I would push for the skip also. DD was grade skipped this year (though she was never hesitant to it. She was all for it.) That being said, I think you should maybe wait until the end of the year. You can talk about it with him for the remainder of this school year (and with it being January, the year is half over practically.) You can focus on teh argument that he will not necessarily be with the same kids he was in class with this year during next school year anyhow. One thing that was a HUGE help for us, we waited until the current school year started for the skip, but we did have DD transition the last week of school. She was paired with a student that would be in the receiving grade and was purposely placed in class with this student the following year when the skip took place to have someone she was familiar with. She was able to meet some of the kids she'd be in class with the following year. It was a VERY positive thing, not to mention, her current teacher before the skip wanted her to come back to the class she would be leaving behind for the last day of school but DD really didn't want to and was ready to move on, BUT.... she went back to her old classmates that last day. The other thing that helps is to talk about that the friends that will be left behind in the class he is in, will STILL be his friends even though he won't be in the same grade. He can still have playdates and stay in contact with them so that he doesn't feel he is missing out on that part. As Dottie mentioned, the skip for our DD was NOT a solution, as she still pulled off a 4.3 GPA with the skip and isn't challenged, however, the curriculum is more interesting and offers more indepence. It's not a solution, but imagine where we'd be if we didn't do it. Also, I see it a stepping stone as to where we need to get to, not a solve-all.
