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i think most kindergartners are around 5-6 years old.

Are there public pre-k programs you could look into for the year before kinder? My daughter is almost 4 and most of her preschool classmates will go to pre-k this Sept at 4.5 yo then kinder the next at about 5.5 yo.

I really don't feel one way or the other about how old she is exactly when she starts kinder. I feel like the education/preschool setting she is getting now preps her. We have read about what kids are expected to know/achieve before kinder and have set goals. I also try not to think too much about how she compares in age (month differences) to her peers. At the kinder level the differences in age (months) aren't as apparent as the differences you see when toddlers are in their 2's and 3's. Like Boogs said, there also might be other kids in her class with similar birthdates... that's likely as well.

Where we live the cut off is 5 by August 1. Our daughter will be one of the older kids in her class for sure, but I was growing up and it didn't really matter. In fact, it was fun because I got my driver's license first and I had my birthday at the beginning of the school year. My mom actually put me in kindergarten twice (once at a private school that allowed kindergarten early, and then again in public school when I was old enough.) I think it helped me. I was able to read before anyone in the class since I had already learned phonetics the previous year, and was always in the top of my class. The only thing that sucks about having older kids is that they'll be 18 and living at home for a few months before college, so you're more likely to get "I'm an adult!" type arguments senior year.

My bday is 1/19. I was 5 when I started Kindergarten.

I know paying for an extra year of daycare isn't going to be fun, but I honestly believe it's for the best. I have an end of the year birthday and started kindergarten at four. I always did fine in school but an extra year before entering K wouldn't have hurt me. When I got to high school and college, I was always one of the youngest in my class. I was the last to be old enough to drive, last to turn 18 (not the greatest for college), last to turn 21. No, none of these things are the end of the world, but I would have rather been the older one in the class.

Another reason why people keep their sons back is for sports in the future, so they'll be (theoretically) bigger for their age and thus better than their peers. That's a poor reason to keep a kid back IMO.

She will benefit from this. Many teachers of young students say that they would try to have a January baby because they end up doing so well in school due to the 'early birthday' advantage.

I missed the cutoff by 17 days. I was more advanced than the rest of the class (I'm told), and half way through the year, they put me in grade 1. Having been both the youngest kid and the oldest, I think being the oldest is better. While I did do just as well academically as the older kids, I feel that I was behind socially/emotionally. To be honest, I really don't feel like I caught up until I was In university.

@Mrs. Jacks: Oh, good call!

@pastemoo: I know, but it wasn't just being teeny tiny for me. Emotionally, I didn't have a very thick skin... so I was a bit insecure of my place in the world and it really took a while to find my way. It did all work out and I had a great time in college and don't regret any of my experiences for a second... but it was definitely tough (especially in that awful 7th grade that's so tough anyway!)

ETA: Oops, I just realized, Ms Jacks posted pretty much this same note!

I was this kid in the kindergarten situation, (only my birthday is in the summer...but I guess that was the cutoff of the time and place). My parents put me in private kindergarten because they felt I was ready for K vs. pre-school. It was just at a local church, not anywhere shwanky and $$$$. But since I had already taken kinder, the public school system let me enter first grade the following year, regardless of my age. This may not work everywhere/anymore, but it might be an option. Especially if you would have to pay for a year of pre-school anyway, private kinder might be a comparable price.

Honestly, I'm so glad they did it. I was the youngest in most of my classes, sure, but I was a kid who liked school and did well, so even starting early, I finished early.