Not wanting to kill himself because he's completely lost socially, bullied and a social outcast.
Just skipping one grade can completely destroy you socially.
I've experienced it to a lesser extent, and 15 years later I'm still broken mentally, I'm bipolar, I most likely have some sort of PTSD, I take 3 meds daily, and I have suicidal thoughts since I'm 6 or 7yo, and I'm 100% sure most of that wouldn't have happened if I had been just average in school and didn't skip any grades.
I would literally give everything to go back in time and prevent my parents from allowing it.
DON'T allow your kids to skip a grade, unless maybe if you're rich and can afford to pay for a good private school for gifted kids. Just DON'T.
Bullying is a frequent and horrible experience at schools, but it also happens to many kids who don't skip a grade. Do you believe that skipping a grade increases the risk?
It seems that, statistically, skipping a grade is a positive experience for gifted kids. (Sorry, can't find the link to research now.) I also skipped a grade, and I have no complaints. I spent less time in the pathological environment of the educational system, and still had the same credentials at job market.
Maybe it matters which grade you skip. I think the strategic choice is the last grade in given school. So you don't end up as the only new kid in an existing class, but are simply one new kid among many.
Just skipping one grade can completely destroy you socially.
I've experienced it to a lesser extent, and 15 years later I'm still broken mentally, I'm bipolar, I most likely have some sort of PTSD, I take 3 meds daily, and I have suicidal thoughts since I'm 6 or 7yo, and I'm 100% sure most of that wouldn't have happened if I had been just average in school and didn't skip any grades. I would literally give everything to go back in time and prevent my parents from allowing it.
DON'T allow your kids to skip a grade, unless maybe if you're rich and can afford to pay for a good private school for gifted kids. Just DON'T.