My five-year-old is too advanced for kindergarten, but the school administration here in Houston basically ignores me when I ask about skipping to 1st grade. What should I do?

[Answered by Ben Fox on Quora.com]

My son was the same way at 5. He could read, write, add, subtract, and was starting to learn multiplication when kindergarten started. I still put him in kindergarten. He needed the chance to hang out with kids his own age. To get used to going to school. To form friendships and play with playdough.

I still challenged him at home. Oh, believe me, his teacher noticed. She gave me first and second grade math books and had him do work from those instead of kindergarten homework. She encouraged his reading and let him work ahead of the class.

My son actually loved kindergarten. Don't deny your five year old the chance to experience that first year of school, that's not so much about learning, but about learning to be in school. Let your child have a year with peers. No matter how smart your child is, they need that year or two to reach emotional maturity.