The kindergarten question

John will have another year at home: to grow bigger, gain more life experience, refine his speech, play with his sister and baby brother, take naps, and emotionally mature. After much thought and consideration, we feel that John's school years will be happier and more successful if they don't begin this fall. No kindergarten this year, and I'm glad. Arizona has mandatory full-day kindergarten which means he would be gone all day, eat a sack lunch in the cafeteria, and attend school with kids through the eighth grade--when he's still four-years-old (since the schools start here in the second week of August).

Kids who turn five before September 1 make the "deadline" for starting kindergarten--and John was born at noon on August 31--making John a deadline baby who would be the youngest kid in his class if he started this fall. On top of that, his speech disorder limits his ability to communicate his questions and needs. In developmental preschool, that has not been a problem. Some of those kids!--they have needs. You know? So he's in good company now. But even kindergarteners can be harsh and a teacher in charge of 25 or 30 five-year-olds couldn't help John in the way he needs help if he is to stay with the class. I know, kindergarten is mostly about finger paint and stories, but then there's first grade and second grade and...he would probably struggle every year of his schooling.

Which isn't to say that he won't struggle if he starts kindergarten when he's almost six. It's just that we won't be guaranteeing his struggle.

Happily, he's completely unaware of all the discussing and consulting and weighing of options that have been going on around here. Because he's just a little kid. And I want him to have another year of that. Today he "scrapbooked" with me (ahem, took my stickers and pens and made me quite nervous that he would mark on his album which I was working on), helped me bake bread, played at the library with Hava and a couple other kids, went out for Valentine's treats with the whole family (thanks to Mimi and Papa!), practiced his speech with Starfall.com, listened to stories, did the dishes (see the note on scrapbooking...but this time my kitchen floor was well watered), took a bath, and played with the new love of his life: a stuffed monkey named Jenny. Ah, Jenny. She deserves her own post.

Anyway, he'll be ok. Another year at home, it won't kill him. And hopefully it will help him advance in his speech and regulate his emotions so he can breeze through kindergarten when it comes. We haven't decided exactly what we'll do in the fall. Actually, there are a few other questions in life to answer--or attempt to answer--before we can make that call. I do know that I want it to be laid back because this will be his last year as a small kid without any worries. I want to capitalize on that. So stay tuned!

Meanwhile, here is a video of John reading to Havilah that makes me laugh because it is so real. They are being sweet to each other and then there is a little bit of slapping. Yep, that about sums it up.

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