Repeating a School Year
Repeating a year in school can be a chance for a new beginning, but it is important for your tween to feel comfortable about being held back. If he equates repeating a year with failure and has stigmatized himself, he may not respond very well when peers mention what is for him a very sensitive subject. He must be able to hold his head high when questioned or teased. This will be easier if your tween participates in the decision to repeat the year.
Point out that if he moves up to the next grade level with his class, he will have to struggle very hard to keep up because he is so far behind. If he repeats the grade, on the other hand, he'll already know some of the material. That should make for an easier year. When your tween raises the inevitable concerns about being separated from his friends and having to make new ones, point out that he'll still see some of his old classmates and will soon make new friends, too.
Unless your child is exceptionally immature for his age, being a bit older than everyone else will put him at an advantage socially. It may also give him some advantages in P.E. and other sports. In fact, lots of little athletes get such an edge from being older than their peers that their parents pressure school administrators to hold them back.
