Having skipped myself, I am a huge advocate. But I also had a small peer group sliding through the elementary grades.
But I think that today, the discussion is moot. DD has a fall birthday and is young for her grade. But since so many kids are redshirting (not in NYC but elsewhere) she is younger by months of kids who are a grade lower when we are at the beach in NJ for the summer. Red shirting is big in NJ.
In comparison, she is grade skipped in NJ. The argument really blurs. But I do think it is nice to be in a gifted school where there is a peer group as puberty hits and the kid is younger.
Digressing, there is a kid in DD's class (a gifted class but the bar is 90% on the OLSAT if you are a sibling and siblings get first shot). Really nice kid and she is trying so hard to hang with DD. I talked to DD about it and finally she says, "you know how I am in a gifted class and kids are suppose to be smart? Well, I am not sure how she got in the gifted class." I wanted to laugh but controlled.
Just because you skip doesn't mean you will get with peers. Having a small group when I skipped really helped and I noticed I hung with those types all through high school.
I remember being in the library in high school and there was this girl Mary, (stereotypical thin, with big boobs and small brain). She was struggling with some simple math and I just happened to be near and said hi. She asked me for some help and I remember sitting and trying to teach her some simple math. She was in my grade, 2 years older but not my peer...She was a nice girl but we had nothing in common except she had a gorgeous brother who played hockey that I wanted to know better.
Ren
