Our third-born started Kindergarten this year. I figured I’d be a pro by now, after surviving the big day twice before. Kid #3 should be easy. Right? Wrong. On the first day of school, our sweet, soulful 5-year-old hung up his backpack, found his desk and solemnly said good-bye to us as if he were [...]

Will your child be one of the youngest in her Kindergarten class this fall? Or will he be one of the oldest? Whether your child is “early born,” “late born,” or somewhere in between, parents are worrying about finding the “perfect” age to start Kindergarten. The media is full of alarming statistics about supposed benefits [...]

I couldn’t help noticing Mattie and Sophie, adorable 4-year-old twin girls at our preschool. Obviously fraternal, Mattie had stick-straight hair bejeweled with sparkly clips (and the occasional tiara). She wore her tutu to school daily in hopes of an afternoon ballet lesson. Mattie leapt into action with her friends in the classroom without so much [...]

In parenting, many decisions are easy: Don’t run into the street. Take turns with your friends. But many of the most important decisions AREN’T easy, including when to start Kindergarten. Will she be ready? Or is it best to wait? When it comes to tricky parenting dilemmas, there usually isn’t a “perfect” decision. Starting Kindergarten [...]