SoutheasternOhioPreps.com

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None of Russell's kids were in the 6th grade last year. If anything we have 2 kids that play on the 7th grade team in football and due to birthday change get to play baseball with us in that season. So the fluxuation can go both ways.
One issue is this, lets say a parent holds back their kid in grade school or middle school, okay.... 3 years from now they happen to struggle in school and need to make up a year. When they get to high school,,, their eligibility may be ruined due to their age. It would suck to have a kid be a great athlete and not get to play his senior year due to age restrictions......
This is the over-all issue, voluntary hold backs may eventually run into this problem and yes it is the parents responsibility and their right to do that.... Yes I understand.... completely... My child was held back in third grade, he started school at 5 years old in first grade and was too young, a year younger than the other kids. He struggled in third grade because he was not understanding the material. Yes he played sports, but he did not fit in his class, quiet, shy and struggled. He had all C's which was Satisfactory but with 4 hours of home work a night just to keep up. Sports came second during all of this. If homework was not complete he did not play.. That had to be the first priority..
Just felt like you needed to know the rest of the story.....
So when you think I am bashing parents or kids for this I am only making a statment. I know from my experience at least my child was held back in third grade for the right reason.............. he was too young for the material in school. Yes socially it helped, but he is not the BIG GUY in school, he is not the cream of the crop, he fits in and now he is in BETA and makes straight A's. Yes the best thing we could do for him as parents.

I held my child back in the fourth grade for grades, but I have found an overall difference. My son is excelling in sports, friendships, and he's not being bullied. As a mother, it is hard to watch your kid be beat up everyday. It was like he didn't fit in with his age group, and now all the kids think he is the cool kid.. It really boosted his self- confidence.

But if his grades were good, and the bullying wasn't noticeable.. Would I as a parent noticed.... And would I needed to hold him back socially,,, NEVER CROSSED MY MIND. But I can see how it would have helped.

If your child in having trouble in school as far the learning part of it and not having much trouble in sports...this is just my opinion,take a year off sports when you hold them back ,so they can spend more time on their education. That's alot more important then if they can run over kids that are a year or two younger than them.

My son doesn't play sports anymore. Grades had nothing to do with sports... All I was saying was socially and physically he now fits in.. Not everything is about sports. He's an A-B student now, and he has a boost in confidence...

I know I said, He was excelling in sports. He now fits in at Gym Class! He can go out side at recess and play basketball and football. My son prefers the Guitar..

Our son has a June b-day. We could of held him out of kindergarten and started him a year later but we went by the b-day and thought that he was ready. When he started school he was the youngest in his class. Some kids were 10 &11 months older than him. Kindergarten wasn't too bad but 1st grade was a different ball game so to speak. He passed 1st grade but everything was a struggle. We held him back in 1st grade. He was/is one of the smallest also. It had nothing to do with sports IT WAS WHAT WAS BEST FOR HIM.
I do think that if you hold a child back in middle school and it's for sports that's a poor decision on the parents part. There are several here that have done that and I just strongly disagree with it.
Our son fits in mentally better and his academics are where they should be. You have to do what is best for your child and yes most of our kids love playing different sports and we want to help them be the best that they can be but at what expense will we go to to do this. I know I wouldn't do it at my child / childrens expense.
just an opinion