School closures/delays?

rowdypanther12 said:I’m genuinely curious if these concerns are valid. One thing I am sure of is that textbooks in later grades seem much thinner, more engaging, and better designed than ours used to be. Is there less time allocated for the same amount of material? Is there actually more to learn now? Or are the books just better, and maybe kids today just have shorter attention spans? I'd love to hear some perspectives on this.

And another thing... we're all just sitting here waiting for some big-shot expert to come along and solve the mystery of why the curriculum feels so bloated 🙂

Plus, honestly, after being at the testing site earlier, out of those eight kids, not a single one could actually read, so now I'm wondering about the whole mystery of how kids are supposed to be "ready" for school when they can barely string a sentence together.

Richard Morris43 said:And another thing... we're all just sitting here waiting for some big-shot expert to come along and solve the mystery of why the curriculum feels so bloated 🙂

Plus, honestly, after being at the testing site earlier, out of those eight kids, not a single one could actually read, so now I'm wondering about the whole mystery of how kids are supposed to be "ready" for school when they can barely string a sentence together.

Here’s the breakdown, though it’s not really the main point:

- Not every kid walks into kindergarten knowing how to read, but man, it would be incredibly helpful if they could at least recognize the first and last sounds in a word, or handle basic phonemic awareness—you know, breaking a word down into sounds and putting them back together. It's all based on listening; they don't need to write a single letter yet, but they really ought to HEAR the sounds.

- As for the heavy vs. light books? I can't say much. The reality is that plenty of books can stay at school if the teacher organizes it that way—like workbooks or math packets. It’s also a fact that some parents don't even glance inside these backpacks, let alone bother packing them according to the schedule. Instead, the kid ends up lugging around music supplies, science gear, and religious studies books they don't even need that day, simply because some parent thinks "it's easier this way" or "they won't forget anything."

- The material itself is watered down compared to when we were kids. For instance, back in our day, we spent way more hours studying the season. We had to master so many concepts—spring in the garden, spring in the orchard, spring in the woods, spring in the vineyard, weather patterns, how people work, animals in the spring... nowadays, all that is condensed into maybe two lessons. And that's just one subject.

- Kids today are different. People talk about Gen Z—look it up if you want the deep dive, I won't get sidetracked—but the environment they are growing up in is fundamentally different. The circumstances are different.

- Regarding the heavy backpacks—yeah, they're heavy. But I remember my bag being a beast too, back when it felt like it was bursting at the seams once you tossed in the gym clothes. Definitely something that needs addressing. And as for those rolling bags? I have my doubts about how practical they actually are... hm.

On the topic of delaying enrollment—honestly, while intellectual maturity matters, emotional maturity should be the deciding factor. In my opinion, it's the most crucial part of the equation. That extra year can mean the world to certain kids; it gives them time to "ripen," to become more independent, develop social skills, and actually grasp what school is supposed to be. I have a student in my class right now, nearing the end of first grade, who is only just now realizing that school is a real thing. Until now, she was functioning on the level of a four or five-year-old. It’s been an uphill battle for her and her parents to keep up with the curriculum. She simply wasn't ready.

By the way... I'm no expert. I just work in a school.🙂

I’m going to jump in here with what might be a bit of an unpopular opinion—that starting school earlier is actually perfectly fine. I started when I was six and a half, and honestly, not once in my entire life have I ever felt disadvantaged or even slightly left behind because of it—in fact, I was actually the one badgering my parents to sign me up because I heard the neighbor kid I played with was heading to school, so there was simply no way I was staying behind.

My situation is actually the exact opposite of the person who started this thread—my daughter was born in early August 2009. Until recently, we were certain we’d wait until she turned seven—so, 2016—but the little one is quite bright; on her own initiative, she’s already learned her letters and is even dabbling in reading (for instance, we’ll be walking down the street and she’ll point out, "Mom, look, Target!"—which, to her, means the store where we get our groceries), and at her preschool, they even included her in the pre-K program because she was so eager, and her teachers tell me she’s handling everything beautifully—which I can see for myself since she frequently brings home those activity worksheets they work on. She also attends an English language class, and the instructor is incredibly impressed with her progress—she actually asked me if I was working with her at home, given how many words she already knows. One day she just came home and asked me, "Well, why didn't you sign me up for French and German too?"

