I had my daughter tested for early admittance to kindergarten because she missed the cutoff date by almost two months. When it came down to the final decision for early entrance, the school said no even though she did better than 98 percent of the children eligible for kindergarten. The school said it was better for her to be a little bored and at the top of her class than to challenge her and have her do "average" work.
The child is now in first grade and tests at third-grade level, but she gets bored more easily than I believe is right for a child. I am afraid that by not forcing the issue with the school, we have in some way harmed her and robbed her of a more positive school experience. Do you understand the school's decision better than I do? - Puzzled
Answer: Schools set age guidelines and are very reluctant to make exceptions because no one has a crystal ball that indicates how a bright but young child will be handling school academically, socially and emotionally by third or fourth grade. We certainly don't like this school's attitude that a bright child will not necessarily do well if he or she is one of the youngest in the class. This just isn't true.
It is pointless to keep worrying about the kindergarten-enrollment decision. There is no one perfect decision for all children. Remember, being the youngest in the class doesn't work for all children. Move on now to asking the school what can be done to challenge your child. There's always the possibility of her skipping a grade or taking some classes with second- or even third-graders. Also, what have you been doing at home to enrich the curriculum for her? Parents share the responsibility of expanding their bright children's horizons along with schools.