When I was around 6 or 7 I had some testing done. I don't know what the testing was. Nothing was shared with me, I just remember sitting in a room with this guy asking me questions and I remember that I was really hungry so he gave me a candy bar at one point.
The people involved in this school meeting strongly suggested that I be skipped from 2nd to 4th. I would be entering 2nd that fall. I was really small for my age and very shy. My parents decided to have me go to 2nd for social reasons.
By the time I hit puberty I was pretty much done with school. I used to skip school and sit in the book store so I could learn on my own. I really did not talk to my peers at all. I felt like I never learned anything in school. My parents were nice parents but did not do any enrichment or anything at home and always treated me like I was a little strange.
I did not know anything about GT kids untill a teacher in highschool gave me some articles, by then I was always in independent study which was reading random stuff and writing reports on it.
Now I have three children of my own and I am trying to figure out what to do as the school years get closer. I found out today that my husband had testing done too when he was little and the tester told him one of his scores was the highest he had seen. I am really thinking about having our kids tested, my husband is not sure it will make a difference.
My advise would be that parents have to be advocates for thier children. If things are not working change them. A grade skip might not be the perfect fit but it will be a change and give you more information about what works for your child. At least your child will know you are trying to help.
In retrospect I think I should have gone to 4th and then done secondary options around 14. The social part really was not an issue because I did not really relate to children my own age and found older peers anyway like my husband who was older.
sorry about the long post.
