Which grade to place an academically advanced but socially-challenged child?

[Anonymous]

OP has received some very good advice I think from this forum. I am curious why I keep hearing of children like the OP's as if it's quite common and thought maybe someone here could answer. I hear the phrase 2E child a lot. Does anyone have an explanation? I never met a child like this growing up and I moved to a couple of different schools. I know some of these diagnosis didn't exist, but it still doesn't explain to me why it's so prevalent now. The bright kids for the most part didn't have social disorders and if they did have some difficulties it was more like they just were a little shy.

[Anonymous]

Your son sounds exactly like my child. We concentrated on his social skills and didn't focus on academics-as in making sure he "advanced." Rather, we gave him plenty of opportunities to stimulate his mind and learn on a variety of subjects (e.g., geography, history, etc). Our primary focus was development of social skills. His natural intelligence was not going to go away. Fast forward to middle school. He is now in a private school that caters exclusively to academically gifted kids and he is excelling but more importantly, he had the time and opportunity in grade school to develop the social skills that will allow him to have a happy and productive life.

[Anonymous]

Can you talk to the school counselor and see if there are other boys around his age/grade level struggling socially? THey could do a pullout "friend" (social skills) group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your son sounds exactly like my child. We concentrated on his social skills and didn't focus on academics-as in making sure he "advanced." Rather, we gave him plenty of opportunities to stimulate his mind and learn on a variety of subjects (e.g., geography, history, etc). Our primary focus was development of social skills. His natural intelligence was not going to go away. Fast forward to middle school. He is now in a private school that caters exclusively to academically gifted kids and he is excelling but more importantly, he had the time and opportunity in grade school to develop the social skills that will allow him to have a happy and productive life.

Hello All. This sounds a lot like my son. PP, could you be a bit more specific about how you concentrated on his social skills? Did you use a social skills group? Speech therapy or OT/ We are at the beginning of this process and trying to figure out where to go next. Thanks!