My wife is a Grade 1 teacher, my mom was a Grade 4 teacher and now a resource teacher. Both highly recommend holding your child back a year should you have that option for a couple reasons. These all have been shown in various studies that you can google.
- More time with your child before they really embark on their life journey
- Will have more intellectual, social and emotional maturity, likely higher than their classmates
- This in turn should have a positive effect in their education, helping them grasp concepts quicker, socialize better, and a more mature ability to deal with challenging situations.
- Studies show that while boys benefit more from 'red-shirting', girls can also show positive effects from this.
Full disclosure, my mom held me back as I'm a late February kid. I plan on doing this with my son. Just my opinion, but whatever 'edge' you can give your child without detriment to their development, why wouldn't you do so?
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