Both my husband and I are total overachievers—we were both honor roll students—so we tend to view this "difficult" curriculum through a slightly different lens than most.

Also, two of the girls she hangs out with most closely are heading off to school at six, which is a major argument IN FAVOR of enrolling her now—I genuinely worry she might find preschool incredibly boring once they leave, and then she might refuse to go altogether.

The only things I haven't fully settled on are whether she can safely navigate crossing the street, how she'll handle talking to strangers, and the whole matter of classroom discipline—specifically, sitting still for forty-five minutes—I'm really not sure if she's capable of that yet. Those are the remaining factors I need to weigh carefully before I make a final call.

Experts? Honestly, I doubt anyone can really claim to know what's going on after just glancing at a kid for ten minutes during one of those twenty daily appointments. From what I’ve gathered—and please, set me straight if I’ve got this wrong—these school readiness "specialists" basically just check if a kid can draw a stick figure, count to twenty, count backward from ten, write their own name, recognize colors, and button up a shirt. My little guy is four, and he breezes through all of that without breaking a sweat, plus way more. He can sit still for as long as needed, color, draw, and tackle simple puzzles. But apparently, according to the rulebook, he’s still totally unprepared for kindergarten...
A close friend of mine actually decided to hold her son back a year, even though the professionals gave him the green light, simply because she said, "If his teacher raises her voice, he's going to burst into tears." Like, what good is it that he can draw a person if I can't be certain he won't bolt into traffic, clean himself properly after using the bathroom, or remember to lock the front door? What do we even call that kind of maturity? And does anyone actually bother to test for it? My kid only needs to be looked after for half the day. We don't have a grandma around to pick him up from school, greet him with lunch, make sure he doesn't accidentally burn the house down, or nag him about his homework. Once he leaves preschool, he needs to be ready to handle life independently and responsibly, which, let's face it, is a much bigger hurdle in the real world than knowing how to write or do basic math.

frozenrider15 said:Here’s the breakdown, though it’s not really the main point:

- Not every kid walks into kindergarten knowing how to read, but man, it would be incredibly helpful if they could at least recognize the first and last sounds in a word, or handle basic phonemic awareness—you know, breaking a word down into sounds and putting them back together. It's all based on listening; they don't need to write a single letter yet, but they really ought to HEAR the sounds.

- As for the heavy vs. light books? I can't say much. The reality is that plenty of books can stay at school if the teacher organizes it that way—like workbooks or math packets. It’s also a fact that some parents don't even glance inside these backpacks, let alone bother packing them according to the schedule. Instead, the kid ends up lugging around music supplies, science gear, and religious studies books they don't even need that day, simply because some parent thinks "it's easier this way" or "they won't forget anything."

- The material itself is watered down compared to when we were kids. For instance, back in our day, we spent way more hours studying the season. We had to master so many concepts—spring in the garden, spring in the orchard, spring in the woods, spring in the vineyard, weather patterns, how people work, animals in the spring... nowadays, all that is condensed into maybe two lessons. And that's just one subject.

- Kids today are different. People talk about Gen Z—look it up if you want the deep dive, I won't get sidetracked—but the environment they are growing up in is fundamentally different. The circumstances are different.

- Regarding the heavy backpacks—yeah, they're heavy. But I remember my bag being a beast too, back when it felt like it was bursting at the seams once you tossed in the gym clothes. Definitely something that needs addressing. And as for those rolling bags? I have my doubts about how practical they actually are... hm.

On the topic of delaying enrollment—honestly, while intellectual maturity matters, emotional maturity should be the deciding factor. In my opinion, it's the most crucial part of the equation. That extra year can mean the world to certain kids; it gives them time to "ripen," to become more independent, develop social skills, and actually grasp what school is supposed to be. I have a student in my class right now, nearing the end of first grade, who is only just now realizing that school is a real thing. Until now, she was functioning on the level of a four or five-year-old. It’s been an uphill battle for her and her parents to keep up with the curriculum. She simply wasn't ready.

By the way... I'm no expert. I just work in a school.🙂

So does that mean there's actually less material and fewer concepts to learn? Is the learning window shorter? Are they just doing more lessons with less substance so they can breeze through everything more superficially?
Or is it just that kids today lack focus and don't study enough?

