School closures/delays?

My attitude isn't changing. Not one bit.

Better now, Admin?

Deleted that just so nobody here gets their feelings hurt.

Andrew Wright2 for real, we totally veered off track here.

Basically, our kid’s kindergarten enrollment got pushed back, so tomorrow we have to head in and sign some paperwork stating there aren't any developmental issues or disabilities.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.

mistyjackal842 said:I honestly feel like you would have been better off just enrolling your child in school this year. There isn't really a compelling reason to delay it, is there? If you were in Washington, D.C., they probably wouldn't even grant an extension, and I doubt it would be any different in Miami either. Around here, kids are sent straight to school even if they were born in mid-March—even when the mom specifically asks for a delay because the little one hasn't finished a preschool program yet. For instance, I know a child born around March 12, 2010, who just finished first grade last month. I saw a similar situation in Miami once; a boy born in mid-February 2009 was put in school too. I don't know if his mom asked for a deferral or not, but he wasn't exactly a star student—he passed with Bs—and his mom has to work pretty hard with him on his homework. He's already done with second grade now. It seems like quite a few of you from the Seattle area are posting about these delays. Maybe it’s just easier to get an extension where you are compared to other parts of the country? Personally, my birthday is November 25th, and I went to school at just under seven years old without any issues. And it wasn't just us, either; people born in the middle of summer back in '78 were also starting first grade. Everyone did fine, even though they had barely turned six right before school started. My dad actually started school when he was only six and a half. He always says he was the youngest in his class, and he was born on March 8th. It strikes me as a bit odd that they actually granted you the extension. I guess maybe they just didn't want to deal with the hassle and ended up passing everything over to the Department of Social Services.

I was just quoting your post; I could have quoted anyone else, it's really no different.
Come on, everyone, let's not be naive here.
Kids don't get a deferral just because their parents want them to.
That's just how some people choose to look at it.
Every single kid who gets a delay in starting school actually has a legitimate reason behind it.

Andrew Wright2 said:My attitude isn't changing. Not one bit.

Better now, Admin?

Deleted that just so nobody here gets their feelings hurt.

if your surroundings are really weighing on you that heavily, I guess there's the question of why you haven't just moved away yet, since you mentioned having the option?
and honestly, that environment isn't going to magically disappear before the next school year starts anyway.

David Palmer5 said:I was just quoting your post; I could have quoted anyone else, it's really no different.
Come on, everyone, let's not be naive here.
Kids don't get a deferral just because their parents want them to.
That's just how some people choose to look at it.
Every single kid who gets a delay in starting school actually has a legitimate reason behind it.

I'm not sure that's quite right.
sometimes, it seems to me, all a parent needs to do is be firm and persistent.
they just won't let the school district engage in an endless tug-of-war with every single parent who insists they know what's best for their kid.🙄

urbantinker8, I just realized it was back in 2010 😉 And yeah, even then, what the parents were asking for was basically based on pretty flimsy reasoning.

David Palmer5 said:I was just quoting your post; I could have quoted anyone else, it's really no different.
Come on, everyone, let's not be naive here.
Kids don't get a deferral just because their parents want them to.
That's just how some people choose to look at it.
Every single kid who gets a delay in starting school actually has a legitimate reason behind it.

I mean, I can't really wrap my head around why anyone would grant a kid a delay for no reason at all. Though, unfortunately, in America, you can pretty much make anything happen if you try hard enough. That's kind of why I was asking why everyone seemed so on board with the delay in the first place.

I guess I also got a little lost in the whole conversation and I'm having a bit of a hard time making sense of all these contradictions.

Look, I get to live wherever I want. I'm not ditching the US just because of some people. I lived abroad and actually went to school specifically to work right here at home.

And yeah, we got a delay on our request, even with everyone involved in the process. It’s not like we were being pushy or making a scene or trying to grease any palms. We just told them we wanted priority for preschool, and they were like, "Sure, we'll look into it." Then they just hashed it out with the school district and the doctors.

Andrew Wright2 said:Look, I get to live wherever I want. I'm not ditching the US just because of some people. I lived abroad and actually went to school specifically to work right here at home.

And yeah, we got a delay on our request, even with everyone involved in the process. It’s not like we were being pushy or making a scene or trying to grease any palms. We just told them we wanted priority for preschool, and they were like, "Sure, we'll look into it." Then they just hashed it out with the school district and the doctors.

