August baby at a disadvantage to Sept baby?

[peachytacos]

AIBU to think that having a birthday in spring/summer won’t massively affect how successful your child is in school long term?

I completely understand in the first few years at school the difference is significant, as a year is such a large jump, but surely as they grow older it evens out?
I’m ttc no 2 and was speaking to my close friend about it today who told me its mean to ttc this month in case I end up with an August baby
She’s naturally very blunt and doesn’t mean anything nasty by it but she strongly feels that a baby born in August is at a massive disadvantage throughout. I know it’s highly unlikely to happen anyway but it’s made me think.

Thoughts/opinions please!

[AnathemaPulsifer]

Sorry, but statistically it makes a huge difference to educational outcomes. If you think about it they're 25% younger in reception, 20% younger in yr1... they're just not as ready to learn and it does affect GCSE results:

www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/14/what-happened-to-allowing-children-born-in-summer-to-start-school-later

www.nfer.ac.uk/pdf/summer-born.pdf

[winterstail]

I wouldn't want either really.

Pregnant in the hot summer, and it affects birthday celebrations

Spring is best.

[Courgettekatie]

It is statistically a disadvantage but no more than that. I have an August 13h baby in her first year at Bath reading maths and I’m so proud of her. We’d been trying a few months and there was no way I was going to let a month pass ! However it is annoying,last to start driving lessons, can’t do d if e etcand so young in early years. But I made sure my daughter could toilet/ dress etc and she thrived,someone has to be the youngest!

[Rufustherenegadereindeer1]

It also makes a huge difference in sports

Loads of footballers are born in the autumn winter, there are always a few outliers though

And as pp has said it does make a difference educationally, but ability also makes a difference

[KalaLaka]

I'm avoiding it for that reason. I also think just turning 4 is very young to start school. Im struggling to be patient, though!

[Mamabear4180]

I have a July baby and it worries me that she will be so young. I may delay her start in reception.

[Ttbb]

You can always hold them back though if they are struggling or send them later if you think that they are not ready.

[Popsicle434544]

I think it definatly does, my son is end of aug baby and he was also 8wks prem.
He is now year 9 and still behind his peers

[LegallyBrunet]

My fifteen year old brother is an August baby. He was always very immature in comparison to the rest of his class and when he started primary school he had only been four for three weeks and wasn't as ready to learn as the older ones. He's still like this now and he's sitting his GCSEs this year.

[wasMissD]

I'm an August baby and was always one of the top of my class in school. At primary school I helped other kids in my class learn to read! I'm not boasting here btw!
My son is an August baby (born this year) and it isn't something that has even crossed my mind, as I had no issues whatsoever at school.

[TidyDancer]

The statistics do support your friends view. And thinking back to those I went to school with, the most successful did tend to be the September-December borns.

[Happydoingitjusttheonce]

It depends on the kid. My late July lad was more than ready for school socially but not academically. Now in gcse years there’s no difference apparent. I went to school with a girl born on 1st sept who was to be blunt a bit thick and another born on 31 August who is now neurosurgeon. Genes play a huge part

[LeeksPotatoes]

There are always people who can give examples of 'yes' and 'no'.

My supposed-to-be-Sept DC came in Aug and it often comes up in discussion as to whether we will defer school - if prefer not to in the hope we have a good enough support network to help, but would hate to thing come secondary that we did wrong.

[Imfinehowareyou]

It depends on the child. I am late august born and thrived at school. I went in the days of staggered entry so didn't begin until after Easter but I was chomping at the bit to get there. Loved it so much I became a teacher! I have mainly taught year 3 and found that by that age the birth month is irrelevant to academic ability.

[Whatsername17]

My dd1 is a very late July baby. She's fine academically (in the top 5% of her class) but there is a noticeable difference in her emotional maturity to some of the September born kids. My dh was an August baby and he always out performed his peers. The research proves that, across the population as a whole, it is a indisputable disadvantage. But, if you struggle to get pregnant you really won't give a shit when their birthday is when you finally see those lines on a pregnancy test.

[MomToWedThorFriday]

I have a Sept baby and I am SO grateful for it! His year younger peers you can really see the difference, sorry.

[Rebeccaslicker]

I know many ridiculously bright high achieving people who have July/August birthdays! I think it depends on the child and other factors like the school and the support at home TBH.

[Fluffyunicorns]

My son is a July baby and although they say boys are also at a disadvantage he left school with three A* A levels as he was mature by then (and enjoyed the subjects). The GCSEs were not so hot though!

[shushpenfold]

Nope, your friend is right. Late Aug DS here and made a massive difference for years.

[BitchQueen90]

Probably depends on the child. I was August born and it was something I never even noticed at school. I was in top set for everything and my GCSE results were in the top 25% for the year. I wasn't behind emotionally either, had a good friendship group and fitted in with my peers. It's up to you, all kids are different.

[Forgettheworld]

My DS is an end of August baby he was actually due 2nd September but was born early. I was absolutely distraught about it at the time because of what I’d heard regarding education. He is 5 now and in year 1 and he does really struggle at school, he acts more immature then most of his other class mates plus when it’s his birthday most people are on holiday and are unable to come. Saying that though I know quite a few older people with July/August birthdays and all have successful jobs and did well at school so maybe in the end it’s just down to the individual.

[malvinandhobbes]

My September boy has massive advantage. He is taller, stronger, and faster than others not because he is able but because he is older. He internalises this, though, and believes himself capable.

We also have an August girl. She's too young to know yet if it will be a problem. She is VERY tall, thought, so I figure she might blend better being younger. She may struggle, but I'm glad we got the August baby. She's divine. I did think about waiting a month to TTC, but we were old and thought waiting was foolish.

[FannyWincham]

Statistically, it does make a difference at a population level. Anecdotes don't cancel this out but FWIW my August-born DD is thriving at school while her September-born best friend kicks her heels, bored out of her mind in another year of pre-school.

However, as a wider point I think it is very foolish to attempt to micromanage your children's lives down to the date of their birth. One colleague was terribly smug at her carefully planned September due date but her baby was born six weeks prem in a very scary series of circumstances that I wouldn't wish on anyone. Thankfully everyone is now healthy but she ended up with an August baby after all.

Hopefully you will conceive swiftly but if you do have difficulties then I think that you will look back and regret not trying in the next few months.