Had an open discussion with a guy I respect about this topic and was wondering ur alls opinion ! Now before we start I am not asking for my child it's just asking for an overall opinion on boys in general ! I do know in my case personally I did grow 3 more inches between end of junior yr to senior yr He says it's greet idea for boys to allow them mature and bodies to grow! Says boys grow later than girls and lots of high school coaches are for this! What's ur opinions

I take it this is so the kid can get bigger and stronger to play sports.... for me, when sports take precedent over academics... there is a problem. Key words here... high school COACHES are for this.....

Everything he says is true... mature and grow.... and I for one wish that I would have been held back... I was 4'11 as a freshman at 13 years old, needless to say that hurt me as an athlete big time... I didn't grow until late junior year, so that probably wouldn't have done me any good.

To me, I let the kid go to school when he is supposed to... holding someone back can hurt them emotionally too. JMO

This is a good question.

I agree with Coach Sar. I'm not exactly sure why, but for some reason my first instinct is that it seems wrong to hold a kid back just so they can be better at sports. As much as I am a sports nut and as a parent nothing would be more fun than seeing my kids succeed in sports, but something about it just doesn't seem right.

What message does that send to your kid? You are essentially cheating the system to get an edge. Is it ok to manipulate the system to get an advantage? What else should they do to get an edge on the competition? This is a slippery slope.

How does holding them back affect the kids academically? Personally speaking, I'm sure my kids (especially my son) would benefit greatly in sports by getting held back. But they both are more than ready academically. In fact they probably should be moving a grade ahead. School doesn't exactly move fast and I already feel like they are being held back mentally. I can't imagine holding them back more. We still have a chance for my boy, but that's not even something we've considered. Plus, I'm sure my wife wouldn't let me. :)

I personally would have benefited from being held back too. I was 5-2, 110 lbs as a freshman. Ended up 6-1 about 175 shortly after high school. Everyone was always ahead of me physically. But I don't blame any sports shortcomings on not being held back. I blame any missed goals on me not being proactive as a kid, not talking with my coach to find out how to get better, not doing what ever it takes to get better, not showing perseverance, etc. I learned a lot from both my failures and success. Looking back I would not want to be the oldest kid out there.

Maybe some kids do better because they are the under dogs? And when they finally mature the explode in sports. Maybe some kids do better by getting pushed by older kids? They are forced to step up and figure things out.

I think you just can't predict the future. You just do what is best for your child now. If they are ready for school put them in. If they are not ready for school, then wait. Life doesn't revolve around sports.

It all comes down to doing what's best for your child.

My wife and I had to make a decision as to start my daughter 's schooling when she was 4, but was turning 5 a couple of weeks before the cut off date.

Option 1:She would always be one of the youngest in her class if we started her schooling at 4.

Option 2: Wait a year and she would always be one of the oldest in her class.

This decision was made (we chose option 1) before she started playing sports, but mentally she was ready for school.

Looking back, she's the shortest and youngest in her class every year even at 12 years of age, but we would make the same decision.

Thanks guys !!! Very interesting reads ! I like hearing others opinions on things like this! I feel it varies depending on each individual child ! My daughter will be a 17 yr old graduate when she graduates and about 6-8 grade we could tell she was youngest in her grade ! Academically she was ok ! Wasn't a honor student but wasn't failing either ! She probably could have benefited from being held back if we had realized it earlier in life ! It was extremely obvious in her social behavior and skills compared to other kids in her class ! On the other hand Blake my son seems to Do better with older kids accademically and in sports! He has always played up and actually plays harder and better even at a size disadvantage than the older kids ! Numbers back it up ! 2 yrs worth of stats proves it ! his points average is higher per game playing up and his career high in his grade is 27 but in a grade up 45 ! I don't understand it but what I can say is all his life even as a toddler he has been drawn to older kids and adults!

Sounds like Blake is a competitior... and does well playing up.... I still say that parents / coaches shouldn't mess with where their kids should be grade level wise. Good players will play better when they play with really good ones.... I have seen good players struggle when the play with kids that are not so good... its all about TEAM.

I suppose that IF you did this before they entered school it wouldn't hurt...... but how do you know at that age where they are going to be academically / forget athletics.

JMO

I am with Coach Sar, I will just add this remember sports is to only enhance there learning in school not to be the focus. If we all had a crystal ball and could see that our kids were going to the NBA/WNBA well then I guess we wouldn't have to worry. I know kids are different my daughter reacts at a different level playing up, that is the competitive nature of a champion athlete but that doesn't give me the right to disrupt her childhood and make the decision to put her in a situation of stress by jumping her a grade, or should I hold her back and her peers harass her( remember kids can be cruel) I think the children will develop both athletically and socially at there own pace, there only kids for a little while.

GREAT response!!

Well, i was a hold back yrs ago, and think it was the best thing that could have happened to me. i was an average student, i was the youngest in my class, i was a late bloomer so to speak. Every situation is different. so i think it can be a benefit in certain cases. I am a major sports nut, I loved sports then and love it now. I think there are more benefits than negatives.

I was one of the smallest and youngest in my class.... certainly not a Rhodes Scholar.... I went to college at 32 and excelled... I was a late bloomer too and I don't think it would have made any difference if I would have been held back a year...... I still think you shouldn't mess with nature... JMO