Of course, freedom always comes with a side of responsibility.

Andrew Wright2 said:Look, I get to live wherever I want. I'm not ditching the US just because of some people. I lived abroad and actually went to school specifically to work right here at home.

And yeah, we got a delay on our request, even with everyone involved in the process. It’s not like we were being pushy or making a scene or trying to grease any palms. We just told them we wanted priority for preschool, and they were like, "Sure, we'll look into it." Then they just hashed it out with the school district and the doctors.

You seem pretty worked up about all those rights of yours.
Look, I don't think anyone is actually trying to strip you of your rights, so there's probably no need to get quite so defensive about it.

I mean, by all means, live where you want and do what you want, provided you stay within the bounds of the law and don't end up infringing on anyone else's fundamental human rights.

Andrew Wright2 said:Every parent knows what's best for their kid—they're the ones actually living it.

Same here. My kid, my headache. Not the government's, not anyone else's. When things go south, like with health issues or whatever, nobody else is gonna jump in to save the day.

And look, this isn't some weird obsession or me just making excuses. It's straight from experience after dealing with our broken-down school system.

Latest disaster? Our local elementary school. My kid spent the whole year coasting with Cs, learning absolutely nothing and just being a total nuisance in class. Then, right at the end of the term, suddenly he's pulling Bs. The teachers basically handed him those grades just so they could be done with him.

So you've got these "experts"—yeah, right—who are supposed to be shaping kids' futures. They have all these resources like tutoring and specialized programs, yet my son didn't see a single bit of help or an adapted curriculum all year. But sure, under the watchful eye of the principal, the counselor, and the school psychologist, they just gift him passing grades to clear their desks.

"Experts"!!

Honestly, that’s just plain nonsense. More often than not, it’s the parents who have a totally skewed perception of their child—usually because they’re busy idealizing them. I spent some time working in the public school system, so I can offer you one🤦

Personally, I don't see any reason to delay a child starting school if they're healthy and ready. I was born in mid-August, and my doctor gave me the green light to start first grade when I was about six and a half. Aside from being the smallest kid in class until I hit 12 or 13, I didn't deal with any other issues. My handwriting was a mess at first, but that cleared up by second grade. Academically, I performed way above average throughout my school years. So... there's no benefit to keeping a kid "little" longer by sheltering them. They'll just end up realizing you were being ridiculous once they hit 15 or 16 anyway...😁

urbantinker8 said:if your surroundings are really weighing on you that heavily, I guess there's the question of why you haven't just moved away yet, since you mentioned having the option?
and honestly, that environment isn't going to magically disappear before the next school year starts anyway.

I'm not sure that's quite right.
sometimes, it seems to me, all a parent needs to do is be firm and persistent.
they just won't let the school district engage in an endless tug-of-war with every single parent who insists they know what's best for their kid.🙄

I'm not so sure about that.
Just because people claim they got a deferral solely because they asked for it doesn't mean that's actually how it went down.

Besides, you can see for yourself:

Andrew Wright2 said:Look, I get to live wherever I want. I'm not ditching the US just because of some people. I lived abroad and actually went to school specifically to work right here at home.

And yeah, we got a delay on our request, even with everyone involved in the process. It’s not like we were being pushy or making a scene or trying to grease any palms. We just told them we wanted priority for preschool, and they were like, "Sure, we'll look into it." Then they just hashed it out with the school district and the doctors.

If everyone was in agreement, then the deferral was legitimate and there was clearly a valid reason for it. Otherwise, at least one person would have pointed out that delaying enrollment didn't make any sense.

David Palmer5 said:I'm not so sure about that.
Just because people claim they got a deferral solely because they asked for it doesn't mean that's actually how it went down.

Besides, you can see for yourself:

If everyone was in agreement, then the deferral was legitimate and there was clearly a valid reason for it. Otherwise, at least one person would have pointed out that delaying enrollment didn't make any sense.

Believe me, I’ve personally seen way too many instances where the only official reason given was some vague sense of being "behind," when the actual motivation was just parents wanting their kids to have a little more time to "be kids," or perhaps just wanting to avoid having to sync up everyone's vacations with the standard American school calendar.

It usually involved kids born roughly around the turn of the year through early spring—nothing crazy, and honestly, none of them had any specific diagnoses or anything like that.

