Melisa -
I totally empathise with not wanting to appear to be an neurotic mom. You will.
As the Mom of a boy who wasn't identified until 2nd grade, I applaud your awareness and your efforts. If I could go back in time, then I think I would have wished for early entrance or direct enterance to 1st grade, just for the reasons you outlined, becuase we want the best possible social development for these boys. I think that if he starts with 1st grade, then I won't have to go through making and re-making friends.
I like the IdeA, of not wanting one's child isolated, and still wanting one's child to get the same proper challenge at school that anyother kid gets - but it's probably impossible for most of us most of the time. I could dream of a multiage classroom with clusters of MG, HG, and PG kids along with normal kids.
I think we have a tendency to assign "blame collectors." Would your social skill have been better if you Hadn'T been in solitary reading and math groups - maybe yes and maybe no. It's so easy for a grade skipped child to look back and say, well, I was younger and less mature, so I didn't fit in, but really, perhaps that child was underskipped!
I was the youngest in myclass room, and though that my poor social skills were due to being "too young" now I think it might have been because I was "underplaced." We'll never know! Good Luck
Trin
