I have a problem both with the term "red-shirting" and with the term "holding back" because I don't think they describe all of the reasons why a parent might choose to wait an extra year to send their child to kindergarten.

My son has a late summer birthday, and although he's nowhere near kindergarten age yet, I know that we will have a careful decision to make when it's time to enroll him.

We probably will wait to enroll him until he is 6, or I will home school him for kindergarten.

Here, kindergarten is a full day of desk work and test prep. Recess is only 20 minutes long. I have serious concerns about sending a very young 5 year old to that environment. As smart as any child may be, it is the rare 5 year old who can handle all of that and still come out excited and motivated about school.

I don't like "red-shirt" because I'm not trying to give my son a competitive edge. I don't like "holding back," because it carries a stigma, and I don't want him to hear he was "held back" and believe it was because he was unintelligent.

I just don't want to burn out a child so early in such an intense environment. I don't think the way K is done here is best for young kids. I'd rather see him in a play-based half-day kindergarten with a nice, long recess.

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