Late Birthdays and Late Bloomers—
By Becky McLachlan
(If you missed Part 1, catch it here: Toilet Paper, Zippers and Drop-Offs—How to Keep the Class of 2039 from Bombing Day One. We covered zippers, wiping, lunchboxes, and tear-free drop-offs. Now let’s tackle the two questions I get asked the absolute most once parents realize their kid is actually going to kindergarten.)
So now your kid is a pro at zippers, can potty on their own like a champ, masters lunchtime, and handles drop-off drama-free. Awesome job, mama (and dad!). Now let’s talk the bigger decisions that can change their entire school experience.
Are you worried that your September/October baby will miss the birthday cutoff and have to wait another year to start school? Trust me and thousands of teachers and parents of older kids who will tell you that begging the school district to let them in early isn’t always in their best interest. Even if they already know how to do all the things I’ve mentioned in Part 1, social skills play a big part in helping them be a successful student beyond the years of kindergarten. Instead of them being the youngest in the class, they will be on the older side of being 5. Waiting means they’re more likely to be a leader helping their peers and fully ready to tackle the academic side of things.
Fun fact: boys are redshirted (a.k.a. starting school at around age six) way more often than girls—sometimes twice as much—because they tend to mature a little slower. I remember a student whose August birthday barely squeaked him in—he was the smallest, cried every day for weeks, and spent the year playing social-emotional catch-up. His little brother, born the next September, waited the extra year. Same family, same parenting—night-and-day difference. The older one is now thriving in middle school; the younger one walked into kindergarten calm, confident, and ready to lead the pack. So soak up every last second of those baby snuggles and use the gift of time to make them rock-solid ready.
While we’re talking readiness—swap tablet time for real-life play every day, or do your best to scrap it altogether. Building with blocks, pretending with dolls, helping with household tasks, or running outside beats any app for the brain connections kindergarten demands. If you want to know more about why this is so important, be sure to check out my article: Unplugging Childhood: Reclaiming Connection in a Digital Age.
Alright, it’s time to address the elephant in the room—or rather, the cute, tiny elephant who’s happily playing with blocks while the rest of the group is circling up for story time. What if, despite your best efforts, your little one isn’t quite keeping pace with their peers once school starts? It happens more than you think, and it’s not a sign that you’ve failed as a parent. Kindergarten is a big adjustment, and kids develop at their own quirky speeds. The key is spotting the signs early and jumping in with some loving, proactive steps to help.
Talk to your pediatrician, and even if they blow you off like you are a silly, first-time, over-worried parent, trust your gut and get them tested. Diagnosis doesn’t automatically mean medicating your child; there are lots of interventions available for little ones to help them progress toward meeting important developmental milestones. Not sure where to start? Just Google “[your state] Child Find” or call your local elementary school and say, “I think my child might need an evaluation.” School districts have to test within 60 days. It’s free in every state, and you don’t need a doctor’s note. I’ve seen kids qualify for just 30 minutes of speech a week and leap forward—don’t worry about labels or what feels like deficits; remember that you are providing extra tools they need to succeed.
Listen—the truth is that kindergarten isn’t just a pop quiz on letter sounds; it’s a whole lot of knowing your kid is ready to say, “I got this.” Whether your kid starts at 5 or 6, whether they need a little extra help or sail right through, you’re already doing the most important thing: caring enough to think about this now. That’s the real kindergarten readiness—having a parent in their corner. And you’ve got this.
So get comfy, grab a picture book, a yogurt pouch, set up a drop-off playdate. By next fall, they’ll strut in like they own the place—and you’ll be confident that your kid is going to rock that first day of school!
