(I originally posted this in the baby section...opps, should've been in toddler..). So here is the post...(and thank you to the members who have responded, it was much appreciated!).

Good luck to all the little preppies who started this year!

My question is.. Has, or did anyone defer the start of prep so that your toddler will be (or is) 6 years when they start school...and how are you feeling about it having made that decision to defer their start of school?

My 4 year old just turned 5 in Jan has just started pre-prep and will therefore be 6 when starts prep. Her intelligence is up their with all the 5 year olds but does need to work on her maturity (lol, what 5 year old doesn't?!). It was mainly for her age and long term benefit later in school that helped with my decision to defer. I was very comfortable with that decision and still feel it is the right decision for her development... But now that she has started pre-prep she is the oldest one in her class and most won't turn 5 until towards end of year. I have now fleeting thoughts of doubt, but am still overall comfortable with this big decision.

Am really interested to hear from others who are doing or have made this decision to delay start of prep and how you're feeling about it, good and bad.

Thanks!

hi i am thinking of deferring my dd, she did 3 & 4 yr old kindy and this year started prep but thinking of pulling her out and holding off till next year, its only been 2 weeks. we all thought she was ready but now not really sure at all. she seems to pick things up pretty easy but now big school is here we not sure, her kindy teahcer last year never really talked to us so we dont know what she thought. her 3 yr old kindy teacher thought she may have been bored if we held her off the extra 12 months but there was no way of telling.
she is the second youngest in her class only 1 boy younger than her, they both started off really excited to start school but they also very quiet now. we have a meeting with her teacher and principal and will go from there.
we were asked when signing up toi kindy whihc year did we want as we had the option of starting school this year or next year due to her birthday.

Hi mummy&bubba, how'd you go with your decision? Did you end up pulling your little one out of prep? One of the reasons why I'm comfortable with dd not starting prep this year is her age, she would end up being one of the youngest as well and I don't think would have the confidence or opportunity to stand strong with the older kids. Although she is academically switched on, I know she will benefit greatly from another year of playbased learning. I want my dd to "cope well"...not "just coping".