Redshirting Children for School

When it comes to gaming things for their children, some parents come up with unique strategies.

For a long time, some parents would try to start their child's educational career by starting them in school early, so that they would complete their elementary and secondary education early; and start college at 16 or 17 rather than 18.

But lately, some parents have latched onto the strategy of redshirting their children: starting them in kindergarten or first grade a year later than anticipated. This has them in preschool (if available) at an older age than most.

These little moppets thus are likely to have a competitive edge as compared to their slightly younger classmates, both in terms of size and maturity. It's a calculated strategy in terms of both their physical and maturational abilities being somewhat advanced when they are a year older.

However, here's a possible fly in this ointment: the financial ability of parents to afford doing this may further the gap between parents who can afford to do this, and others. Preschools often cost extra.

There is a further possibility that this type of approach might boomerang if there is a critical optimal period for some learning experiences to take place; however, a year's difference is not likely to matter.

Anyway, it is amazing to what lengths some parents may go to in gaming the system. This is a whole new area for educational outcome research.