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Mothers' plans for children during the kindergarten hold‐out year

Interviews with 15 mothers were analyzed to investigate how these mothers, who chose to delay their child's kindergarten entry, organized their children's environments during the hold‐out year. Previous analyses of the interviews identified two categories of mothers, who were substantially different in their decision‐making. In the current paper we report that the two groups were also notably different in the activities they organized during the hold‐out year. A maturational theory valuing ‘the gift of time’ characterized one category of mothers; the others were motivated by a philosophy that gave them a more active role in shaping their child's experiences and environment. Understanding the implications of these contrasting theories allows educators to select approaches that are effective for each group.