Anyone have a gifted child and decided to have them skip a grade?

Question

How did it work out? If you do answer---how gifted was the child? (What was their IQ?)

To the person who said her sister did skip ahead..... How was it when she hit the teenage years? Wasn't it difficult being behind everyone else during puberty?

Answer 1

They wanted to skip me ahead in school, but my Mom chose not to, for one thing I was one of the younger ones in my grade already. They wanted to move me at least 2 grades ahead, at the time my Mom said NO, and I was pretty bugged with her for it. But looking back I'm glad she made that choice, even a year or two can make a big difference maturity-wise. My daughter is in 1st grade right now and the work is too easy for her. Some people are telling me I should move her ahead a grade, but I don't think I will. For one thing she's tiny and most of the kids in her class tower over her, it would be even worse if she was in second grade. And even if she's ahead of some of the kids academically, it doesn't mean that she is socially. I just supplement what she learns at school with more challenging stuff at home, for example I get her more difficult books than what they are reading in the classroom. I also keep her mind and body active by letting her take dance and karate classes, and I might let her take music or language lessons as well, as long as it doesn't become too much, I don't want her to be too busy.

Answer 2

I was a 'gifted' child. Began school at 3 1/2. Was supposed to be skipped 3 grades but Mummy said no. Again, I was to do 5 years of secondary school in 3, which would have meant university at 15, and Mummy said no again. I have always been the outsider, the oddity, the freak; even in Mensa most of the people around me seemed dull and I left. In this situation there is no winning, because if you are not surrounded by seemingly 'dull' people you are put into an environment of much more mature people who no more speak your intellectual language than you do their emotional one. With my children we provided enrichment, not advancement. (how gifted was I ? 181)

Answer 3

My parents actually had me start school in 4th grade at age 7 because I was way ahead of other students. Then I graduated high school out of 11th grade.

I don't think it worked out very well. Academically, it was OK. School was never a challenge. But socially it was a disaster. Everyone I knew was always much older (and more mature) than I, so I never dated, never had real friends, till I was an adult. I'd really think at least a dozen times before I ever did that to a child.

Answer 4

My parents did with my brother, he skipped second grade and it messed him up. He was always the youngest and least mature. Later in life he got into drugs and alcohol. I'm not saying this happens to all kids who skipped a grade, but I know if my daughter tests as gifted, she's not skipping for sure. As a teacher, I'd rather see a gifted child be in a gifted program with kids his/her own age.

Answer 5

My son is in second grade and tested into a gifted program that he just started this school year. All the gifted students in the district on his grade level are put into two classrooms and will be together for 2nd through 5th grade. They work above grade level in the classroom and do a lot more projects and things than the regular level students.

Answer 6

Yes. I have a stepson who was always coming home with reports of his disrupting the class. After some time we found out that the teachers were not keeping him challenged. So he went from the 8th grade into the 10th grade he did fine. Was still an A student.

Answer 7

My friend's child is in first grade, but has the knowledge of 2nd grader.
They tried to move him up a grade, but they denied him the chance because of his age. (Some schools don't allow your child to skip grade).
So my friend and her husband decided to send him to private school. There, the teacher said he is behind, that he is kindergarten level.
So go figure.
If you can get him up a grade, do so. If not, he will be wasting a year doing what he has already learned, instead of building and strengthening his learning ability.

Answer 8

I know this one from the other way round. A lad I was at school with was incredibly gifted 150 or something, but this was in the early days of "equality", so he couldn't be treated differently. He ended up in prison.

Answer 9

all children are gifted. Just in different ways. Teach your child this so she doesn't think she is better than others. Good luck in your decision

Answer 10

I WAS A GIFTED CHILD AND MY PARENTS DIDN'T LET ME SKIP...MY LIL SIS SKIPPED AND I AM STILL MAD AT MY PARENTS AND I'VE BEEN OUT OF SCHOOL FOR 20 YRS...IF YOUR CHILD ISN'T GOING TO BENEFIT FROM REMEDIAL LEARNING OF A GRADE THAT THEY HAVE MASTERED WHY NOT CHALLENGE THEM TO ACHIEVE HIGHER....BUT WATCH CLOSELY IF THE CHILD BEGINS TO FALTER EVEN SLIGHTLY IT'S TIME TO GO BACK DOWN.....