Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Published articles on acceleration

One would hope not!

But since JB's child is just 5, I thought it might be relevant. People still ask me about it for my 7yo! I mean, really? 7yos still have trouble with that?

Ooooookay...

Yes, this was brought up. Parents don't think about in high school when such-and-such. I want to be prepared. FWIW, due to my birth date, I've always been the youngest in my class and began college when I was 17. Based on DS's birth date, we're only asked for a 6-month exception to the cut-off.

Thanks everyone. I'm reading fast and furiously between meetings.

JB

This argument is spurious. First of all, it makes assumptions about facts not in evidence. Who knows what's going to happen in 8 years??? As a way to shut down this argument, you can always smile gently and say "We could always re-examine the issue when the time comes in 2016 if he's having significant problems with his peers." Seriously, treat it like a valid point and then remove any route to use it as a means for denying the acceleration.

Also, people using this argument conveniently ignore the fact that high school is a mixed bag of ages. HS kids mix by age in class, on sports teams, at lunch, in the hallways, in the bathrooms...well, you get my point. If mixing with older kids is such a big deal, why aren't the seniors segregated from everyone else??

Also, no one seems to bring up this "issue" with respect to redshirted kids who may be a lot older than their classmates in the less-age-mixed environment in the elementary grades.

My turn to go to a meeting!!!

Val

My personal experience. I found that although I socialized with many kids, my closest friends had accelerated. One, a year younger and is seriously PG, so it looks like I felt most comfortable, not with age mates, but peers.

I am firmly in the acceleration camp because I did not have a socialization issue with 2 skips, though in high school I did exposed to things too early. Since the drinking age was 18 then, kids could go to bars very young, and I did. But that was the big downside. I couldn't drive until graduation, bigger issue for a boy.

But the important thing is to find peers. Even at 3, I see DD being able to connect with all age groups, including the teenagers hanging next door dancing to Hannah Montana. She brought them home to show them her room and toys....

They were very sweet and commented on her wardrobe. I think that is the amazing thing about our kids is how they know so early how to adopt behavior to "hang" with younger or older kids.

They learn the rules.

Ren

Way to go, Dottie! This sounds to me like exactly the right thing to say. I love the idea of bringing up the harm of not accelerating.

Yes!

Another comparison to acceleration are the Boy Scouts. The Boy Scouts have kids from all age groups and a good Troop will promote based on merit and ability. You can see younger scouts as Patrol Leaders with much older Patrol members and vice-versa.

Aren't they usually grouped by age though? Or is that just in Cub Scouts? (I'm new to all this Scouting stuff, so please forgive my ignorance!)

I'm another firmly in the acceleration camp; I was only accelerated one year, but it was honestly a non-issue when I was in school. Just a curiousity that came up now and then. To listen to some, getting your drivers' license when you're a junior would scar you forever! (It won't.). In my mind, the risks of *not* accelerating are far more lasting.

I like Dottie's line--acknowledge that there are risks to acceleration, but that you as parents are willing to assume those risks. And that those risks seem lesser than leaving you DC in his current placement. You want him to "learn how to learn," which likely won't happen without some sort of acceleration.

I actually made a note about that. It's not in our letter, but I am sure that the topic will come up and that's a good way to handle it.

Thanks guys. I have a lot of good material for tomorrow.

JB

If you want to steer clear of the PG ness of the subject, I would advise not bringing in the Terrenc Tao article at this stage of the game.

Good luck, let us know how it went.