Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy I need a book on gifted perfectionists!

LOL Grinity, I would never take anything you say as criticism. I'm all ears! It's been a tough year HSing all 3. Just for some back story as I've not been here for a bit....we put our house on the market Feb-March 2010 which meant lots of cleaning, moving things into storage, painting, keeping the house spic and span while HSing for showings. All this done by me as DH works 12-13hrs/day. And then near daily drives to look at potential houses and not finding anything....oh the stress. Found the not-so-perfect house (really wanted that dedicated HS room) on the perfect property. Got a buyer for our house and into contract on the new. Spent the summer dealing w/ new house construction and contractors. New house not ready, need to close on the old house, pack the old house all by myself, move everything into garage of new house while awaiting inspection, live in a hotel for 1.5weeks....move from garage into the new house, school started 2 weeks later. And then weekends filled w/ hours and hours of yardwork and now two boys on travel soccer. I have. not. stopped since last February.

On a brighter note, I started exercising daily in November (I'm a P90X grad!) and I cured my insomnia which has plagued me for years. So, believe it or not, I now have more patience than before. At least when DS10 went through this, he did it quietly.

Ironically, you may recall this is the same son who developed a near phobia about school due to the noise level in the cafeteria in Kindergarten. He is the loudest one in the family. He's my happy, bubbly, always singing and dancing and moving and shrieking around the house, never ever sitting still unless he's reading child. The whole gist of getting a new house was to give me some space to have quiet for me while giving them the space to be loud boys. We are currently finishing the basement so that will be their refuge to rough house and shriek to their hearts content. They can't do it upstairs right now b/c it sounds like a herd of buffalo coming down on my head. So we'll get there......slowly.

Fortunately, there is nothing ahead of him in math for the rest of the year that is difficult or daunting so he'll be able to cruise into the end of the year and we can play fun math games over the summer to work on confidence and joy.

I'll never forget the look on DS10s face when he got something wrong in math for the first time when we were HSing - we had finally hit new information. His face fell, I saw the tears well up in his eyes. People just don't understand how dangerous it is for some kids not to be challenged. I was/am thankful to be able to deal with this now when there are no repercussions as opposed to high school or college.

Ironically, I've had insomnia for two days, hence my long windedness today.

Dazey (looking forward to a break in 1.5weeks when the inlaws are here)

yes, I should remember to remark when he does handle making a mistake well. He makes mistakes in soccer but that doesn't bother him. OH believe me, I model making mistakes all the time and point them out to the boys....even when I don't want to (make a mistake that is). My mental math skills are lacking.

((Jaw dropping on floor - makes an interesting noise!))
Wow - good for you on all that! I'm amazed you have on unfried neuron left. I hope that basement gets finished quickly!

I have heard that some noise-sensitive kids are very noisy ((I think I'm one of those)) I'm wondering if he needs his own ipod on in the background so he can get the audio stim he needs without having to produce it all himself. Of course he'll probably sing along, so pick something you like - or classical without words?

But I don't understand howcome Math is going to be boring all the rest of the year? Can you graduate him early? Doesn't homeschooling mean that you can chose the curriculum yourself?

((perplexed brow wrinkle))
Grinity

I do think I need to try and nip it in the bud earlier. I do think part of the shriek is just his way of relieving stress. He does it all. the. time. for. many. different. occasions.

I should add, it's also not just when he gets it wrong....if he just looks at the page and thinks it's "hard" he can start wailing. Once he calms down enough to listen, he flies through it with no issues. It's this mental hurdle to get over first.

I use Rightstart Math. Typically, how RS works is that it gives you something meaty.....then allows time for the brain to process by totally switching gears to geometry. For example, yesterday was patterns in numbers. He'll still have 4-5 multi-digit multiplication problems to do each day for a few days but the main topic will be something different. It actually moves into division which the way RS teaches up to this point, is pretty effortless. We've already done those lessons however out of order so next it'll be data analysis, polygons, congruency, scaling and fractions - none of which will send him over the edge and will be a welcome relief, I think, from multiplication. So it's not that it'll be boring, it'll just be different.

Dazey (just as confuzed as ever)

Ok - I get it now. That does sound interesting, but less threatening.
Great to hear from you Dazey! Cheers for you!
Grinity

WEll, today was MUCH better. I was calm and all smiles. I gave him lots of physical contact which he requires. SO much so at times I have to ask him for my space. When he saw the multiplication problems he immediately began to engage in his dance. I said, "Count to 10 and take a deep breathe." we're going to do it together. He did 4 problems correctly and missed the last one b/c he said 6x6=12. We had lots of noise and being silly but it was a much nicer time.

Yippee!