Would you start with K or 1st Gr?

[HeatherlovesCDs]

Does she read CVC words? Blend well? If not, I would not start in 1st with MFW. We did K last year and are doing 1st this year. K does move at a slower pace, but first moves fast, very fast. For MFW 1st, she is expected to already be very good at blending and reading CVC words. It does not teach consonant blending and only does a short review of short vowel sounds/blending. (1 day for each vowel, so 5 days total.) Day 18 starts long vowels and it moves fast from there, learning a new special sound (/oe/ /ie/ /igh/ /kn/ etc...) every day.

My 5 year old twins also have a Dec b-day and have also been tagging along a bit with their older brother in K and now 1st. They can do everything you mentioned. Pretty much, it is the same scenario exactly as you describe. I can tell you they are not ready for MFW 1st. I'm planning to start them in K as soon as my new manual comes. (I traded mine in for the new edition.) When they need to go faster, we will go faster doing more than one day at a time. That is what I did with my older son who was almost 6 when we started MFW K. Starting in K first, I'm positive they will have a solid phonics foundation of blending and reading CVC words.

Obviously, this is just my opinion, but I have done all of MFW K last year and am 2/3rds of the way through 1st. Plus, I have twins who are in the exact same place as you describe your child. Oh, and I had a baby in Oct. I'd pick the relaxed K program first, personally.