She felt 3rd was too late.
It isn't too late, just less optimal than earlier. For multi-skip needing kids, 'adjustments' have to be made all down the line.
Indeed, high GPA is as much a function of executive function as outright smarts. I'm thinking at this point that keeping him engaged in the learning process will set us ahead in this regard. ....I think our primary, driving factor will be to keep him engaged enough in the learning process to maintain a healthy self-concept and healthy approach to school. We see him slowly extinguishing now in the second half of his kindergarten year.
Agree, Agree - I think this gives you your answer now - no point in worrying about what might be lost when there is something palpable being lost right now. I think that in a district that has compacting options for Calculus in 9th grade as a regular thing that a single skip is likely to help quite a bit. Even without clustering, your local neighborhood schools seem ready for bright kids. (Oh yeah, it was the Principle who suggested the skip in the first place, right?)
For us, this 'healthy relationship with learning' was the main guide, and even though there wasn't anything that we could do to hothouse DS's EF skills to where he could compete with kids a year or two older, the attempt to do that was enough to make him a EF success when placed with bright agemates in a 'discussion heavy' academic environment. And it is sweet to see DS have the kind of positive academic feedback that he's always yearned for. First he got praise for 'baby stuff' and didn't get increased self-esteem, then finally he had to really work, and didn't have the EF to do well enough to get that praise and positive feedback, so, again, no increased self-esteem. Right now he's in the sweet spot, having big enough challenge to both intellectual skills and EF skills, plus extracurricular fun, and lots of needed social learning - so there is hope. The key is flexibility........
Smiles,
Grinity