(Is there a thread about this on any of the parenting forums? I'm genuinely curious about this.)

Brian Barnes5 said:Experts? Honestly, I doubt anyone can really claim to know what's going on after just glancing at a kid for ten minutes during one of those twenty daily appointments. From what I’ve gathered—and please, set me straight if I’ve got this wrong—these school readiness "specialists" basically just check if a kid can draw a stick figure, count to twenty, count backward from ten, write their own name, recognize colors, and button up a shirt. My little guy is four, and he breezes through all of that without breaking a sweat, plus way more. He can sit still for as long as needed, color, draw, and tackle simple puzzles. But apparently, according to the rulebook, he’s still totally unprepared for kindergarten...
A close friend of mine actually decided to hold her son back a year, even though the professionals gave him the green light, simply because she said, "If his teacher raises her voice, he's going to burst into tears." Like, what good is it that he can draw a person if I can't be certain he won't bolt into traffic, clean himself properly after using the bathroom, or remember to lock the front door? What do we even call that kind of maturity? And does anyone actually bother to test for it? My kid only needs to be looked after for half the day. We don't have a grandma around to pick him up from school, greet him with lunch, make sure he doesn't accidentally burn the house down, or nag him about his homework. Once he leaves preschool, he needs to be ready to handle life independently and responsibly, which, let's face it, is a much bigger hurdle in the real world than knowing how to write or do basic math.

To me, having that extra year of being carefree is absolutely vital. If they start at seven, they'll be facing those solo afternoons by age seven and a half. Starting at eight and a half would mean they're better prepared when that transition actually happens.

Brian Barnes5 said:Experts? Honestly, I doubt anyone can really claim to know what's going on after just glancing at a kid for ten minutes during one of those twenty daily appointments. From what I’ve gathered—and please, set me straight if I’ve got this wrong—these school readiness "specialists" basically just check if a kid can draw a stick figure, count to twenty, count backward from ten, write their own name, recognize colors, and button up a shirt. My little guy is four, and he breezes through all of that without breaking a sweat, plus way more. He can sit still for as long as needed, color, draw, and tackle simple puzzles. But apparently, according to the rulebook, he’s still totally unprepared for kindergarten...
A close friend of mine actually decided to hold her son back a year, even though the professionals gave him the green light, simply because she said, "If his teacher raises her voice, he's going to burst into tears." Like, what good is it that he can draw a person if I can't be certain he won't bolt into traffic, clean himself properly after using the bathroom, or remember to lock the front door? What do we even call that kind of maturity? And does anyone actually bother to test for it? My kid only needs to be looked after for half the day. We don't have a grandma around to pick him up from school, greet him with lunch, make sure he doesn't accidentally burn the house down, or nag him about his homework. Once he leaves preschool, he needs to be ready to handle life independently and responsibly, which, let's face it, is a much bigger hurdle in the real world than knowing how to write or do basic math.

That is exactly my point. You can be academically prepared, but if you lack the grit to sit down and finish a task because you simply don't care—if you have zero internal drive to follow through when things get boring—then you aren't ready. If you're anxious in traffic or can't manage your own business, school isn't the issue. My daughter would also break down if a teacher yelled at her, even though she can already read words with seven letters and handle basic math. Thankfully, she isn't due to start kindergarten this year.

rowdypanther12 said:So does that mean there's actually less material and fewer concepts to learn? Is the learning window shorter? Are they just doing more lessons with less substance so they can breeze through everything more superficially?
Or is it just that kids today lack focus and don't study enough?

(Is there a thread about this on any of the parenting forums? I'm genuinely curious about this.)

The curriculum is leaner. It's more condensed. They don't dive into the deep end like we did back in our school days; instead, a massive pile of terminology gets pushed down to higher grades. But honestly, it's the kids who have changed. It hit me like a ton of bricks when I realized that for some first graders, even distinguishing between a sidewalk and a street is a monumental struggle. It’s almost comical. Not just memorizing a definition, but being able to explain the difference in their own words—that’s where they stumble. They lack basic situational awareness. They're missing that fundamental life experience that most of us had before we ever stepped foot in a classroom. We were out there, living in the real world, playing on the sidewalk and instinctively knowing not to wander into the street. For instance, I was out playing with my friends in front of our apartment building at five years old. My kid is six now, and she wouldn't dream of walking to the park by herself without supervision.

