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This is not child abuse. It’s an anecdote of two kids. I’m sure the parents were very loving. Another pair of kids could turn out perfectly fine doing this.

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In the above scenario, they were depriving their kids of any kind of meaningful friendship with peers during a critical development period. This is neglect, and neglect is abuse in children. If you care about your children, why would you risk permanently impairing their ability to form healthy relationships?

I'm not sure the average school peers are any better. Unless we're talking private education. Do consider that for the better part of history, even in school, kids were not separated into years.

That they need permanency, sure but that's the parents and the living situation

Agreed, separation into school grades by age is not normal or healthy. And abuse often happens in school.

You could argue more soundly that modern schools are child abuse if we follow the commenter’s line of reasoning.

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