I’m sad.  Summer is almost over.  It feels like it just started.  Where did the time go?  In just a week, I’ll be walking PJ to school and sending her off to 2nd grade!  It feels like yesterday and we were sending her off to preschool.

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And yes, yet again, it’s another new school…

My poor PJ.  This kid has moved more schools and more houses than I care to admit.  I wonder sometimes if we’ve created a future “vagabunda”, a gypsy [traveler, if you will], or if, perhaps all this moving will make her more grounded.

Whatever the case, she’s heading to a new school, a new teacher and a new grade.  And even though she finished the school year with all 4’s and all E’s, I can’t help but wonder, is she ready?  Will she be at the top of her class again this year?  Are these kids smarter than the last bunch?  Did she study enough over summer?  Did she fall behind?  Should I get her off Club Penguin right now and make her do a worksheet?

And then there’s that damn question she keeps asking, “Mom, what’s average?” I mean, I don’t know why she asks that.  It’s not like we talk about, yeah, so and so is average or above average or whatever.  Who talks like that?  Anyway, it’s really  hard to explain “average” to a 7 year old.  But see, I’m worried about her ‘standing’ in the class and she’s obviously concerned about being “average”, so here you go.  What the hell is wrong with us!?!?

Then I read this CNN article about tutoring preK kids and Kindergarten “red-shirting” or holding back purposefully and I realized, we might be a bit over zealous, but we ain’t nuts!  These kids are in preschool and have tutors?  What in the world?  Then I remembered, when PJ started Kindergarten, there were a number of parents, acquaintances and coworkers whom expressed to me that they were planning on keeping their 5 year old back another year because they were “a young 5 year old”.  OK, so isn’t that what a Kindergartner is, a 5 year old?

Well, yes, but I was told that if they hold them back a year, they will have an advantage later on.  They’ll have another year of preschool, another year to mature and another year to learn social skills that are more in line with a 1st grader.  So technically, they’ll be a 1st grader in Kindergarten.  Am I missing something here?

Yes, we push PJ.  I mean, I did print out a bunch of 2nd grade worksheets from the Internet and she did do some additional math stuff over break to try and bring her math skills up to the level of her reading.  Well, truthfully, we started out good, but haven’t quite accomplished much in the last month or so.  Oh, and yes, I did do a reading assessment on her.  Made me proud to see her at a 5th grade level, I won’t lie, but really it helped us get a reading list that is more in line with her actual level, not too hard, not too easy. Yeah, I’m talking and trying to make myself sound ‘less’ zealous.  I’ll shut up now because my foot is in my mouth.

OK, back to Kindergarten red-shirting.  Is this helping or hurting your child?  Are we gonna have a generation of 20 year olds graduating from High School?  Today’s teens seem so immature as it is.  As a parent, shouldn’t we be there to pick up our kids, dust ’em off, pat them on the rear end and hustle ’em back into the real world?  I mean, we’re parents, not offensive lineman.  At some point the quarter back gets sacked.  Then what?  Does he just lay on the ground?  I sure as hell hope not!

Last year, there were about 6 kids that turned 8 in 1st grade.  I’ll be interested to see how this year goes.  I’ll be even more interested to see how Kindergarten is for MJ.  It won’t affect her much, her birthday is late.  Technically, she has an advantage.  Ah well, we still have 3 years to go.  It seems so far away, but then I remind myself.  Look how fast this summer flew by.  Jeez, maybe I should get MJ a tutor now!  Give her a 4 year advantage.  What do you think?