IMO (and this is speaking as an attached parent) you’re just teaching your kid that if he whines enough he doesn’t have to do ANYTHING he doesn’t want to. And that isn’t the way life works, especially when money and other people are involved.

I have homeschooled my kids so I am big advocate of not forcing a child to go to school. I let them choose. My daughter has been back an forth between homeschool and public school. My son has been homeschooled since he was 7 (he’s 14 now.) I have also taught school and have seen the effects of a child being started before they are ready.

A couple thoughts I have …

If you don’t think she is ready don’t send her. I personally don’t think full day is appropriate for that age. At one point I taught first grade. Some of the kids in my class had attended 1/2 day kindergarten and some had attended full day. In the beginning of the year I could tell which kids had attended which. By the end of the year I couldn’t tell. Kids will learn quickly when they are ready to learn. And as I said before, I have seen kids that were started before they are ready and they lag behind and struggle through out their school career. When your daughter is ready she will learn quickly.

Socialization comes in many forms. The socialization that kids get in school is only one kind of socialization. How often in our lives do we need to get along with 28 people all within a year of our own age? Only in school is this type of socialization applicable. In real life, we need to learn to get along with people who may be much older or much younger than us. Your daughter at 4 probably enjoys playing with others about her own age and I’m not sure what to recommend if most people you know have their kids in preschool all day. You might try searching for homeschool families in your area.

Most of all I would like to encourage you to trust your instinct. If you don’t think she is ready then don’t send her. You know your daughter better than anyone. Be strong. Going against the norm can be tough but your daughter’s happiness is more important than what others think.

I am in the South West of England, so similar school options.
I send my son and daughter to school half-days only at age
4. They came home for lunch and stayed home for the afternoon.
At age 5, the school would not allow this flexibility BUT I had no
problem bringing them home for lunch and a story and then
taking him/her back for the afternoon session.

This was a compromise that suited me, my child, and the school.

Whatever you decide, keep watching your child and your own
stress levels and trust that you will find something that suits
your family.

All the best,
Anna Sherman