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Original poster

Is having an August baby really so terrible?

273 replies

SunflowerOwl · 17/04/2021 21:18

I'm expecting my first DD in late August. I'm so excited and thrilled.

But people keep telling me I should 'keep my legs crossed' until September as summer babies are at a massive disadvantage when they start school, they will be a year younger etc.

Aside from the fact that theres very little I can do about when she decides to arrive, is it really so terrible? People are starting to make me feel like I've set my child up to fail already and it's making me feel pretty crap.

OP posts:
DelilahTheParrot · 18/04/2021 07:48

@hamandcgeese

@RichTeaCheddars have you actually asked if you can do this?

my baby is summer born, I'm thinking I'll send her for last term of reception

Oblomov21 · 18/04/2021 07:51

It's significant in Reception and Year 1, because the children are almost a year older than others, and developmentally that often makes a huge difference.

Not always, some August norms are very advanced, but normally, yes, it does make a significant difference.

randomsabreuse · 18/04/2021 07:51

They're not compulsory school age until 5 so you can't be fined for holidays in the first year. You also "can" start whenever so long as they start in that year (but why would you?). I think a lot of the disadvantage in the cohort studies stem from summer born children getting less time in reception. Not sure when it stopped but when I went to school there were 3 intakes a year.

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spacegirl86 · 18/04/2021 07:52

As a teacher: we do see a gap in the early years of primary. However this is often down to their individual maturity and now you can defer if you think she will find it easier having another preschool year. However, it is much less of a factor than other things, such as parental involvement. So take an interest in her education, read daily and talk about what she is learning and she will be fine.

As an august born baby myself I did struggle a little at primary school. Needed some extra support(although I'm also dyslexic so that didn't help) Come secondary school i got straight As and studied Physics at Oxford. Children all develop at different paces. Having to sneak into pubs was a pain tho!

Oh and for what it's worth I have a July baby. I'm not worried.

Lulu1919 · 18/04/2021 07:55

August babies are the same as any other baby ..they need lots of love
Don't let others 'stories' cloud your time and head
She will be perfectly fine WHEN the time comes for her to start school

I'm a TA with 20 years experience and seriously we have August babies who are top of the class !!!!

BasinHaircut · 18/04/2021 07:56

DS august born. I agree that he was noticeably less mature than some of his classmates for the first term, but he has never struggled academically. Although less mature he also never struggled socially.

I don’t think it’s worth worrying about yet OP. You just don’t know what your DD will be like and IMO someone always has to be the youngest at school, that’s just how it is.

Whatisshe · 18/04/2021 07:59

I have a mid august son, he’s doing brilliantly at school. Seems to be in the top sets for most things so far.
I felt really anxious reading into it too much and considered sending him at CSA (compulsory school age - 5, you can request for them to start in reception), and I felt a lot of guilt reading about how summerborns struggle but honestly I’m soooo glad he started when he did. He’s pretty bright and was reading early and seems happy in his friendship group. It’s totally down to the individual. I know other aug borns in his year who were slow to start but have caught up.
Don’t stress about it too much, you’ll have an idea of how they’ll adapt to school once they’re in preschool

LizziesTwin · 18/04/2021 07:59

My dd (19) didn’t like not being able to go to Brownies when her friends started, couldn’t learn to drive, couldn’t go to the school leavers ball & drink alcohol, couldn’t go interrailing until most of her friends had come back. Definitely a disadvantage socially being the youngest in the year.

She was also very small and so physically much smaller than most of the others, fitted in physically with the year below. Starting puberty later meant her brain development was behind that of her contemporaries. She did well at school and has developed great determination which she might not have done had she coasted.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 18/04/2021 07:59

I tend to think those that really freak out about having august born children are competitive parents who want their child to be the best in the class. Unless physically not ready I don’t see why you would hold a child back a year, most LA will still put them back into their rightful year they will just miss reception which won’t help.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 18/04/2021 08:01

I know my child will hate me though when she’s due to be17 and she can’t learn to drive like her friends or when she’s waiting to turn 18- however I already plan to say at least all her friends will be able to attend her 18thbday, as an October baby I had to go out with my older sister for mine! Grin

LouLou198 · 18/04/2021 08:01

No, it will be fine. DD 2 born end of August, started full time school nursery when she had only just turned 3. School when she had just turned 4. No issues at all, she is 5 now and is achieving academically exactly what she should, and is excelling in some areas. Haven't noticed any difference between her and eldest dc who was almost 5 when she started school. I also had less time paying childcare fees with DD 2 as school nursery was free!! If you are really worried you can always defer for a year.

