Good Results from Retention

Our son was born on the cut-off date for kindergarten. We signed him up, and off he went. Being so young didn't really affect him until seventh and eighth grade, when all the other boys had their growth spurt, and it seemed like he was delayed when he was just young.
We held my son back as a freshman in high school. That's right: He did two years as a freshman. He changed schools, and believe it or not, it was the best thing we did for him. He ended up with boys his age, and not only did well in school but was named "most friendly" his senior year, was prom king, became a superb athlete in two sports, and won many awards.
Our son is now in his first year at college and thriving. I would tell any parents to hold back their very young sons. The parents will not realize it was for the best until they look back and see how much better their children did as older students. - Did the Right Thing
Answer: In general, retaining children in the upper grades results in an educational disaster, with the students likely to drop out of school. Nevertheless, you held your son back and had a success story. This can happen if children truly support repeating a grade and the problem is immaturity. Your story shows that knowing your children and what is best for them is the secret to helping them succeed in school.