The letter came in the mail on Saturday.  To The Parents Of Summer Grace. I hesitated a moment before opening it. I had a flashback to the days of college admission letters. Well, maybe not that extreme but we’re talking about a 3-year-old here!

I stood in line a couple weeks ago to register Summer in the Pre-K program at our neighborhood elementary school. I heard all the stories – long waiting lists, get there early, etc. As I waited in line for the office doors to open, the parents in front of me talked about whether their kids had a “good” or “bad” birthday. My Johnny has a “bad” birthday, said the mom in front of me, he was born in July. Wait…July?!

With school starting earlier and earlier, Summer is apparently in the “bad” birthday category. Really bad. It’s at the end of August – a full three weeks after school starts and only two weeks before the Sept. 1 cut off. She’ll be one of the youngest kids in her class. Bring on the stress. My mind starts reeling: Is this too early to start? Will she be bored if she doesn’t go? Should we wait a year? Is her height (very tall) a disadvantage to starting later?

After talking it over with friends and family (my mom and sister are teachers), we’ve decided she will attend. If we learn she isn’t ready, we’ll go from there.

Fast forward three years, we’ll get to do this all over again. We have another “bad” birthday in the family. Saylor is also an August baby.