Making the Kindergarten Decision

The time has come in the Washington, DC area for Kindergarten orientation. Where all the parents of rising Kindergartners come to their elementary school to meet their teacher and see the school and experience the joys of Kindergarten.

But I don't know what to do.  My soon to be 5 year old has had some struggles this year.  Academically I know he is ready.  But we may keep him at his preschool which has a Kindergarten, and then send him to the local public school for first grade.  But then I worry that that transition will much harder if he doesn't do it with the rest of the kids.

And then there is a new trend.  "Redshirting," or holding kids back a year.  But my son is a March birthday.  I'm not red shirting a March birthday, and sending him to Kindergarten at 6 and 1/2.  He is going to Kindergarten this year.  The question is, where?

Michael had a difficult time at a previous school earlier in the year and we moved him to Montessori school where he is doing quite well.  The Montessori line is that kids transition better at first grade because Montessori builds up their confidence so much and teaches them so much that they are better prepared for first grade and blah, blah, blah. And that is great, but also, in this economy, what are they going to say to us? Send him somewhere else? I know their answers are going to be self-serving. Don't get me wrong, this school has been fabulous for Michael. He has learned a ton, he is starting to read, his teacher is fantastic (and he would have the same teacher) and I adore the director. He is not having the same behavior problems and the few times a couple of issues have come up they have handled it in a reasoned and thoughtful manner with a very "he is a four year old boy approach" and not a this child is a mess and we have to diagnose him with everything approach.

BUT: 

It is REALLY expensive. And obviously I would do everything I can for my child, but we moved into a neighborhood with a very good public elementary school, can't he just go there since we have done all this testing and there is nothing wrong with this child? And it is so much more convenient, down the street, we can walk to it, instead of a 15 minute drive both ways.

I believe his current school really thinks it his in his best interest to stay there another year.  But I can not put out of my mind that every time they tell me that, they are also looking at another year of tuition dollars.

And more importantly, I really, really, worry about transitioning Michael to public school at first grade. We know he is going to go to public school at some point. Is it better to transition him at Kindergarten when everyone else transitions? Or give him another year to grow up a little? Does one year really matter? 

Michael, if his opinion matters, wants to go to "big boy school."  He talks about it all the time.  As much as I love the Montessori model, I don't know that he ever really took to it.  But do almost five year old's get to make such important decisions in their own lives?

Why is parenting so hard? Can't we just give them some cereal, throw them in front of the tv, and let them raise themselves? Had none of the stuff that happened earlier in the year happened, we would have just been happily sending Michael to the local public school down the street without a second thought. (Well maybe there would be a second thought. Do you know Kindergarten in my school district is a ratio of one to 24? One to 24? That is insane.) 

But all that stuff did happen and I'm not sure ignoring it and pretending it didn't is the answer.

Adapted for DC Metro Moms from Jodi's personal blog jodifur.  Jodi writes, a lot, about being a wife, mother, attorney, and everything in between.  You can also follow Jodi on twitter.