School closures/delays?

rowdypanther12 said:You aren't following the RULES. You're acting like you know better than everyone else, putting your own little agenda ahead of the system's guidelines. It’s common knowledge that people come here to follow the framework, not to bend it to their will.

I'd argue that rules exist to serve the community at large, which means occasionally an individual just has to bend to the collective—or rather, the rules.

I went through your whole post and honestly, I didn't see a single downside; all I saw were reasons to support the delay 😂

As for what they watch, my kids are into cartoons—some are obsessed with Victoria's Secret or soap operas, while others prefer MLP. They're all still under 6 months old

frozenrider15 said:Honestly, I don't see a problem. Parents inherently know what's best for their kids. In every single category. It makes me wonder why we even bother employing doctors, dentists, teachers, or professors if parents are supposedly walking encyclopedias who know better than the experts. We might as well just switch entirely to homeschooling and standardized testing at home. No need for school ever. Forget socialization; we don't need that either. School was basically just a glorified daycare for that purpose anyway, and clearly, the teachers aren't teaching our precious little ones anything useful.
What’s the point of having professionals—doctors, pedagogues, psychologists, educators—if a parent can just decide for themselves whether a child is ready for school? If a kid is sick, you don't need a doctor to treat them; hell, you don't even need a doctor to tell you they're recovered. The parent knows best.
When it comes to pulling a kid out of school, the parent is perfectly qualified to make that call, and they're more than moral enough not to abuse that right to the detriment of the child. In fact, once that child miraculously lands a job, the parent should be competent enough to forge an excuse note so the kid can spend a few extra days at the beach during their vacation.

I truly fail to see why we even fund institutions to educate children when all that knowledge could just be passed down at home. The parent knows more than the teacher or the professor. Heck, you could probably knock out a college degree in your living room. Why do these professions even exist? It's just a massive waste of taxpayer money on salaries and tuition.

But fine, let's get serious for a second. I don't think it matters much whether a child starts school late or not, but I do believe that we, as parents, should loosen the reins and stop micromanaging every single variable.
We know our children better than anyone, sure, but let's give the professionals a chance to weigh in. In my view, a child who is emotionally and intellectually ready for school—and isn't facing major speech or developmental hurdles—should be sent to school when the law says it's time, rather than begging for a deferment just to squeeze in one more summer at the coast.

Deferments only make sense if a child is struggling in a specific area and needs that extra window to prepare (or mature) so they can face school obligations more effectively the following year.
A deferment is complete nonsense if a child has, say, speech impediments that triggered the recommendation, yet the parents refuse to see a specialist (or can't find one easily in this country) and skip that crucial year of therapy. Or if parents won't seek guidance on how to support the child's emotional or social growth through workshops or counseling. We aren't all-knowing parents, even if we love to pretend we are. 😉

signature

rowdypanther12 said:I can't help but wonder about the kids born in the middle of the school year. They probably struggle since they're always the oldest in their class 🤷

I honestly don't see the harm in delaying school. Even if someone just wants to spend those extra four months at the beach with their child—it’s not the end of the world. Some things in life are irreplaceable, but starting school at six and a half instead of seven isn't one of them.

Maybe it's actually the other way around—starting at 8.5 instead of 7.5.
If a kid is totally ready to go, why make them sit around for an extra year? (Unless you're counting that extra time at the beach in September or October!)

I don't know, I just can't imagine anyone asking for a delay for a seven-year-old for those kinds of reasons. Honestly, I don't think there's any way you'd hold a kid back from school unless they were facing some really serious issues.
But then again, kids change so much in just a couple of months.

rowdypanther12 said:I don't know, I just can't imagine anyone asking for a delay for a seven-year-old for those kinds of reasons. Honestly, I don't think there's any way you'd hold a kid back from school unless they were facing some really serious issues.
But then again, kids change so much in just a couple of months.

I feel like we’re falling into the trap of generalizing again. You meet one parent, maybe two at most, who decides to take their kids on a trip or head to the coast because they're dealing with some health issue, and suddenly everyone assumes they're all the same. It feels like the real problem is our inability to accept that people live differently than we do—that they can be perfectly happy doing things our way isn't the only way. Instead, we try to shove everything into the same box and just let "experts" make all the decisions for us.

