Our son has skipped two grades and is now in 7th @ age 10.

Yeah, his gym clothes are baggy and he's not the tallest/fastest/strongest. He goes to school with a fair number of troglodytes. And yet he survives... no... he thrives. And excels.

I suppose I've had plenty of doubts over the years about his two skips, especially when I begin obsessing over what may or may not happen to him X years in the future. (Poor kid won't be driving until college!)

But... I recently worked on a project that took me into all the fourth and fifth grade classrooms in our district (where his age-mates are), and OMG... I couldn't imagine my son in any of those classes. Sure, he would be the perfect height and all... but c'mon.

What's the purpose of being retained with your age-mates & height/weight-mates if you are pulled out for special classes, private-tutored three years ahead in math, differentiated up the wazoo in every other subject, and essentially doing nothing with your classmates except for lunch & recess?

Yes... I KNOW there people with bad skip experiences. I KNOW skipping is not the answer for all gifties. Skipping is, however, a very practical and successful option for many and should not be dismissed.

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And I'd be remiss for failing to mention "A Nation Deceived," which I think is excellent reading for people contemplating grade-skips or other methods of accommodation.

"A Nation Deceived"
http://www.nationdeceived.org/

There's an executive summary for the proverbial wetting of the feet: (http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/Nation_Deceived/Executive_Summary.aspx), and then the reader can plow into the full report for all the gory details.

You should also take some time to read some of the Personal Stories at the Nation Deceived website from students, teachers & parents:
http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/Personal_Stories/Read.aspx

And lastly, there's the wonderful article, "What a Child Doesn't Learn."

Quote
If during the first five or six years of school, a child earns good grades and high praise without having to make much effort, what are all the things he doesn’t learn that most children learn by third grade?
The full article is available here:
http://www.fightingautomatons.com/news/2009/02/gew-09-what-a-child-doesnt-learn/

Being offended is a natural consequence of leaving the house. - Fran Lebowitz