[sstack]

I heldf my son back in 7th grade. I took a good hard look at him and realized he was more than a year a away from being ready to go to the high school. Best parental decision I have made for my son. I caught a ton of grief from the teachers at his school. He was a struggling student with some behavior problems. I was told by many of his teachers that hte only reason I held him back was for football. That was the furtherest thing from my mind. It has turned to be a blessing. He is a freshmen this who is carrying all A's and B's all year for the first time ever in his school career. Oh, and he still plays football and working hard in that. he is happy and I am happy. I think that this rule is taking stereotyping all holdbacks as athletic decisions and not parental decisions. it should be for the student and who cares about the competition that takes place in middle school. get the mready for hihg school how ever you can. athletically, academically and socially. I'm glad I did. I endorse holding kids back. allowing a a kid to mature should not be punished.

If he was struggling w/academics, then you made the right decision. Sounds like many of his teachers did not feel like he was struggling w/academics or why would they make comments that it was for football? My question is: was 7th grade the first time you noticed any problems with academics, behaviors, ect? Would it not have been better to hold back in elementary school?