Look, I believe in expertise. I respect professionals in any field. But when it comes to my own family, those experts should be collaborating with me, not dictating terms to me. Unless they're bringing up something that is genuinely beyond my understanding—and even then, they should be educating me, because that is literally what they are paid to do: explain things clearly.

Honestly, if my kid were facing school enrollment requirements during their first few months, and I had the chance to head off to the US, India, or somewhere remote for three to five months, I wouldn't give it a second thought before asking for an extension.

silentraven6 said:I feel like we’re falling into the trap of generalizing again. You meet one parent, maybe two at most, who decides to take their kids on a trip or head to the coast because they're dealing with some health issue, and suddenly everyone assumes they're all the same. It feels like the real problem is our inability to accept that people live differently than we do—that they can be perfectly happy doing things our way isn't the only way. Instead, we try to shove everything into the same box and just let "experts" make all the decisions for us.

Look, I believe in expertise. I respect professionals in any field. But when it comes to my own family, those experts should be collaborating with me, not dictating terms to me. Unless they're bringing up something that is genuinely beyond my understanding—and even then, they should be educating me, because that is literally what they are paid to do: explain things clearly.

The real question is why this delay is being requested in the first place. Is it because a parent truly believes their child will struggle in school and wants to address those issues first, or is there something else at play? Even if the reasons are strictly private family matters, they can still ripple out and affect the rest of society. For instance, will a kid who spends two months away end up returning to their hometown to enroll in local daycare?

Joseph Stewart7 said:The real question is why this delay is being requested in the first place. Is it because a parent truly believes their child will struggle in school and wants to address those issues first, or is there something else at play? Even if the reasons are strictly private family matters, they can still ripple out and affect the rest of society. For instance, will a kid who spends two months away end up returning to their hometown to enroll in local daycare?

I’m still not totally following here... shouldn't parents be asking for a delay so that some other kid can actually grab that spot in daycare?
From what I gather about kids who never did the preschool thing, there’s usually some sort of pre-K program organized the year before they hit kindergarten. Plus, when it comes to enrollment, those kids often get priority over the younger ones anyway. They're already part of the system, I guess, so I don't really see who this delay is actually impacting?

To me, it all just seems to level out in the end. Some people push for a delay, others try to enroll early, and eventually, it feels like everyone just ends up starting school right when they were supposed to. I mean, I guess I'm curious if there's even any actual data or public records out there tracking this kind of stuff.

Raymond Jones8 said:I’m still not totally following here... shouldn't parents be asking for a delay so that some other kid can actually grab that spot in daycare?
From what I gather about kids who never did the preschool thing, there’s usually some sort of pre-K program organized the year before they hit kindergarten. Plus, when it comes to enrollment, those kids often get priority over the younger ones anyway. They're already part of the system, I guess, so I don't really see who this delay is actually impacting?

To me, it all just seems to level out in the end. Some people push for a delay, others try to enroll early, and eventually, it feels like everyone just ends up starting school right when they were supposed to. I mean, I guess I'm curious if there's even any actual data or public records out there tracking this kind of stuff.

Look, a parent's job is to look out for their own kid, obviously. But the system has to account for everyone, and some decisions parents make for their child's sake—whether we want to admit it or not—end up impacting other families too.

From what I understand about kids who never attended preschool, there’s usually a pre-K program organized the year before they start kindergarten, and they actually get priority when enrolling in daycare, so they're definitely integrated into the system eventually. I’m not sure who exactly this deferral is affecting?

They also have mixed-age groups for children ranging from 3 to 7 years old.

It seems to me like it all evens out in the end; some people ask for a delay while others push for early enrollment, so by the time it's over, it's like everyone started at the "right" age anyway. I'm curious if there's any official data tracking this.

My impression is that those who are recommended for a deferral by specialists are treated similarly to those pushing for early entry, though I'm not aware of any specific records keeping track of that.

