Disappointed in a Summer child

[Fayegirl]

I am due a baby very soon, we had been trying for a couple of years to get pregnant and so we're delighted to find out we were expecting. Our due date is in August which initially didn't matter to me, except being heavily pregnant in the heat, however a few "friends" have made comments that he'll be one of the youngest in his year group and will struggle. One actually said it was a "shame" he wasn't conceived a month later to have a September birthday. This has really brought me down and made me feel quite sad about the pregnancy and worry that'll I'll feel this way when he is born and then starting school etc. My partner thinks I'm being silly and that I should just be happy we have a healthy baby on the way. Has anyone else felt this way? Did the feelings go when they got a bit older?

It’s not an issue. They can start reception the September after they turn 5. Sometimes it’s a faff to organise and you need to fight for it but for other schools it’s simple.

If when your baby gets to school age there are options.

nothing you can do about it now anyway. Enjoy your baby. I say that as an august born, and my littlest starting school this year as a July baby. He is more than ready too.

It's really not a big deal. You won't care when baby arrives. Plus they'll never be at school on their birthday which is cool and having a birthday in the summer is nice because it's not too close to Xmas and you can have parties outside......... lots of positives

You can always delay them starting school by a year anyway I think x

Ignore your friend. I'm an August baby and not being big headed but I've got a very good iq so being youngest in his year won't mean jack. Enjoy him and don't listen to stupid comments from people who don't know better.

Being youngest in the school year group does NOT always mean that a child will struggle .

DS and his friends all summer birthdays - all fine

Personally I hated the additional expectations upon me as a September child

Nonsense. Plenty of August babies grow into successful adults. Not everyone has the luxury of deliberately conceiving to give birth at certain times! It'll be fine.

Silly comment from a friend. I was always envious of a girl I went to uni with. She was the youngest in the year AND went through the French school system so was a year younger… combined, she was a full two years younger than me, and graduating at the same time. I felt I had been robbed of two years! So, seeing it as a head start, I think it’s a huge advantage. Best of luck with baby 🥂💕

The first couple of years at school are so play based it doesn't matter. My son was 4y and 3w when he started school. He was fine. Loads of tiny babies I know go to full time nursery 8am to 6pm so schools nothing.

Total rubbish. Nephew an august baby and they had to put him with the year above for maths by the time he was 5. It's to do with so much more than when they're born. And a years less childcare before they're in full time education vs a September baby.

DH and one of my DS's friends are August babies - if it matters they are clever as clever can be and over time that difference of eg 10 months matters less and less. Summer birthday will be lovely . I worried about DS being born too close to Christmas , - do I care a jot now - no.

Strange friends you keep.

I am a December baby (also Scottish and our school year catchment runs from march - Feb) as is my son. I went to school at 4.5 and was fine, he is not and therefore will go the year after. There are always options OP...just go enjoy the last few weeks before you are permanently shattered that you don't have enough time to worry about something that's happening in 4 years time.

I’m end of August and went to Cambridge. It was rather nice to graduate at 20.

My mid July baby and my friends mid August baby between them got the top GCSE results in their school last year. My mid August sister also never got less than an A at GCSE and A level

You have some unkind and mean friends. My son was born on 29th August and it's made no difference at all to his experience at school. If your friends are telling you crap like this already, they may be full of similar negative comments when your baby is born, you may need to distance yourself from them.

BIL is an August baby and very successful and accomplished!

DS also, and had ADHD on top of that, so is noticeably less mature than a lot of his peers both physically and personality wise, but he still does pretty well.

OP I am an August baby. I never struggled at school because of it, even though I was one of the youngest in the year. I went on to uni and got a professional qualification. Someone has to be the youngest. It doesn't mean that they will struggle academically.

Yeah Im really annoyed they have ruined this time so trying to be positive, reading all these comments have helped a lot. Luckily they aren't close friends but I'll definitely be mindful to have them around moving forward

You have mean friends, just be happy you're having a baby!

I know plenty of August born children and adults and when they were born doesn't matter a jot.

Don't let them ruin it. One of my best A level students was born on 31st August! It really won't be a hindrance.

As a teacher and mother to an August baby, take no notice. Enjoy your child and all the joy they will bring. Some of not he brightest children I have taught were summer born.

Realistically it can make a difference when they’re very young, not to their enjoyment of school but to where they are compared to their peers. Only for a short time though really, I think studies suggest any difference evens out before the end of primary.

My own school year was very summer born heavy and it hasn’t held any of them back, all successful adults.

Enjoy your baby when he arrives.

My DS is an August baby. He's just completed his first year at Cambridge. Your friend is being dramatic. Yes, when they first start reception there is often a difference socially but it evens out pretty quickly and becomes irrelevant.

I'm a late August baby, take no notice of your so-called 'friends', there are so many things that go into educational outcomes and maternal achievement is one of the main ones, partly through doing more educational and learning things at home (or buying them in at nursery), so that is within your control. Other things like when you get pregnant, not so much!

We had this crap. Asking if we would hold them back? Um no thanks! Get them to school.
ours has excelled but that’s irrelevant really the best thing to take from. This thread is something I read the other day

the fastest way to ruin something beautiful is to compare it

This sort of thing really pisses me off. My birthday is 31st August. My DC are all summer babies. It was not a problem for me and it has not been a problem for them. Ignore your "friends".