[Goose]

I started school at the normal age, but was skipped a grade, completing third and fourth grade in the same year.  My father-in-law had the same miserable experience.  We both started our senior year in high school as 16 year olds.  The disparity in maturity and capability between boys who are a year apart is beyond significant.  And we both agreed that if there were one decision in our lives we could have back, it would be that one, for all the obvious reasons.

I skipped fourth grade. While contra-factual speculation is obviously just that, I was always very glad I did skip fourth grade. I never felt being a year younger was an issue, probably because it never occurred to me. I was where I was and I needed to do what was required. Worst case was in 7th grade PE, where you had to run a mile under a certain time to pass the class. I did it with 30 seconds to spare. Then the coach remembered I was younger and they were only supposed to time me for 3/4 of a mile. There was a discussion that I now had to go run another 3/4 mile and get timed for that. I told the coach I had made the mile time and that should be good enough. He agreed. I was blissfully unaware that my parents worried about the fact I was younger all the way through high school until I was about 40 years old. Who knew?

[Goose]

I started school at the normal age, but was skipped a grade, completing third and fourth grade in the same year.  My father-in-law had the same miserable experience.  We both started our senior year in high school as 16 year olds.  The disparity in maturity and capability between boys who are a year apart is beyond significant.  And we both agreed that if there were one decision in our lives we could have back, it would be that one, for all the obvious reasons.

I skipped fourth grade. While contra-factual speculation is obviously just that, I was always very glad I did skip fourth grade. I never felt being a year younger was an issue, probably because it never occurred to me. I was where I was and I needed to do what was required. Worst case was in 7th grade PE, where you had to run a mile under a certain time to pass the class. I did it with 30 seconds to spare. Then the coach remembered I was younger and they were only supposed to time me for 3/4 of a mile. There was a discussion that I now had to go run another 3/4 mile and get timed for that. I told the coach I had made the mile time and that should be good enough. He agreed. I was blissfully unaware that my parents worried about the fact I was younger all the way through high school until I was about 40 years old. Who knew?