Yeah, you’re talking about how people influence one another, but honestly, the whole system itself puts pressure on them too. I mean, I bet plenty of parents are pushing for a later start just because the local school district doesn't offer reliable after-school programs or full-day coverage. It basically means a six-and-a-half-year-old is stuck at home for five or more hours a day, or they're forced into some weird split-shift schedule. Not everyone can just drop a fortune on private childcare during those hours, so it makes sense why they'd rather just delay things and keep the kid in preschool for another year.
And look, I'm not judging that at all. Honestly, it’s better than having a hyperactive kid wandering around the house alone, getting into trouble or putting themselves in danger just because they're bored out of their mind. It’s a tough spot to be in, though—having to weigh everything like that. Do I push for a delay just because of a few days' difference on a calendar? Or do I just say, "Fine, my kid *has* to go to elementary school right now," even if it means they miss out on a spot in the local daycare program?
The reasons behind it... they're all over the place. I find it really hard to see this in black and white, you know? Like, I can't just point at one reason and say it's valid while calling everything else nonsense.

I’m right there with you. People come up with all sorts of valid reasons to leave early or push things back, and I honestly don't get why everyone feels the need to force every situation into the same narrow little box.

And don't even get me started on those "expert opinions" we're supposedly meant to follow blindly—I can't even remember which self-proclaimed genius wrote that bit—but sorry, I’m the one who actually knows my kid. After me, it’s the teachers at the preschool and their specialist team, who have been keeping a super close eye on the pre-K crowd this past year, who actually know what's up.
When it comes to understanding my kid, the school's professional staff ranks dead last. I mean, they're just going to sit down for one quick little chat that lasts maybe thirty minutes tops, and then they think they've got the whole picture.

Raymond Jones8 said:Yeah, you’re talking about how people influence one another, but honestly, the whole system itself puts pressure on them too. I mean, I bet plenty of parents are pushing for a later start just because the local school district doesn't offer reliable after-school programs or full-day coverage. It basically means a six-and-a-half-year-old is stuck at home for five or more hours a day, or they're forced into some weird split-shift schedule. Not everyone can just drop a fortune on private childcare during those hours, so it makes sense why they'd rather just delay things and keep the kid in preschool for another year.
And look, I'm not judging that at all. Honestly, it’s better than having a hyperactive kid wandering around the house alone, getting into trouble or putting themselves in danger just because they're bored out of their mind. It’s a tough spot to be in, though—having to weigh everything like that. Do I push for a delay just because of a few days' difference on a calendar? Or do I just say, "Fine, my kid *has* to go to elementary school right now," even if it means they miss out on a spot in the local daycare program?
The reasons behind it... they're all over the place. I find it really hard to see this in black and white, you know? Like, I can't just point at one reason and say it's valid while calling everything else nonsense.

That's a valid point for delaying things. It's pretty obvious this isn't just about being impulsive or selfish. In fact, I think the school system should actually be more accommodating in these situations, since the system itself is essentially failing these families.
My only issue is the idea that delaying school only affects that specific child. Because of that, I can't get behind the excuses like "it'll be easier for them next year" or "they just need more playtime."
I agree that it's not a simple black-and-white issue. Someone might ask for a delay simply because all their friends from preschool aren't starting school until the following year. For my son, that wouldn't even be an issue; he’d probably walk onto a beach and make friends with a Swedish woman within ten minutes without even understanding a word she was saying. But I realize that for a shy or withdrawn child, social dynamics are a huge deal, and I completely understand why parents of those kids would want to wait.

So, I'm not against delaying enrollment, I just don't support doing it solely so the kid can enjoy one more year of being little.

redridge13 said:I’m right there with you. People come up with all sorts of valid reasons to leave early or push things back, and I honestly don't get why everyone feels the need to force every situation into the same narrow little box.

And don't even get me started on those "expert opinions" we're supposedly meant to follow blindly—I can't even remember which self-proclaimed genius wrote that bit—but sorry, I’m the one who actually knows my kid. After me, it’s the teachers at the preschool and their specialist team, who have been keeping a super close eye on the pre-K crowd this past year, who actually know what's up.
When it comes to understanding my kid, the school's professional staff ranks dead last. I mean, they're just going to sit down for one quick little chat that lasts maybe thirty minutes tops, and then they think they've got the whole picture.