Sure, there are plenty of families who don't want anyone knowing their child is struggling, so they claim the deferral was just granted without cause, but I think those first types of cases—the ones driven by lifestyle or scheduling—are becoming more common every single year.

As for this specific situation we're all chewing on here, I really haven't a clue; it seems like every time a new post comes up, we just get more layers of detail and different information.
Who knows what's actually going on at the heart of it.

Andrew Wright2 said:That extra year should definitely take some weight off his shoulders regarding school. Not just my take, either—it’s just how the whole process works out.

Look, he won't suddenly turn into some child prodigy overnight, but life'll be a hell of a lot easier.

This is the bottom line. If a parent thinks their kid should start at seven instead of six, that needs to be respected. All those self-proclaimed "experts"—and the ones panicking about declining birth rates and their own job security—can foam at the mouth until they hit their meager Social Security checks for all I care.

Andrew Wright2 said:Same old story. We asked for a delay, we got one. NASA is just busy drafting their statement. We aren't exactly pioneers in making excuses.

I'm not projecting my anxieties onto my kid—if I were, she would've already moved to Germany to live with relatives on her dad's side and finish school there.

Our school system is what it is... pretty much lagging behind in most cases. Honestly, even some of the people working in it.

I've seen how things work in the United Kingdom and Germany. Compared to them? We're stuck in the Dark Ages. Bottom line.

Oh, please. Our school system is the absolute best in the world. You can learn anything except the stuff that actually matters. After graduating here, you could win any trivia night anywhere on Earth.
And don't even get me started on the teachers. Just wonderful.

nimblelynx7 said:This is the bottom line. If a parent thinks their kid should start at seven instead of six, that needs to be respected. All those self-proclaimed "experts"—and the ones panicking about declining birth rates and their own job security—can foam at the mouth until they hit their meager Social Security checks for all I care.

Oh, please. Our school system is the absolute best in the world. You can learn anything except the stuff that actually matters. After graduating here, you could win any trivia night anywhere on Earth.
And don't even get me started on the teachers. Just wonderful.

Do you think it would work if they waited until they were 8 instead of 7?
It’d be respected, obviously. 🙂
I mean, these experts don't really have a clue what's actually "best for the child"—that's something only parents can truly figure out.😉
You always did have an interest in geography... but I don't think there is a single country on this entire planet where kids don't start school until they're 8.

My kid is far removed from this situation, so I can't say how I'd personally feel about it. But since everyone's sharing their own experiences, I’ll offer mine. Back in my class, there was this boy who started school with us at almost eight years old—way behind the curve—and we all gave him a hard time. We teased him and called him names because we just assumed he was starting late because he wasn't smart. Kids, man... if they want to pick on someone, they'll find a reason. Standing out for any reason in a classroom is never a good thing.

urbantinker8 said:Do you think it would work if they waited until they were 8 instead of 7?
It’d be respected, obviously. 🙂
I mean, these experts don't really have a clue what's actually "best for the child"—that's something only parents can truly figure out.😉
You always did have an interest in geography... but I don't think there is a single country on this entire planet where kids don't start school until they're 8.

Of course parents decide. It's not like the government gets the final word, right? The state mandates schooling, which is fine and sufficient, but absurd regulations should be bypassable.

Starting at 6 is too early, 8 is a bit late, but it's a necessary evil to avoid the mess of starting at 6. Learning useless facts through bubetanje won't lead anywhere anyway, and the IRS doesn't have limited capacity, nor do the buses or planes heading to Germany or Ireland. The only thing in short supply is the number of quiz shows where our top-tier educated students could actually make money based on their American education, since they lack any other practical skills.

cosmiccrane14 said:My kid is far removed from this situation, so I can't say how I'd personally feel about it. But since everyone's sharing their own experiences, I’ll offer mine. Back in my class, there was this boy who started school with us at almost eight years old—way behind the curve—and we all gave him a hard time. We teased him and called him names because we just assumed he was starting late because he wasn't smart. Kids, man... if they want to pick on someone, they'll find a reason. Standing out for any reason in a classroom is never a good thing.

I knew plenty of people who started at 6, and every single one of them was a worse student.
I partially agree—to avoid being messed with at school, students have to carry themselves the right way and earn respect.
What specifically was he lacking by starting at nearly 8? Was he rejected by the IRS? Did anyone tell him he wasn't good enough for college? Or too old for a job?

