Opps - I have posted this in the baby section instead of toddler, so I have re-posted now in the correct toddler section (didn't know how to change, or if can change categories without re-posting). Thank you for the members who have replied, it was much appreciated, thank you!


Good luck to all the little preppies who started this year!
My question is.. Has, or did anyone defer the start of prep so that your toddler will be (or is) 6 years when they start school...and how are you feeling about it having made that decision to defer their start of school?

My 4 year old just turned 5 in Jan has just started pre-prep and will therefore be 6 when starts prep. Her intelligence is up their with all the 5 year olds but does need to work on her maturity (lol, what 5 year old doesn't?!). It was mainly for her age and long term benefit later in school that helped with my decision to defer. I was very comfortable with that decision and still feel it is the right decision for her development... But now that she has started pre-prep she is the oldest one in her class and most won't turn 5 until towards end of year. I have now fleeting thoughts of doubt, but am still overall comfortable with this big decision.

Am really interested to hear from others who are doing or have made this decision to delay start of prep and how you're feeling about it, good and bad.

Thanks!

yes we have done the same for our dd (also Jan. birthdate)
I know at the moment it seems a bit strange (when all the other kids are sooo little) as she too is one of the oldest - but we feel moving forward and looking at the lonnnng term..it will be best for her
ie. when she is in her final year of school she will be 18 so able to go to schoolies etc. if you put her ahead a year she wouldn;t be old enough to go in November/December - I know it sounds silly, but i would rather she be of age, then underage
- also, when it comes to puberty, i would rather she be older/the same age as her peers in class, rather than the youngest (if you put her up a year)
hope this helps
ps if she gets bored of her schoolwork ie. seems academically advanced, she can do more reading, or the teacher can give her extra years work

Yes. My boy is 5 on Thursday. We put him in 3 year old kinder, (Vic) even though he missed out on the cut off a few days. The kinder teacher reccommended him repeating 3 year old kinder, so he's just gone up to 4 year old this year.
A girlfriend with a little girl the same age as mine said it well, she said in know she'll cope, but I don't want her just to cope, I want her to do well.
I am having a heart attack as he'll be the boy who's 18 the whole of year twelve and probably driving. And maybe drinking, and may not focus on his studies, but in saying that, he might go into a trade and it won't be an issue???

Yep we did here to. DD just started prep on fri and she turns 6 in Feb. I have no regrets doing it either. She definatly would have been fine to start last year but when i went to a deferment info nght they mae very good points that it probably wont be in the early years of school that the problems arise with starting younger it will be high school were issues will come up.

I also didnt want her to be younger than everyone else and i think that the extra year has really given her so much extra confidence as well.

Of all of the people i have spoken to who kept their kids from starting early NONE of them regret it but those who did start them early said that they wished they had kept them back mainly due to social issues n high school.

Whats one more year, it's one extra year that they get to be a little kid for before all of the dramas of school smile