In your case it seems you are doing the right thing in having him repeat kindergarten because you are doing it in a new school as well. I think that is the key. None of the kids in his class need to know he already went to kindergarten. If that was an option for us I would probably jump at it.

My sister has a September birthday and my parents started her at school when she was 4 soon turning 5. She had problems from the beginning but wasn't held back until second grade. She had to live with that for the rest of her school career. All the kids knew, she made friends and turned out normal, but it definitely stood out in her life.

My oldest daughter has a September birthday and we held her back a year which I am glad for. She is one of the oldest in the class and one of the tallest. We don't have too many issues with her. In fact we wish we would have started our little one a year later.

Our youngest daughter is now 7, was in two years of preschool just like her sister, but as soon as she went to kindergarten the issues began. We have just completed 1st grade but she is at a beginning of first grade level. Due to the issues she has had the past two years I asked around about holding her back. Our school has actually told us they aren't allowed to hold kids back as young as kindergarten and first grade unless the parents request it. In speaking with her teacher for 2nd grade, which is our pastors wife, she said she has seen some that have benefitted from repeating a year and some that haven't. The principal said there are studies showing it doesn't help due to the social issues it causes. With our child I think the latter would be the case, so we are pushing forward, with tutors and psychological testing ( not sure if it is just adhd or a learning disability ).

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I am an adult with adhd and would like to offer my humble opinion. I was undiagnosised with adhd as a child and was expelled from kindergraten and never passed a single grade in elementary school. I think my parents allowed me to continue on because I was obviously not slow. Today I have 2 undergrad degrees and I am attempting to get my Masters. I would not hold my child back in kindergarten, I would work with them in the 1st grade, maybe try some things I did not when they were in kindergarten. If they were still behind I would hold them back in the 1st grade. I personally would be relucant to place my child a whole year behind in life when it was not absolutely necessary. Now that you have identified your son's concerns things could be better in the 1st grade.

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Hi. I did just this with my son who has ADHD, mainly inattentive type..... He just finished "my second year of kindergarten." He has received OT, and his fine motor skills have progressed. He has a mid june b day, so he was young entering kdg.... and he was a month premature.... He is proud of being the tallest and the oldest, and tells me stuff like "last year I did this and I was one of the last ones done, and now I'm the first." It has given him a year to mature socially and emotionally, and figure things out. He still has friends from pre-k and 1st year of k that he gets together with. Although he seems to be way ahead academically, he did not appear bored doing his 2nd year. Different teachers teach a little differently, and I see my son as a leader..... He is going in to a multi-age room in the fall and will be in there for 3 years, with the same 3 teachers, teacher aides and special ed teacher.... to assist, as needed. Although my son currently has an IEP, he is bright, and will continue to be challenged in this setting. I urge you to hold your son back. You are giving him precious time and doing him a favor.... If he has a buddy or two now, I do encourage you to try to maintain that friendship. This has been an important factor for us, and I think it will help you too.... Good luck in your decision. Let me know if I can help.

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