Here's my sad tale of academic woe. Started my son at 5 like everyone else. Wasn't ready. 1st semester of every year was awful, 2nd he was mature enough to get through. But the damage was done, to his grades and his take on school. Each year gets harder and harder. So by the time we get to 8th grade he's walking in already pretty much checked out, he knows what is going to happen. The high achieving elementary school he was at had him tested at the end of 2nd grade. Seemed he liked sports and recess better than school work which didn't work with the teachers and admins. The counselor did the tests, came back to the meeting and said this kid is fine, why am I testing him.
We should have held him back because of his maturity. But when the kid is already bigger than the other kids and has friends it's hard. He started 3 games his senior year at age 16. He was the QB and did very well. Later punted for a DII national champion. Holding back for athletics was never part of the discussion. Holding back for maturity and academics was, but he was never bad enough to fail a grade. D's/F's 1st semester, B's,C's 2nd, so on average he was a marginal C student. That crumpled when he got to HS. He barely made it through.
Gets to the JC and it's better because he has more control of the classes, but still same pattern, bad 1st semester, decent 2nd. He got into a DII by the skin of his teeth, on probation, got good, played for them, got a ring, and is finishing up now, wants to be a teacher of all things.
Holding back strictly for athletics? Why not, boundaries don't mean much anymore. To me it says a lot about the parents and administration that would do that, and it makes one question the purpose of their school.
I've heard stories for a long, long time about kids being held back for sports. If my son had been held back he would have been more mature, grades would likely have been better, he would have been 17 turning 18 his senior year of football. Things may have been different. That's the biggest regret I have, not starting him later or holding him back.
We should have held him back because of his maturity. But when the kid is already bigger than the other kids and has friends it's hard. He started 3 games his senior year at age 16. He was the QB and did very well. Later punted for a DII national champion. Holding back for athletics was never part of the discussion. Holding back for maturity and academics was, but he was never bad enough to fail a grade. D's/F's 1st semester, B's,C's 2nd, so on average he was a marginal C student. That crumpled when he got to HS. He barely made it through.
Gets to the JC and it's better because he has more control of the classes, but still same pattern, bad 1st semester, decent 2nd. He got into a DII by the skin of his teeth, on probation, got good, played for them, got a ring, and is finishing up now, wants to be a teacher of all things.
Holding back strictly for athletics? Why not, boundaries don't mean much anymore. To me it says a lot about the parents and administration that would do that, and it makes one question the purpose of their school.
I've heard stories for a long, long time about kids being held back for sports. If my son had been held back he would have been more mature, grades would likely have been better, he would have been 17 turning 18 his senior year of football. Things may have been different. That's the biggest regret I have, not starting him later or holding him back.
