I always thought the redshirting thing was more sports motivated. I like sports and competed at the college level myself but I don't understand the emphasis some families put on sports (I'm talking specific sports, not physical health and exercise). I mean, if your mom is 5'4" and your dad is 5'10" it's pretty unlikely that you are going to be a professional player of football or basketball. So why hold a kid back so they can make JV in 10 years?
But if a child is really not developmentally ready I think it's a great idea. I have no problem with the idea of my kids competing unfairly with older kids, because it's not a competition (at least not at the elementary level). They are going to learn more if the less advanced kids their age stay back because the teacher will be teaching at a higher mean level of ability.
Of course, there are specific circumstances where this could penalize a child. Recently both of my kids were rejected from a program for highly gifted children after an interview. I think my son who has a fall birthday might have had a better chance if he wasn't being compared to other kids just as smart or smarter, but a year older.
