The point of the original piece was that academically redshirting your kid so that they'll be more academically "competitive" later in life is stupid. I was talking about parents who keep their kids out of Kindergarten until the kids are seven or eight.

These parents' reasoning was that if their kids wait until they're seven or eight to start Kindergarten then can you imagine HOW WELL[!!] they'll out preform the other kids?

I didn't say that you should throw your kids into the school system before they're ready and I sure as hell didn't say that school is the only place that a kid can learn. Hell, we're kinda sorta batting around the idea of home schooling Cara so if I thought that the educational system was the answers for every one then why the hell would we be thinking about educating Cara at home?

My mother raced to get me into kindergarten and even lied about my birthdate (12/1 was the cut-off, and I was born on 12/16) to get me in that year. I was 4. I was smaller and more timid than all of my peers through much of school. I grew out of it. I went to college and got a totally useless degree in science, then fell into a career in advertising that lasted for 15 years and allowed me to retire when I was 35. I agree with the comment that said blaming your career path on the age you started kindergarten is like blaming your divorce on the fact that you weren't breastfed. You put your kids in school when you feel they're emotionally and developmentally ready to do so. It's really that simple. I'm not suggesting it's a simple decision -- I have a summer baby and will have to make this choice myself in just a couple short years -- but it isn't as life-threatening as people make it out to be.

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My mother, who is an educator with a double Masters (she's a pretty smart chick), started me at 6, because she felt that I wasn't ready for school yet. My middle sister started at 5, and she's flourished. My youngest sister, a "summer baby" was in no way ready for school. She started at 6. We all did very well. All three of us are successful in our own right.

Furthermore, I seriously do not think tha you can blame your college woes on whether you started school at 5 or 6. Isn't that like blaming your divorce on the fact that you weren't breastfed?

I believe that Crazy's point (and I vaguely remember the article- it WAS July 2007, a lot has happened since then) was that every child is different and you (the proverbial you) shouldn't go with current trends, just because it's the "trendy" thing to do.

I have a little girl born in June and a little boy born in October. When will they start school? Hell, I don't know. Ask me after weaning and potty training. I will make that decision then.

Umm... obviously issues there. Too bad you don't have the BlogHer link.

Each child is different, each family is different. Lots of reasons to red-shirt. Child not mature enough mentally or physically, pre-school advises to hold back, maybe Mommy is not ready for her baby to be in school, maybe the child will be attending an elite private school and red-shirting will offer a competitive advantage of maturity over peers. Some feel children are pushed too hard and feel delaying kindergarten lets kids be kids for awhile longer which I think is what the rant above is about?

My youngest has an Aug 3rd birthday. More than 1/2 of her pre-school peers will be held back next year. She is SO ready for kindergarten. We will not hold her back. And I get surprised looks from parents when I do not hesitate to tell them she will go gladly to kindergarten next year. With two older siblings already in school, mature for her age, already doing kindergarten -level work at home with siblings. I think she would be so bored when she finally entered K if we held her back.

But, one-size does not fit all. And red-shirting is a great thing for those who need it. Just like that red-shirted QB in college, it give them that one extra year to become stars.

I had never heard of redshirting until I read about it on blogs recently. I would think parents would want their kids to be with their peers, not be a year older. I don't see this as an advantage, but as something that will haunt the kid for the rest of his life, always being out of step with his friends. Even if a kid is a little more immature at age five, everyone usually catches up pretty soon.

Why should a child who just turned 5 have to sit all day and pay attention as if they are a child who has just turned 6......you have the rest of your life 2 go 2 school...what is the big deal...i graduated high school at 17..if i was 18 woULD i have known what to do with my life..I majored in social work(than met with a u of Penn grADUATE WHO MADE 14,000 a year as a social worker while I worked as a waitress(this was 1988, then i majored in accounting(Yuck)i was 18 it sounded cool and was popular, I was smart but immature, I waste almost 3 years of college before becoming a perfusionist..i have 5 summer babies.. at 1st, I thought my kid is smart they should go to kindergarten now..just turned 5..... than i realized, but why should they be deprived of that extra crucial year of just enjoying being a kid..i am 40 nows and my last child turns 5 in July, he will be going to kindergaRTEN At 6.. i dont need to force it anymore, i am so much older and wiser!..plus experienced, wealthier, happier, just like my son will be, its not about rushing my son, really, how boring can being 5 be!! Learning is everywhere! Do u really think your kid can only learn in a kindergarten class, schools are good, but get over it, not that good, just try to stop my son from learnin\g, i dare you!!

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