Whatisshe · 18/04/2021 08:03

@OnlyFoolsnMothers
I agree with you about the parents. But that’s not true about making them miss reception. Most LAs will give permission to start reception at CSA (aged 5)

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 18/04/2021 08:05

[quote Whatisshe]@OnlyFoolsnMothers
I agree with you about the parents. But that’s not true about making them miss reception. Most LAs will give permission to start reception at CSA (aged 5)[/quote]
Oh I heard diff- would the LA then honour another year of 30 free hrs childcare?

firstimemamma · 18/04/2021 08:11

Former early years teacher here. It can sometimes be a bit of a disadvantage to be one of the youngest in the class but it definitely doesn't have to be! I taught a boy born on 31st august and he did really well.

My own son was born mid-august (still a toddler so not in school yet) and we are really happy. I try to focus on the bright side - for example the majority of birthdays in our family / friendship group fall in the winter so at least our ds' birthday brings some balance!

Everything will be fine op Smile

Theworldisfullofgs · 18/04/2021 08:16

I have a mid August boy.

Ks1 struggled a bit. Wasn't ready for school and you couldn't defer then. Was slightly below. He spent less than 5 months in pre school because of age cut off points.

Started to blossom yr4 onwards. Yr 6 was working at or slightly above.
Found yr7 a bit tough but new school with no one he really new. Yr 8 started to do well- won school prize for progress. Yr10 doing well - top set sciences and maths.

He was bothered about not growing as quickly as some of his friends but this year shot up.

Try not to worry. I think the biggest thing is to keep reinforcing their self belief, particularly in primary. In my dds year the top group were all Sept and Oct birthdays except her (she's March). That tells you it's mostly down to exposure and practice and the reinforcing nature of that on self belief.
If you keep going they get there in the end...focus on rewarding effort and not results.
But apart from the academic stuff (which quite frankly isn't everything), my ds is just the loveliest and most fun.

MysteriousMonkey · 18/04/2021 08:23

Academically my late August baby is more than fine. Her social and emotional development would have been easier if she were the year below. I was induced. If I could do it again I'd wait three days.

Babdoc · 18/04/2021 08:23

My DD was an August baby. She was reading at 2, writing stories and doing arithmetic at 3. She got 5 straight As in her Highers, 5 straight As in her Advanced Highers, (sat one of them a year early!) got a Maths degree from Durham and is now pulling £52K as a risk analyst.
So no, not disadvantaged at all.
If you’re concerned, OP, simply teach your child the basics of the three Rs yourself, before starting school.

MiaowMiaow99 · 18/04/2021 08:27

Welcome to motherood! This is the start of conflicting opions from family, friends and work colleagues for at least 10 years!
Joking aside, MN is a great place to come to put your mind at rest and de bunk some of the crazy theories you're going to be told.

Aprilinspringtimeshower · 18/04/2021 08:28

Eldest is august boy. It is a non issue and scare mongering. If you are a supportive parent then your child will be fine. Don’t baby them like you expect them to be behind. Kids are sponges, they’ll be fine in dealing with the learning and social interaction. And beside most kids usually doing all that in nurseries these days anyway,
The ONLY dis-advantage I can see is that my son (with a degree) has to work a year longer than his September colleagues with degrees before he gets his pension. They started work at nearly 22 he started at barely 21 but they’ll retire when they’re 68, or 98 or whatever it is by then😲😉😉 not sure he’s actually twigged that yet despite being 26 🤣

HarrassedMumof3 · 18/04/2021 08:29

I have an August born daughter. Have a look at the research on summer born children rather than people's individual experiences, which will always differ. There's a great Facebook group for parents of summer borns which has lots of links.
I deferred my daughter and it was right for her. If that's what you decide to do, inform yourself about the system and your rights so you can navigate it.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 18/04/2021 08:30

I was born August 31st and had absolutely no issues at school. I did better than most of my friends.

EmmaJR1 · 18/04/2021 08:34

It's an actually study but what it doesn't compare is like with like.

Sometimes that August baby is being compared to a child 11 months older.

Some children regardless of age need some support in learning but that doesn't mean they are behind. And I don't think it's anything to do with birth month.

Cuntryhouse · 18/04/2021 08:40

I commented at the start of the thread that my August born dd would have been happier in the year below and how lockdown hadn't helped. Guess what? We moved schools and she's now in a mixed class of her year, the year below and the year above. Great for her, best of both worlds!

skeggycaggy · 18/04/2021 08:46

[quote DelilahTheParrot]@hamandcgeese

@RichTeaCheddars have you actually asked if you can do this?

my baby is summer born, I'm thinking I'll send her for last term of reception[/quote]
Yes you can.

crossstitchingnana · 18/04/2021 08:48

Statistically summer born babies do fare worse at school, always playing catch up. However, my dd17 is about to do A levels and was always top set at primary school. For her I would say I noticed it at the end of a long term, she would be so much more tired than my other children. Also, I think she lags behind emotionally. However, I have always thought there must me more pressure on the older ones. And your baby will get nicer weather for future birthdays.