re: OT Parents, thoughts on holding your kids back a grade?

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My sons birthday is September, and my wife wants to consider him attending Pre-K twice. What say the OT?

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My wife is a lazy, no good in the real world, person who bitches about her pay even though she really only works 8-3 for 9 months out of the year, early education teacher. She would highly advise that based on the literature she read to earn her master’s and become “qualified” that you consider holding your kid back.

Also, it’ll give him a big advantage in sports.

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A very wise teacher gave us this advice: she has never heard one parent say that they regretted holding one back; while she has had scores of parents regret not holding one back.

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Biased sample.

Educators vastly prefer that as many kids be held back as possible. Their standardized testing scores improve when compared to other kids who are younger in other schools.

Parents always reflexively hold their kids back in KG but would NEVER EVER consider holding them back in a later grade.

Why?

Social embarrassment.

That should never be a factor in your decision.

As an aside: We have two kids who have very late summer birthdays. Both were told by teachers that we shouldn’t hold them back because of social immaturity.

We said no and continued with school as planned. Daughter is on full academic scholarship in college and son made a 32 on his ACT on the first try last year in 8th grade.

Holding back occurs far too often and it creates a bad dynamic for kids in high school. Your 19 (going on 20) year old seniorboy is going to be on the same hall as a 14 yr old freshman girl. I hope you have a good lawyer when he likely does what boys do.

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We said no and continued with school as planned. Daughter is on full academic scholarship in college and son made a 32 on his ACT on the first try last year in 8th grade.

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Well this isn’t anecdotal at all.

exactly

Welp, In my simpleton ways, I was hoping that having my girls a year older when they set off in the world would help keep them from winding up like Natalie Holloway. Plus, I get to keep them at home a year longer! They're my babies - why rush things???

M daughter has an August birthday and was the youngest in her 1st grade class. Also the smallest. She struggled last year but started to make noticeable strides the last 2 months of school. We decided to hold her back and she is the top of her class In Reading and math right now and loves school. We dealt with her emotional issue of repeating a grade and spun it into a positive over the summer. It was the best move.

must be a PA parent

Sept birthdays should put you as the oldest in the class in this region

I remember we had this kid we called tardy that we found out had done pre k twice because he was a late bloomer and a little tardy

Is he going to play sports? If so, then do what LM did with his and hold the kid back

My son has a slightly later birthday than yours. He was right on the cusp and we wanted to start him in kindergarten with his “same age” cousins and neighbors. He started a school year later than them. He’s probably the oldest kid in his class and has thrived. Crushing it academically in HS.

That being said, that’s my kid. The number of self-righteous, know-it-all’s on here is mind boggling. I’d suggest you ask teachers, other close parents, family members and people who are experts and/or actually know the kid. Make a choice and don’t look back. An earlier decision on this is probably better. It’s a huge deal today, but one of a million or so that will come and go. Good luck.