In our district, the school evaluation dragged on for two and a half hours, followed by another 45 minutes with the pediatrician. I actually sat in on the medical appointment myself. The doctor spent time checking his spine and had me demonstrating all these different jumping and stretching exercises... she talked to him quite a lot—maybe even a bit too much if you ask me—only to conclude that everything was fine, except for some minor pronunciation issues that might cause trouble later.
At the school, the testing was set up in groups of about 15 kids. We parents weren't allowed in. The kids worked through various tests, wrote on boards, and played classroom games while answering questions, all while each child had an individual session with a psychologist, a pedagogue, and a speech therapist. To me, the whole process seemed pretty thorough. It’s a shame if not every school approaches testing with that level of seriousness.

The one thing I just can't wrap my head around in this whole debate is how kids in basically every other developed nation start school at six, and honestly, more and more are even starting at five—mostly because of those generational shifts we all see happening—yet somehow here in America, we're still dragging things out until they're seven or older.

I actually started school at seven and a half. It wasn't my parents' idea either—it was a call made by my pediatrician, and honestly, she hasn't really explained her reasoning to this day. But looking back, I’m actually pretty grateful for it. By the time I hit elementary school, I already knew how to read, do math, and handle general stuff that some kids don't even grasp until fourth grade. Plus, the peer group was much better than what I would've dealt with if I'd stayed back, and the teachers were way more reasonable too...

I basically never had to study. I pulled straight A's through every single grade, from elementary all the way through high school graduation—literally everything. And I don't regret not grinding for those top marks; I never chased them, and they never really mattered to me. I passed my SATs (scored well in history, decent in math, and solid in English, though I was right on the edge of a higher score in all of them), then got into college (ranked in the top 20 for a class of 60). After my freshman year, I realized it just wasn't for me, so I dropped out, found a job, and moved on with my life.

Karen Richardson3 is right, honestly, but it’s more like daycare than actual school
keep in mind you have two years of mandatory preschool before kindergarten starts

rowdypanther12 said:Karen Richardson3 is right, honestly, but it’s more like daycare than actual school
keep in mind you have two years of mandatory preschool before kindergarten starts

I honestly have no clue what world you're living in right now.

Over in Italy, kids start school at five (they actually just lowered the starting age from six down to five and a half recently), and in England, it’s also five years old.
It’s not some "mandatory daycare" situation; they are going to school just like every other kid.

Basically, everywhere else, the starting line keeps moving earlier because kids today just pick things up so much faster—they read, write, and are generally way ahead of where previous generations were, so their interests mature sooner too. It feels like we're the only ones still sticking to that 7+ rule.

Editor:
Check this out if you want proof: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_England

Some of my buddies moved over to England, and their little girl started primary school when she was only five.
She’s got her own school uniform and everything, and they all say she’s officially in school. 🤷

Karen Richardson3 said:The one thing I just can't wrap my head around in this whole debate is how kids in basically every other developed nation start school at six, and honestly, more and more are even starting at five—mostly because of those generational shifts we all see happening—yet somehow here in America, we're still dragging things out until they're seven or older.

+1

Karen Richardson3 said:I honestly have no clue what world you're living in right now.

Over in Italy, kids start school at five (they actually just lowered the starting age from six down to five and a half recently), and in England, it’s also five years old.
It’s not some "mandatory daycare" situation; they are going to school just like every other kid.

Basically, everywhere else, the starting line keeps moving earlier because kids today just pick things up so much faster—they read, write, and are generally way ahead of where previous generations were, so their interests mature sooner too. It feels like we're the only ones still sticking to that 7+ rule.

Editor:
Check this out if you want proof: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_England

Some of my buddies moved over to England, and their little girl started primary school when she was only five.
She’s got her own school uniform and everything, and they all say she’s officially in school. 🤷

Yeah, within their school system, that's completely standard.

But here? We need a massive overhaul first.

A five-and-a-half-year-old definitely doesn't have the attention span to sit there like a soldier for hours on end. They can barely organize themselves at 6 or 7. Name one parent who’s going to drop off a 5.5-year-old and then leave a 7.5-year-old home alone for hours just because there’s no after-school care. People are giving me grief right now because my kid stays home for two hours or walks home from school by himself, and he'll be 8 soon enough!

Daisy
So, wait... are you telling me five-year-olds over in the USA have classes that start at 8:00 AM, run until maybe 10:45 or 11:30, and then they just... head home? Like, they just sit there waiting for their parents to finish work?
Or am I totally misreading this? Maybe it’s just mentioning the age they start school and nothing else about the actual schedule?