Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion What to say when students ask about grade skip

So glad to see this post. I wrote out some of these answers and gave them to DD. I am hoping she can get the nonchalant attitude down pat - she used to get angry about being asked about her age but is getting better.

Hopefully it will be smoother than you imagine and your DD gets lovely supportive remarks like Cookies DS. Let us know.

We've never had any problems with DS12's grade skips -- everybody knows him, and they know how he is, so it's been a non-event all the way around. Fortunately he's in e-school at home now, so the fact that he's in high school at 12 (turning 13 in a couple of weeks) isn't as noticeable as far as the puberty thing goes. He is doing cross-country for the local high school, and of course woefully behind the bigger kids even though he can run the 5k without any walking or stopping -- his legs just aren't as long as the others' are. But still, they know him. It may get interesting when he gets to a meet.

To answer the question, I'd endorse the other opinions here -- foist it off as a school decision as much as possible, and you should be good.

Sound advice from others as to passing the buck off on the school if you can. We've used that with some success. And it should become of of a non-issue as time goes on and the skip disappears into the fog of the past.

Our general rule with our DD14 is - don't brag about it, but you don't have to hide it either. In other words, try not to bring it up for no reason, but if it comes up don't be ashamed/embarrassed.

It does comes up occasionally, like during the presidential fitness tests (PE) when the teacher doesn't give out the fitness targets for a young enough age group, but for the most part her age is not much of an issue any more. When it does come up, teachers are usually a little stunned because she fits in so well with her grade peers and her classmates shrug it off because they've known about it now for years.

Best of luck,
--S.F.