather than the one we’re zoned for, and won’t find out the results for a couple more weeks
4) What method of transportation? Walking, mostly (we’re in the “walk zone” for both our zoned and choice schools). Or we could drive and drop off if the weather is really bad.
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? First time! A says she’s a little bit nervous but she thinks it will work out okay.
cherry / 101 posts
1) Child's name/initial - H
2) Birth month - December
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever: Private
4) What method of transportation? I will drop off/pick up for before and after care.
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? This is my first and I'm honestly sad that we are here already. My son is ready, mama not so much. 
nectarine / 2460 posts
Wow, I'm glad to have so many other moms going through this too - and especially for the first time. I only have one friend with older kids and he just says "it'll all work out" I'm sure it's true but it doesn't help me feel prepared.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@JennyPenny: I made a bunch of mom friends when my older one was a baby, in a new mom group, and all the kids had summer birthdays. So about half the kids went to K this year already and the other half start this fall. So I feel like seeing those kids already in k makes me more ready.
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
1) H
2) October, so he'll be one of the older ones. It will be interesting to experience this, as my older son was one of the youngest in his K class and there were (still are) definitely some hurdles
3) Type of school: private (he has been here for two years in preschool so hoping for a relatively easy transition)
4) What method of transportation? car - we live fairly close
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? Second time around, my older son will be going into 3rd.
pomegranate / 3231 posts
Omg, I cannot believe we are here!
1) Child's name/initial: T
2) Birth month: March
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever: Public
4) What method of transportation? Walk!
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? First time! 
pear / 1565 posts
@Mrs. Yoyo: I am sending mine with a late birthday, but my 2nd has an even later birthday, so I might end up in your situation!
pineapple / 12566 posts
@Mrs. Yoyo: I didn’t realize both of our LOs are in the same grades!
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
@lamariniere: Sounds like they're in a similar situation with school, too!
grapefruit / 4056 posts
1) Delaney
2) November (we have a January cutoff so she will be a bit on the younger side, starting at age 4 but I have no concerns as she is very mature and eager)
3) Public - French immersion
4) Bussing with her older bro.
5) Second time! So looking forward to it!
pineapple / 12566 posts
@MsMini: oh cool, someone else with a LO in a French school! My LOs are at the lycée français, so their education is predominantly French. My DD will have 4-5 hours of English per week, 1 hour of Thai and the rest will be in French.
persimmon / 1168 posts
1) Child's name/initial H
2) Birth month December - he will one of the youngest! The cut off here is dec. 31
3) Type of school: public. We are waiting kinder acceptance - and gifted testing results before we know what school he will go to. We also applied to some specialized program that would be part of his iep/special education services. I’m surprisingly serene about the whole process, feeling like what’s meant to be will be
4) What method of transportation? He will probably be getting busing as part of his special ed services (iep) . If he goes to our local school we will just walk.
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro? First timer!
I also can’t believe this time has come! My baby is all grown up
persimmon / 1339 posts
Chiming in here since I'm in Australia - my son started kindy in January, his birth month is March (yesterday actually! Still getting over the sugar high), so he started at 4y10m. While I was confident in our choice to send him, there is a huge push in certain neighbourhoods here to hold back - the cutoff system is ridiculous and often results in classes with a 22 month spread of ages.
So, we opted to send on time (though many would say early) with the option of withdrawing him and putting him back in daycare if he wasn't coping. It has been AMAZING. He has adapted so well, is learning faster than I ever could have imagined, and is lucky enough to have a young, dynamic, ultra-supportive male teacher. I could not fathom having him in daycare now, he was already getting bored last year and I think it would have been a disaster this year.
So - to those of you sending "early" (on time) - trust yourself and your gut on your child!! I'm so glad I did.
coconut / 8079 posts
@ScarletBegonia: so excited to hear your guy is doing so well in Kindergarten! It’s crazy you could end up with such a range of ages in one class!
pear / 1565 posts
@magnolia: Same, mine is Dec so she will be one of the youngest as well.
@ScarletBegonia: Thank you for this! I have a Dec birthday girl with a 12/31 cut off and our gut (which her teacher agrees with) had always been to send be I feel like a lot of things I read are pro-holding back and made me question my decision a lot, I still waver about it sometimes even though she's registered!
persimmon / 1101 posts
Oh yay, happy to see this thread! I can't believe it's finally here.
1) Child's name/initial: E.
2) Birth month: Oct.
3) Type of school: public, private, charter, whatever: Public--we had a choice of schools in the district and picked this one because it is focused on areas of education I support and, more importantly, is on our way to work, ha!
4) What method of transportation?: For now, drop off and pick up. The school has a grant to provide transportation to schools of choice but she doesn't weigh enough to qualify.
5) Is this your first to go to K or are you a seasoned pro?: First! I'm super excited and way too enthusiastic.
My gal has an early fall birthday so will be one of the oldest. It's weird that she's already almost 5.5 and not in kindergarten! Also, I only recently learned how to (re)spell kindergarten, so that's embarrassing. So great hearing about everyone else!
pomegranate / 3113 posts
@graceandjoy: @magnolia: @ScarletBegonia: so interesting! My daughter has a December birthday but our district’s cut-off is 8/31 so she’ll be in the middle of the pack (somewhat toward the older side). I’m glad we didn’t have to make a decision whether to send her at 4 because I probably would have and in hindsight, she was nowhere near ready last September. I think she would have been fine academically but socially/emotionally it would have been tough. I’m also glad she won’t be entering college at 17!
persimmon / 1101 posts
@PurplePeony: Yes, I think it'll be great to have them a little older! I was 17 when I started college, which was fine, but gosh, looking at all the advantages that are now known of starting older has me shocked that so many of us were allowed to start at 4 back in the day.
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