Being an "August baby"

vic1664 · Feb 15, 2011 5:37AM

Hi girls,

I was just over on 'The Nest' and there was an interesting discussion about August v September babies and about how September babies have an advantage over August babies when it comes to school etc.

It is something I've thought about but it's not something that bothers me hugely at the moment.

My DS1 is a November baby and he's one of the oldest in his nursery class and there's a couple of kids that won't be 4 until August and at the moment there's no major difference but it is in my mind that he has almost a years worth of 'life' and experiences etc over them and is this something that will hinder my DD when she is in school.

Is this something anyone else has thought about?

Vic xx

MrsGiggles1983 · Feb 12, 2011 3:16PM

My daughter is a August baby and is doing really well at school and was above average in her class for most things.

She was also 5 weeks prem as and was due on the 27th of september so jumped up a whole school year! x

lisao · Feb 12, 2011 3:18PM

Gatecrashing from born in Aug 09 and due in Aug! I'm an august baby and was always top of my class. It really depends on the child but I wouldn't stress too much, your dd will do just fine with a caring and attentive mummy like you!

Xxx

mummaJ · Feb 12, 2011 3:20PM

I have thought about this but only briefly as to be honest, what can we do about it?!!!

It had never really entered my mind until one of the consultants at work (*whispers* i'm a midwife!) was discussing an elective CS date with a patient and gave them a choice of the end of Aug or the beginning of Sept. They chose the end of Aug as naturally wanted to see their new arrival asap but the consultant basically told them if it was up to him he would choose Sept as children born at the beginning of the school year 'do better' than those at the end i.e August babies! He went on and on about research showing those that are older in the school year are at more of an advantage and that if he had the choice he would not have an August baby. When the couple left the room (after deciding on an Aug baby-ha ha!) i said i found his advice insulting as it was a great possibilty that i would have an Aug baby (was pg at the time and due at the end of July!). I did not have a choice on my baby's birthday and so have never considered it an issue but don't like the thought that anyone would think my DS was in anyway 'disadvantaged', especially by their birthdate!

There's nothing we can do about it and our LO's will turn out brilliantly just as they are......

Go August babies, go!!!

vic1664 · Feb 12, 2011 3:30PM

MummaJ you're absolutely right - our LO's will turn out brilliantly.

GO AUGUST BABIES!!

It's so easy to get sucked into another discussion which makes you think twice about something which normally you wouldn't of.

My DD is just perfect mo matter what.

XXXX

faithie · Feb 12, 2011 3:55PM

The school ages are different in Northern Ireland so Jason will be one of the oldest in his class. All I keep thinking about is that I'll have to pay for full time child care for an extra year! Lol!

Minnie128 · Feb 12, 2011 4:17PM

I didn't give it much thought at all, as me and hubby are August babies and we haven't done too bad

Hubby actually repeated year 6 because of his dyslexia but as he is a late August baby it meant that he was only a few days older than some of the kids in the year below - He would have been a whole year older had he been a September baby. I'd rather my child repeat a year than try to avoid having an August baby (which would mean stopping ttc for a good two months as babies are unpredictable!). Plus, hubby has a PhD, so in the end being an August baby didn't hurt

I was always top of my class, so I think it really depends on the child.

BeckyAndEve · Feb 13, 2011 3:42AM

It's not something that bothers me, I think most kids catch up to one another at some point!

Me and my brother were in the same year, I wasnone of the oldest he was one of the youngest! ( only 10.5 months between us)

He says he always strived to be like the older kids which stood him in good stead as he hasn't done bad for himself xxx

mrs-stb · Feb 13, 2011 8:35AM

I love that my DD is an August baby, we'll be able to have fab outdoor b'day parties or holidays for her b'day as she'll never be in school on her b'day!

Only thing I'm not happy about, just found out when it's time for her to start school we've got little chance of getting our first choice school as it's ranked outstanding so always oversubscribed and apparently even though we live a couple of streets away they rank children by date of birth now which I didnt know, so our DD will be bottom of list as an end of Aug baby. We'll prob have to drive for 15 mins each way to get her to a crappy school everyday which will be a nightmare. How is that fair, surely its age discrimination??

N222 · Feb 13, 2011 5:28PM

The school year in Scotland starts in August so the September thing isn't an issue for us. As long as the child is 5 between 1st March and the end of Feb of the following year,then they are in the class. so perhaps February babies are 'affected'. I certainly don't remember a group of incredibly intelligent classmates who were all born in the same month!

Becks_baby2 · Feb 15, 2011 5:37AM

I did think about this - my little one was born st August!!! My parents are both August and both my brother and I are September, I was always very mature and although I havent minded always being the oldest my mum says she was desperate to get me into school by the time i went as I was almost running the nursery, lol!

Im really happy Skye is an August baby

Being an "August baby"

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