A child who has not achieved the necessary requirements of a grade level needs to be given an extra year to achieve this progress.  If an extra year is handled properly, the results will indeed be positive. 

What Happened?

Usually the need for more time occurs because the youngster has experienced a developmental lag which has hampered mastery of basic skills for that grade level.

Some children require more time for reasons other than academic achievement.  Education means the development of the total child; academic, emotional, social and physical.  The ability of the child to read, write and do math is not enough.  Children need to have organizational skills, distinguishing skills, proper motor development and probably most importantly, social skills which allow a child to be accepted by peers and develop a feeling of self importance.

More time is most likely to benefit a "late Bloomer"  who does not have a specific learning disability or any other physical or emotional disorder that impedes progress in school.  It is not uunsual at all for a child's development to lag behind in the early school years.  This may be especially true for boys.

The best gift a parent can give a child who has mastered the necessary skills of a grade is the gift of an extra year.  Most retentions occur in the lower elementary grades, particularly in kindergarten and first grade.  Educators agree that repeating a grade can do the most good and is least awkward early in the school career.

How can you tell if your child is having problems?

Often parents are the first to sense that a youngster is having problems at school.  Here are tell-tale signs to watch for at home:

• Your youngster often comes home tired and exhausted.
• Constant complaints about stomach and headaches.
• Abrupt mood changes associated with school expectations.
• Frequent day dreaming
• Rebellious behavior when asked to do homework.
• Frequent discipline problems.

Don't take the need for additional growing and learning time as a personal failure.  Parent attitudes are a major influence on how a child handles the situation.  To build your child's self esteem, involve him in outside activities that offer opportunities to excel, such as sports.

The super achiever syndrome in parents can cause problems.  Many parents push to enroll their children in school as soon as possible and to have kindergarten and even preschool children doing academic work.

Effective parenting includes being supportive of the child and not feeling the child's need for more time is a poor reflection on your parenting skills.

How Should It be Handled?

The need for another year should never come as a surprise or a shock. Problems usually are apparent in the fall of the year and that's when parents and teachers should meet to discuss concerns.  It is best to share concerns openly with the school from the start.

Evaluations by  Pediatrician,  Clinical Psychologist, Pediatric Neurologist, Optometrist, Speech Pathologist, Hearing Specialist may be recommended to rule out any suspected physical, psychological or neurological problems.  Then, the child should be closely monitored until another conference in the third quarter when the final decision usually is made.

Some Guidelines for Parents:

1. Find out what the school expects your child to achieve in his grade - check his progress often.
2. Rule out any specific learning disability, emotional disorder, or physical problems.
3. Don't accept generalities from school officials.
4. If you find yourself objecting to the idea of repeating a year, make sure that is is not just because your pride is wounded.
5. Explore all options for supplemental tutoring, summer school an remedial instruction.
6. Sit