Recommendations About Holding Your Child Back in Preschool

There is a new trend in kindergarten enrollment called ̶0;redshirting.̶1; The term is taken from the tradition of benching college athletes to prolong eligibility. For kindergarteners it refers to being held back a year beyond eligibility in order to gain a year of maturity. In the case of a child already attending preschool, it also means an additional year of academic and social preparation.

  1. Improved Academics

    • Children who are redshirted perform better in kindergarten, according to Professors Todd E. Elder of Michigan State University and Darren H. Lubotsky of the University of Illinois in their 2008 report on the impact of kindergarten entrance age on later academic achievement. However, this improvement is the result of learning experiences obtained prior to kindergarten, not the result of the older kindergartener̵7;s increased ability to learn.

    Short-Lived Gains

    • In a study of over more than children, published in 2007 by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, researchers concluded redshirting played only a ̶0;modest role̶1; in achievement. Students who were older at entrance progressed somewhat faster in kindergarten, but this was not maintained over the first three years of school. Elder and Lubotsky found the same thing, warning that the improved achievement of children whose kindergarten entrance was delayed a year "declines sharply̶1; over subsequent years.

    Social-Emotional Growth

    • There are reasons beyond academics used by parents to support delaying their children's kindergarten entrance. Some parents believe children older than their peers will be more emotionally mature in later years and able to make better choices, such as avoiding drugs. However, the NICHHD found that being older in school did not positively influence social functioning. As a matter-of-fact Cook and Cook, in their book ̶0;Child Development Principles and Perspectives,̶1; claim that children whose entrance was delayed present more behavior problems in school.

    Other Considerations

    • Researchers warn of unintended consequences of redshirting your child. By delaying your child's entrance into kindergarten you are likely increasing your childcare costs and depriving your child of necessary growth opportunities with age-mates. Your child's future finances are also affected. A Connecticut research report points out that a kindergarten entrance delay eventually leads to a delay for that child in entering the workforce, subsequently depressing lifetime earnings and social security revenue.

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