A recent study has highlighted the significant advantages of delaying kindergarten until children turn seven. The findings suggest that this delay fosters better self-regulation of attention and hyperactivity once they enter school. Titled “The Gift of Time? School Starting Age and Mental Health,” the research indicates that postponing school by a year can lead to a stunning 73 percent reduction in inattention and hyperactivity for the average child by age 11. This study analyzed data from tens of thousands of students in Denmark.
The topic of whether to hold children back, often referred to as “redshirting,” is a hot-button issue. As noted by The Washington Post, many early childhood experts express concern over the pressure to push young learners into academic work, advocating instead for a play-based learning approach. One expert pointed out, “It’s not just about when you start kindergarten, but also about what the curriculum entails. If kindergarten becomes too similar to first grade, parents may understandably choose to delay enrollment.”
Conflicting studies exist on the validity of holding kids back, and I found myself indifferent to the debate until my son started kindergarten this year at the tender age of four. We had just relocated from Florida to New York, and due to the move, he skipped pre-K entirely. With a cutoff date for kindergarten that was three months later than in Florida, he was suddenly deemed ready. I worried he was a bit too young, but I followed the state’s guidelines.
Transitioning from a few days a week at daycare to a six-hour school day with just a 20-minute recess has been rough for him. I received a call from the school psychologist, expressing concerns about his attention span: “He reads well, but his comprehension isn’t quite there. Have you noticed he refers to himself in the third person?” My initial thought was, “He’s not even five yet! Is this really a concern?”
My son has been reading since he was three and a half. He is sociable and intelligent, but his attention span leaves much to be desired. And he’s still only four! This kindergarten curriculum is bewildering. I expected more playtime and recess, not homework. It’s disheartening to hear that my son “seems tired” and struggles to focus throughout the day.
Instead of coming home with colorful art projects and glittery doodles, he brings worksheets. Kindergarten now resembles what first grade used to be. This study advocating for later school entry aligns with my feelings about the current state of kindergarten. Perhaps we need to revert to a curriculum that prioritizes play over pushing five-year-olds to perform like older students. Meanwhile, I find myself in meetings with school officials who don’t know my son yet are convinced he’s ready for kindergarten—if only he had a series of interventions to help him.
To me, he’s just a four-year-old boy. I want him to learn to hold a pencil better, color, play, and maintain the passion for learning that led him to teach himself to read before he turned four. If interventions are necessary, they should occur when the inability to focus stems from missing his afternoon nap.
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In summary, the current kindergarten experience feels more aligned with what was once expected in first grade, potentially pushing young children too hard, too soon. The call for a curriculum that prioritizes play and developmentally appropriate practices is becoming increasingly urgent.
Keyphrase: Delaying kindergarten benefits
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