To start school or not

When I walked through the doors of Oliver's pre school earlier this year, I was asked the million dollar question "Is he starting school next year?" as they were trying to decide what room he would be in.  I was quite unsure at the time and just told them to assume he was.  I had no idea.  I still don't really.  I change my mind every day and week.  I wish they wouldn't leave it up to the parent to decide if they want to start their child or to hold them back.  If we were still living in England, Oliver would have started school last month.  That's scary really to think they start school in England so much younger then in Australia potentially. 

As the months went by, Oliver was showing more and more signs of being ready to start school.  I can't imagine having him home with me another year and not being bored.  I already keep him busy and we do not have one single day at home.  Morning or afternoon already.  The only time we are at home is when his brother is sleeping and he is on at me for something different to do.  I am completely running out of ideas.

So, this last 4 months or so I have actually lost sleep thinking about it.  Worrying about it.  Whatever we decide, I will wonder if we made the right decision.  If we hold him back, I will wonder.  If we start him, I will wonder.  Every person you speak to has given me their point of view.  Some people's are stronger and some are very pro holding back.  Especially the woman I was talking to at swimming lessons the other day.  God, she basically made me feel completely crazy for even considering to start Oliver at 4.5 years old.  Probably because she held her child back and her decision was right.  I don't know.

Then you speak to other people who tell me you need to look at the individual.  Forget their age for a minute and forget he is a boy.  Some of these people are school principals.  A blogging / forum friend was even telling me recently that she read an article about the trend now becoming that holding children back has no real benefits and often they skip kindergarten altogether and go straight to Year 1. 

We have attended 3 school interviews and all principals have said he is more then ready to start and would be happy to have him at their school.  That makes my heart sing.  Knowing my little boy is ready for school.  But then I second guess myself when I remind myself that he is going to be one of the youngest.  That is the only real reason why I am considering holdimg him back.  I was the youngest in my year and it didn't worry me at all.  After all, someone has to be the youngest.  So why should I be that concerned?

But should I hold him back for this reason only?  Because he will be the youngest.  Is that a real reason to hold back?  He is emotionally ready.  He is socially ready.  He is attentive.  He listens to instructions and he wants to learn.  He gets frustrated when he can't read.  He keeps asking me what things say and asks me if I could sit down and teach him to read.  I don't know how to start with teaching someone to read.  Plus, I don't have the time.  So if he is like this now, what is he going to be like in 6 - 12 months time?

We went to our first orientation today.  The first of many as we are considering 3 schools and they all are having orientation days.  He was so good today.  Mummy was so proud of him and it so hard to imagine my little boy could potentially be a big boy at a big school in a matter of months.

So I THINK we have made the decision to start him at school.  Why go against what the principals and his pre school say just because he is a May baby?  A school teacher friend of mine did warn me that some principals will tell you that the child is ready because they need to get their numbers up but I already know that these schools don't need to get their numbers up.

So now {if I don't change my mind}, we have to decide which school!  Oh man.  This is hard work.  How do I choose a school?

PS.  It must be this time of the year as I have come across a few posts regarding school recently.