Times have changed.
They move through the material quickly, though not impossibly so. However, if a child is distracted or unmotivated, parents are going to have to pull a lot of weight to keep them on track. That’s the crux of it. Parents of first graders often expect their children to just "get it" on their own... they won't. Very few kids reach a point where you aren't constantly hovering over them to ensure homework is done. Most kids aren't that independent or capable of handling everything solo. Maybe one or two per class, tops.

Well, damn, my coworker actually burst into tears after her boss yelled at her 😂
But yeah, I agree with everything 😁

frozenrider15, what’s the deal with the reading list for first graders? Are they supposed to tackle those books solo and actually grasp the plot? Give us a recommendation if you can, and how much time are they usually given per book?
My neighbors—well, the parents next door—are totally losing it over the required reading list. But then I heard one of the picture books is "Petra," which honestly sounds like a blast and a pretty chill way to kick things off. 🤷

I feel like school is a lot like a playground; they used to be much more unpredictable and risky back in the day when kids just ran wild without any boundaries, but now everything is so heavily regulated and safe that parents end up stressing out over every little piece of equipment. 😁

frozenrider15 said:Here’s the breakdown, though it’s not really the main point:

- Not every kid walks into kindergarten knowing how to read, but man, it would be incredibly helpful if they could at least recognize the first and last sounds in a word, or handle basic phonemic awareness—you know, breaking a word down into sounds and putting them back together. It's all based on listening; they don't need to write a single letter yet, but they really ought to HEAR the sounds.

- As for the heavy vs. light books? I can't say much. The reality is that plenty of books can stay at school if the teacher organizes it that way—like workbooks or math packets. It’s also a fact that some parents don't even glance inside these backpacks, let alone bother packing them according to the schedule. Instead, the kid ends up lugging around music supplies, science gear, and religious studies books they don't even need that day, simply because some parent thinks "it's easier this way" or "they won't forget anything."

- The material itself is watered down compared to when we were kids. For instance, back in our day, we spent way more hours studying the season. We had to master so many concepts—spring in the garden, spring in the orchard, spring in the woods, spring in the vineyard, weather patterns, how people work, animals in the spring... nowadays, all that is condensed into maybe two lessons. And that's just one subject.

- Kids today are different. People talk about Gen Z—look it up if you want the deep dive, I won't get sidetracked—but the environment they are growing up in is fundamentally different. The circumstances are different.

- Regarding the heavy backpacks—yeah, they're heavy. But I remember my bag being a beast too, back when it felt like it was bursting at the seams once you tossed in the gym clothes. Definitely something that needs addressing. And as for those rolling bags? I have my doubts about how practical they actually are... hm.

On the topic of delaying enrollment—honestly, while intellectual maturity matters, emotional maturity should be the deciding factor. In my opinion, it's the most crucial part of the equation. That extra year can mean the world to certain kids; it gives them time to "ripen," to become more independent, develop social skills, and actually grasp what school is supposed to be. I have a student in my class right now, nearing the end of first grade, who is only just now realizing that school is a real thing. Until now, she was functioning on the level of a four or five-year-old. It’s been an uphill battle for her and her parents to keep up with the curriculum. She simply wasn't ready.

By the way... I'm no expert. I just work in a school.🙂

🙏🙏🙏
I don't have much else to add.

Personally, I'd rather see a child head to school at 6.5 instead of 7.5, provided they met the criteria during the assessment.
I suspect that a perfectly healthy seven-year-old will find kindergarten incredibly boring, and after that, they'll likely find first grade quite dull at age eight, too.

So, what kind of criteria are they actually using during these interviews? It feels like trying to measure the ocean with a teaspoon when you're attempting to judge something as layered and complex as whether a kid is truly ready to hit the classroom.
Just because a little one isn't emotionally primed for kindergarten at six and a half doesn't mean there's anything wrong with their development.
We all want to make the absolute best call for our kids, but honestly, if I'm going to miss the mark, I’d much rather be "wrong" by letting them have a boring extra year of playing than being "wrong" by throwing them into the deep end where they're expected to perform tasks they can't grasp, leaving them feeling totally overwhelmed and defeated.

