Quote:
Originally posted by tmdiva
Anyone else read the article in the latest Time magazine about grade skipping? Anyone have personal experience with this issue, either for yourself or with your kids?
tm
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Yes and no. I started 1st grade a year early (more or less "tested out" of kindergarten), and because I had a late birthday I was about two years younger than my classmates.
My elementary (parochial) school also proposed to my parents that I skip two grades -- go from 3rd grade straight into 6th. My parents refused to permit it. I was not told about the offer for years, and have been grateful ever since that my parents refused.
There is a real tough balance between the intellectual and social issues. I did real well academically all through school, and am convinced both that I needed to start school early and that I needed the challenge to keep interested and motivated. I'm also convinced that I could have handled the work reasonably well if I had been put ahead farther, but the social dimensions might have been a nightmare.
As it was, I was two years younger -- and two years makes a huge difference socially essentially until the later part of college. I turned 16 during my senior year in high school, etc., etc.
I had a very hard time socially in 8th grade (age 12) and in HS. Fortunately, I grew enough between 9th and 10th grade that I was of a size with my peers, but it was not easy. If I had been even younger (i.e. if I had been skipped) -- I might have been young enough that I would have had an easier time in H.S. (they might have taken pity and watched out for the kid). Even so, I would not have wanted to start college at age 14 rather than 16 -- I would have been even more socially maladjusted than I obviously am.
I would NOT worry too much about being a year younger. The kid will live.
S_A_M
(eta "NOT")
