Still Smiling

[Ahoy]

Bklyn, I dealt with similar issues with my daughter when she was young. Finally, when she was entering fifth grade, we moved and I decided to enroll her in fourth grade instead, voluntarily holding her back. It was the best decision I could have made. She wasn't far behind her peers, but she did struggle a bit and just needed more time to be ready to handle the content. That extra year made all the difference, and I wish I had done it earlier, as she might have gotten more out of her early elementary years, being more prepared and mature. The hard part is watching your kid struggle for years and develop self-esteem problems. I'm not saying you should have your kid repeat first grade, but I would also counsel you to keep an open mind and think about the possible long-term benefit to your kid (and to you, who will likely be the one struggling to help with homework for years to come). Anyway, I fought against holding my daughter back for years but it was to her and my own detriment. Now she is doing great, and handles the content just fine (she makes mostly As and a few Bs).

I always got emotional about my daughter's school experience too, but now I've learned to detach, to not think of her as an extension of myself, to worry less about what people think, and to really focus on her needs. That has been helpful, but it took me a long time to get there. Just know that it will be okay if that's the path you decide to take. I'm sorry you are dealing with that on top of everything else.