Also, why would he suddenly be bored at preschool if all his friends are still there? 🤷 Plus, they’re starting to prep them for elementary school, so things aren't quite the same as last year... 🤷
Which kid actually gets bored playing?

I suppose preschool programs tend to lose a good chunk of their numbers simply because a handful of kids move on to elementary school, and you always end up losing that one "best friend" connection in the process too.
By the time a kid hits seven, I guess they probably need to start absorbing different kinds of information and learning certain social rules that just aren't really part of the daycare routine.
I’m certainly not saying we should drop the mandatory school age down to five like they do in some other countries, but then again, I don't really think a seven-year-old should spend their entire day just playing in a preschool setting either.

In my local daycare, things aren't organized by age like they are once you hit elementary school. You’ve got kids from different grade levels hanging out together all at once—I’d say at least two different ages in one group. Plus, every fall, the whole dynamic shifts because some little ones are moving up while new toddlers are joining the mix. Is that how most preschools work around here? From what I’ve seen at the places near me, that’s pretty much the standard. Even if you just hang out at the playground in front of the building, you'll see a total mix of kids born in totally different months, some clearly more advanced than others.
Honestly, I think worrying about "when friends will leave" is kind of a silly way to look at it. Sure, some buddies might move on, but new faces always pop up to take their place, and once they get to school, the social circle just keeps expanding anyway. There’s even a chance that a kid's absolute best friend from daycare ends up in a different classroom next year, or maybe they won't even be "besties for life" after all...

I was actually thinking more about those situations where a seven-year-old gets left behind in a group with four and five-year-olds because all their peers have moved on to kindergarten.

In our local preschool, the age range is pretty consistent; almost everyone is in the same grade, except for maybe three or four kids.

I mean, that would be a pretty wild scenario, something you almost never see happening in the real world, right? Because honestly, in any typical American preschool group, there are always kids born after the cutoff date who end up staying in daycare just a little longer...
One afternoon I caught a glimpse of some girls in a preschool class working on knitting. I’m not sure if the boys do something similar, but there’s definitely something along those lines. You wouldn't believe the level of calm and focus required for that kind of thing—it's like watching a tiny zen garden in motion. And their fine motor skills? Off the charts. On top of that, they actually have workbooks and get assigned "homework." I saw them using those old-school handwriting guides where they have to replicate patterns, like drawing two rows of umbrellas or something else exactly like the teacher drew first. It's definitely not all just playtime and finger painting at these centers.

rowdypanther12 said:Also, why would he suddenly be bored at preschool if all his friends are still there? 🤷 Plus, they’re starting to prep them for elementary school, so things aren't quite the same as last year... 🤷
Which kid actually gets bored playing?

See, this is the whole point right here. No kid on the planet gets bored just from playing. So I honestly don't get why she's stressing out about preschool assessments with some child psychologist. Look, I'm obviously not an expert—this isn't some deep, clinical, multi-week psychological evaluation, okay?—but isn't it just common sense that if a specialist sees a kid is sitting right on the edge of being developmentally ready, they’re going to suggest holding off for a year? It's just logical, isn't it?

And let's be real, don't teachers deal with all these kids who aren't quite ready yet, struggling to keep up with the curriculum and basically slowing down the whole class dynamic? Wouldn't it be in their best interest to have those kids start school a year later when they can actually handle it?

I mean, seriously, I feel like I've read every parenting blog under the sun and talked to everyone I know, and I'm still stuck in the middle of this mess. 🤣
FailArmy, yeah, that's pretty much how these school screenings work—it's mostly just drawing pictures, basic shapes, stuff like phonics and sound analysis. They aren't making them sit there and write essays or anything crazy.

With my little one at daycare, they mix the groups up anyway, so some kids start the next level this year while others wait until next year.

Pink, I’d honestly rather be out scavenging for food.😬

Based on what his preschool teachers and the specialists he met during school testing said, my kid is incredibly bright—he can write, read simple things, and solve problems... BUT after about 20 minutes, nobody can get him to focus on anything, let alone just sit still. Plus, he’s on therapy that tends to slow him down.

The kids were all born after April 1st, so I won't have to go scavenging.