To still doesn't quite make sense to me—what role does the Department of Social Services actually play in this whole process? 🤔
My take on the situation is pretty simple: either the child is facing genuine developmental hurdles that truly prevent them from starting school, or the relevant authorities decided they weren't going to play games with this mother. It feels like they might have told her one thing to her face, while privately sending their actual concerns and true assessment over to the Department.
I’ll admit, I’m not an expert here. Does the Department get involved in every single delay request, or is it reserved for specific cases? (And if so, what kind?) Since there are plenty of people here who are more well-versed in this than I am, I would love some clarification.
The whole story feels full of holes. Either the mom is being evasive about her child's struggles, or she's being dishonest about how smoothly the delay was granted—because if it were that easy, why would the Department even need to step in?
In any case, it's obvious the original poster is holding something back—not that she has to, of course—but if you're coming to a community like this looking for advice and answers, it would be much more helpful to give us the ACTUAL, honest truth of the situation.
Being hyperactive or having minor speech issues (nothing significant enough to require a speech therapist) simply isn't a valid reason for a school delay. So, we are left with two possibilities: either the little one has much deeper issues, or the mother herself is causing trouble, leading the institutions to decide they couldn't just let it slide and instead passed everything along to the Department.

But the question I’m most curious about is this: does the Department call in *everyone* for an interview regarding these delays, or is it just selective?

Kate Cox2 said:To still doesn't quite make sense to me—what role does the Department of Social Services actually play in this whole process? 🤔
My take on the situation is pretty simple: either the child is facing genuine developmental hurdles that truly prevent them from starting school, or the relevant authorities decided they weren't going to play games with this mother. It feels like they might have told her one thing to her face, while privately sending their actual concerns and true assessment over to the Department.
I’ll admit, I’m not an expert here. Does the Department get involved in every single delay request, or is it reserved for specific cases? (And if so, what kind?) Since there are plenty of people here who are more well-versed in this than I am, I would love some clarification.
The whole story feels full of holes. Either the mom is being evasive about her child's struggles, or she's being dishonest about how smoothly the delay was granted—because if it were that easy, why would the Department even need to step in?
In any case, it's obvious the original poster is holding something back—not that she has to, of course—but if you're coming to a community like this looking for advice and answers, it would be much more helpful to give us the ACTUAL, honest truth of the situation.
Being hyperactive or having minor speech issues (nothing significant enough to require a speech therapist) simply isn't a valid reason for a school delay. So, we are left with two possibilities: either the little one has much deeper issues, or the mother herself is causing trouble, leading the institutions to decide they couldn't just let it slide and instead passed everything along to the Department.

But the question I’m most curious about is this: does the Department call in *everyone* for an interview regarding these delays, or is it just selective?

The latter scenario, I think.😉

No, they don't just call CPS in for a chat regarding every single kid who starts school a little late.

urbantinker8 said:The latter scenario, I think.😉

No, they don't just call CPS in for a chat regarding every single kid who starts school a little late.

Because, frankly, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of a local community center getting involved in school deferment issues! It seems perfectly logical to me that they realized they were dealing with someone who simply refuses to cooperate, so they decided to escalate the matter to a higher authority.
If that's actually what's happening, then her absolute panic regarding a call from the local agency makes complete sense to me.

Kate Cox2 said:Because, frankly, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of a local community center getting involved in school deferment issues! It seems perfectly logical to me that they realized they were dealing with someone who simply refuses to cooperate, so they decided to escalate the matter to a higher authority.
If that's actually what's happening, then her absolute panic regarding a call from the local agency makes complete sense to me.

I suppose we're all just working with a bunch of disconnected, weirdly conflicting bits of info here, so any of us could be guessing, but it feels to me like they sensed something was off and just tossed the ball over to Social Services.
I mean, it doesn't really make much sense to me that someone would go down to the center specifically to try and "prove" a diagnosis doesn't exist.😕
I assume these various agencies are at least integrated enough that they can pull those kinds of records with just a few clicks of a mouse.
Having a face-to-face conversation with the person in question is a whole different story, though.

Article 13 serves as the solitary provision where any involvement by the Social Security Administration is mentioned, barring those specific instances involving expert forensic evaluations for more complex cases—which, if I am understanding the original poster correctly, is certainly not what we are dealing with here.