October Editor's Letter

My older was born mid-July. I knew from day one that with a summer birthday we would not send her to kindergarten until she was 6. Why? At the time, my reasoning was simple. After 10 years of teaching elementary school (many of those spent teaching first grade) I never once had a parent come up to me and say, “I regret having waited to start my child in school.” Every year I did have parents come to me and say, “I wish I would have waited.”  Once I saw how quickly the years sped by, I was doubly glad we decided to wait, as five years just weren’t enough with her before I had to share her with the world. So my “red-shirted” kindergartener was always one of the oldest kids in her class and, to this day, it’s never been an issue. My younger was born in October, so she started kindergarten at 5 but is on the older end of her grade, for which, again, I’m thankful.  If you have a summer child, you may be tossing around the idea of when to start him or her. Check out Lauren Greenlee’s article for some thought-provoking ideas on the benefits of waiting. As always, you are your child’s parent and you know best whether waiting is the right choice for your family.

Aforementioned delayed kindergartener is now a senior in high school! Having worked with elementary-aged kids in my professional life before having children, I felt comfortable with and fairly well equipped to parent that age. Teens? They are an entirely different ball of wax. As with a lot of parenting, you learn on the fly and as you go. Gina Klein, who, like I, is in the midst of parenting two teen girls, offers some helpful tips.

Fall is in full swing, and there’s so much to do! Use our KC Pumpkin Patch Guide to help make the most of your family’s fall fun! Happy fall, KC!