youngest in class worries

motherofstudents

Takes me back a bit ! I had one son born in September and one in August so one of the youngest and one of the oldest. It didn't seem to make much difference and they both sailed through school and uni doing Masters and PhD so you have to look at these things long term. I know it seems like a long way off when they are only 4 but it comes round quicker than you ever think. Just make learning fun and don't push too much, they will be fine.

krlyr

I'm a bit late to the club, but I was the youngest in year (literally, born 8.30pm on 31st August - I think the cutoff was 31st August back then rather than early Sept) and I don't feel I suffered for it at all. Infact (I don't mean to brag but just to reassure you) when I was about 8 or 9, I had a reading age of 15 or over (the test only went up to age 15 I think), I was forever checking my older (2 years) brother's homework for him, and in secondary school I was put forward for quite a few extracurricular activities, e.g. going to a Uni for a maths-related seminary type thing, I was put in an advanced class in maths with several other students who were above the average level, etc.
I can't say I recall feeling any negatives to being the youngest in the year - infact, I remember thinking that at least it opened my options in terms of boys, when everyone was in that immature teen stage that made dating someone younger than you seem like such a terrible thing to do - there'd literally be no guy younger than me in my year, unlike the girls who were the older of the students :rotfl: Your lad will have an advantage - date someone in his year and he gets the credit of having an older girlfriend (I'm sure lads see it far cooler that way around!), or he could go for a girl in the year below without there being a huge age difference, and less competition from his friends! Think of the positives :rotfl:

Seriously, I imagine now is the kind of age you may notice the biggest difference but as he gets older he will do fine, I'm sure. Would there be any option of holding him back a year if it really is a struggle? It might ease your mind knowing that the option is there if it's needed.

wannabeasupersaver

Writing in the early years is all about developing the appropriate muscle control so extra big movements like painting the walls outside with water etc are excellent for this. Boys 'generally' do not connect with writing unless there is a purpose behind it. My DS has just turned 4, making him one of the older ones in Nursery and while he loves reading and maths he cant stand writing unless its involved in what he is doing playwise. So things like playing garage (he loves cars!) and putting out little bits of paper that can be called 'invoices' or 'mechanics reports' gets him wanting to do some writing. Writing in a tray full of glitter/sand/ paint is also a good way of getting the movements right. My little one loves playing hopscotch so he now writes the numbers down using chalk in the back yard instead of me. If you are looking for writing equipment then you are looking towards the chunky pens/ pencils/ crayons. I still use these for my Year 1 children as the thin standard pens and pencils can cause handache as it is harder for them to hold. Don't worry too much about though, over time he will start to write even if its not his favourite thing to do.

FBaby

not all all- and we will see won't we!

See what? That because you kindly insured to only give birth to a child born in Autumn, he is bound to do well at school?

Paddles

zoesmummy_2006 wrote: »

paddles thats my sons birthday too

were you hoping he'd be born on the 8th so he'd be 8/8/8? I was but all mine (except the last one) were so late!

It has occured to me that actually my 8 year old did have a few issues at first, not so much with academic stuff but with being so small and not very athletic compared to some of the other boys. I think maybe that's why for the first year or so he was mostly friends with girls...

Obviously that has all changed now and he's as rough as the rest of the boys his age! and loud too!

kelfen

If he likes creative work, how about using the camera to take some pictures of things and getting him to use the computer to write a story, so he doesn't have the pressure on him to write but he can still get his ideas out and see them on the page without getting frustrated?
Lego works particularly well - the instructions and putting it together increases identification, fine motor and hand eye skills which can then grow into being more confident with a pencil (they do the big chunky pencils and crayons in Poundland for him, and all the girly bits for your DD so she's not left out)

shirlgirl2004

sammy_wheeler wrote: »

massive amount of research out there to say that 'September's child will be a success while August's child will have all the stress."
exactly my reason for not ttc this month- and ttc next month instead.
this article is really good- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15490760 it mentions about teachers being helpful and sympathatic to the children who are nearly a year behind the other children in the class, and recgnosing that its not their fault, so patience on their part

It's articles like that which made me feel sad when my DD was born a few days early right at the end of August. However she started school a few days after turning 4 with a reading age of 8. She complained she was bored because the work was too easy. Really every child is different and you don't know how your child will be until it's here. Treat every child as an individual regardless of birthdate.

zoesmummy_2006

Paddles wrote: »

were you hoping he'd be born on the 8th so he'd be 8/8/8? I was but all mine (except the last one) were so late!

It has occured to me that actually my 8 year old did have a few issues at first, not so much with academic stuff but with being so small and not very athletic compared to some of the other boys. I think maybe that's why for the first year or so he was mostly friends with girls...

Obviously that has all changed now and he's as rough as the rest of the boys his age! and loud too!

God no, by the time the 27th came round I was crying with relief as I was booked in for a c-section and had been in slow labour for the previous 5 days and barely slept. The hospital had sent me home once, and I was practically begging for the spinal by the time I got there on the 27th.

Hes the tiniest boy in class, but boy he knows how to play with the boys-i'd never seen a bruised back of earlobe til he started school, still have no idea how it happened lol.

jacqhale

Ds is August baby and I used to worry about him too. He was tired all the time in reception and so run down I think it contributed to quite a severe illness. BUT he loved school and while he "struggled" slightly more with the academic side he was one of the most sociable.
He is now in year 2 and each year he makes massive leaps ahead in his work that seem to come from nowhere. We don't do much during the summer holidays, always seem so busy. Then I have a massive panic thinking we are letting him down and not giving him enough support, then I can't explain it but he just seems to get the last year's work click into place from nowhere! I just put it down to him getting older and each year the gaps in the class get less and less.

On my experience I would say relax, don't worry, encourage where you can and it will fall into place!

Janepig

lilymay1 wrote: »

Many children do not arrive on their due date. By that logic, you should avoid TTC for the next 4 months as a baby born at any point after about 25 weeks would still hopefully survive.

I purposely skipped a month when I was TTC with DS as I didn't want a Christmas baby. He was due on 28 January 2006. Guess who decided to arrive on Boxing Day? The best laid plans and all that!

Jx