Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Update on dd12-positive skip

Just wanted to share how dd12 is doing for any parents out there contemplating a skip. Dd12 skipped 6th, had a good year in 7th, and is set up for a good year this year as well. Academically she did great, still at the top of the class, Principal's Honor Roll, Writing Award, and Academic Excellence Award. She is moving up a level in math (still with 8th graders) and worked over the summer to fill in the gaps. (This was met with lots of tears, and "I'm not smart or I would understand this math immmediately" but she worked through it and feels confident now). Socially I am very proud of her. She has chosen a group of friends with common interests who seem like genuinely nice kids. She started a book club complete with 2 pages of guidelines (lol--clearly she takes after her type A father) and the girls seem excited about it. I know that the high school will be able to meet her needs academically--there is a fantastic International Spanish Academy that she will be applying to.

Just wanted to share, I know I agonized over the decision to skip, but in dd's case, it was absolutely the right move, academically and socially.

What great news!

Thank you. This is very inspiring. And hooray for your DD!! DS11 has had a rough transition so far, but I expect things will change for the better soon.

Regarding gaps: I tried to work with DS over the summer on math gaps and he wasn't having any of it, so I'm planning to hire a tutor for those specific gaps. I hope I can report DS's skip was a success as well. I'll keep you posted.

KADmom--dd didn't do any math over the summer when she skipped 6th, and she was fine. Of course it doesn't hurt to get a tutor if needed, but you migh not need to. Her teacher strongly suggested that she work over the summer if she wanted to move up, and we couldn't afford to hire everyone's fave middle school math teacher, so I just had a friend's son who is also in 8th grade but a math whiz help her. Much cheaper, and she wasn't going to cry in front of him so it worked. Your poor son--I read about the scheduling issues in another thread--that is just crazy and I hope it has settled down now. It can only get better after that start, right?

Deacongirl, good for your DD-- and what a magnificent job you did in steering and advocating through that process.

DeeDee

DeeDee thank you for the kind words, it is great to get some affirmation which is usually sorely lacking in this parenting gig.

But...I can't take that much credit. I have to actually credit this forum in a big way. Esp. Grinity who I guess has moved on, but politely and gently was like, "seriously the kid could benefit from a skip" in the face of my resistence. Dh was like, "duh, I said that 6 months ago" ha! And the fact that dd12 is a great kid, who works hard and is loved by her teachers and the fact that the district has an acceleration policy and that the assistant principal was very supportive. But, still, thank you. It feels good to see that occasionally I am doing an OK job as a parent!

That is very encouraging news, DD will be skipping third grade and starting fourth next Thursday. Approaching this with some trepidation but overall I still believe it will be for the best. DD effortlessly scored 100% in half the time allotted on the end of third grade assessment test that the superintendent wanted her to take earlier in the summer ( the super has been tremendously encouraging and only wanted the test so that any gaps could be addressed but even he did a double take on her results ). I know that DD can easily handle the academics but I am worried about potential cattiness from former classmates and her new classmates given that that she has had to deal with this before.
Being a LOT of an over thinker definitely has its drawbacks LOL

My DD10 went through the cattiness with her supposed friend last year when they were in the same class because my daughter always made 100s. Fortunately, she left the school. Since skipping she is now in the class with her best friend. She finally asked her if she was mad that she had skipped. Her friend said "Well, at first I was but then I thought that I sort of skipped too (they let her start kindergarten early because she was close to the cutoff and could read) and I remembered how bored you were and I wasn't mad anymore." I hope your daughters make a friend like that.

Go Deacongirl! So glad to hear that she is doing well, and that she has had the chance to build REAL self-esteem.
Great to hear good news,
Grinity