Tammy-
The research has been done, and the large majority of kids who were skipped speak positively about it. There are far more horror stories out there about kids who were not accelerated or given sufficient academic challenge.
As for dating...I dated guys who were 20 and 21 when I was 16. The boys my own age were far less interesting to me. The older guys were also not as invested in putting notches in their belts, if you know what I mean.
It can be overwhelming to have such a different kind of kid. But I'd advise you not to look too far into the future. Just try to focus on doing the right thing NOW and worry about the prom later!
