I think the combination of pressure to develop my own syllabi for the fall, trying to finish essays that I'm supposed to be working on, beginning the process of enrolling The Babydoll (who will be in private 5K because she just barely misses the public school cutoff) and The Baby Boy (who will likely have to enroll in 2K because of this potty business, even though he technically could/should be in 3K) for the fall, and the 4th of July holiday has set off a S'mores-making spree that I can't shake. The children love it, but Hubby just talked me into joining his gym, so the timing is a little iffy. Mere weeks to go. I'm not ready. I'm not ready. I'm not ready . . . .
*We've been going back and forth about this school thing for at least a year. Hubby thinks it's probably fine for The Baby Boy to stay on the manufactured "start late because I have a late birthday" track and for The Babydoll to get a little manufactured push ahead. He says that she's much more mature and ready for school and that he would benefit from being the oldest in his class. Maybe she should wait--that's what the state says anyway. Maybe we should let him be the youngest--if he ever potty-trains and the school moves him up to his "rightful" class. Is anyone confused yet? I just don't know what's best.
1 day ago
4 comments:
Steel, I'm not sure I'm totally clear about ages and years that you're referring to, but have you read "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell? In one of his chapters, he addresses the impact of kids ages on their success in the early grades.
Make that "kids' ages," with the apostrophe!
I don't think we suffered from having to wait an extra year. I'm experiencing the same thing with my daughter. The things that they are requiring of students at younger ages is absolutely ridiculous. There's no way that they can be developmentally ready for mastering some of those concepts. When I was teaching middle school in NC, we actually had seventh graders who were taking Geometry. WTH?! You and I were in high school before we set foot in a Geometry class, and we were in the "smart kids" track. Nonetheless, no one knows The Baby Doll or The Baby Boy better than you and the hubby.
GEW: I realize what a rambling mess this post is, so it's no surprise that the details are muddy! Interestingly, just after I submitted the enrollment paperwork and wrote this post, I stumbled on a website that mentioned Gladwell and offered the merits of letting children wait for school. I think maybe that's a sign.
Thanks for the reminder, "Anon"--I needed some perspective.
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