Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy We're on the verge...

I agree. For us, it began in 2nd, but 3rd grade has been worse. That's one reason that DH and I decided to get DD6 identified in 1st grade. That doesn't mean we still won't have issues.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Sometimes I wish I could homeschool DD9 because she's so miserable right now. We really need my income, though, so I have to work. You know your DS and what he needs and you will make the right decision.

Hugs!
Pink

CFK, thanks for your advice. We've had such a hard time with school for DS from the start. He's been to two private schools already, if you count preschool. And the local "prep" school will eventually be a good fit for him, but not quite yet (not a place for kids who don't fit their norm). Unfortunately, there are no GT schools.

And thanks for the hugs, Pink.

We started to lose him last year, and don't want the same thing to happen this year. The only thing is that despite his complaints, he does go to school happy, and pretty much comes home happy. Maybe they can do something for him in school and save everything...

Still no word, though. I know it's hard for them.

That is exactly where DH is at. At the beginning of the year he was totally opposted to homeschooling and had wonderful fantasies of me returning to work full time and brining home a HUGE salary. Now he is even hinting out in public that this is what we *need* to do for DS. And is secretly plotting to go south for a month next winter. He has the ability to work remotely.

DH just tends to be very conservative about a major move like this and comes around to my way of thinking eventually, but very slowly! He'll be volunteering to be in charge of science in 6 months or so.

About the neighborhood...

We have lived in three different homes since starting our family. Not a single one had a neighborhood of kids. The first was a house in a city where we had one neighbor my son's age. The next was on a suburban street where the houses were spread out and we had one family with kids the same age about the equivalent of six blocks away. Our current home is in a more rural area. We have more llamas and alpacas than children around here, and our other neighbors are a gay couple, an older woman, and a childless couple.

My kids and I are used to driving or having friends drive to see us. I don't really know anyone who lives in the sort of place I grew up in, with families so plentiful that there were always pick up games of kickball or capture the flag. Do kids still do impromptu playing this way? I don't know that even in more populated neighborhoods that kids have the same freedom that we did. My sisters and I used to ride our bikes 2 miles to the downtown area to go to the library or shop. I must have been six when I started riding or walking to the little candy shop that we used to frequent. I cannot imagine allowing my kids to do the same today; it's a different world.

I'd love to hear more about where everyone lives. Does anyone have children who have friends just next door or down the street?

Same here Lorel. Your childhood sounds like mine. It's good to know it's not just me that's wondering if somethings amiss because the girls aren't just running around the neighborhood playing all the time.
I think I have to line up my memories of childhood with what the reality is now, in today's environment.

Incog

We do have kids around, though parents are MUCH more protective than they were in my day. We used to run up and down the street through backyards to one another's houses. Nowadays, all the backyards are fenced.

To that end, we talked to the neighbors behind us and took down the fence between our backyards. Now kids run back and forth between the houses on their street and ours. As there are few kids on our street, that suits us quite nicely!

So I guess I'd say that you might have to do something to encourage it, but it does happen even today!

Finally, a funny...

I thought this was code for something, Lorel:



Then I figured out that, no, you really meant there are more llamas and alpacas than children in your area! I had to LOL!

Baaaa!

(Or do llamas make a sound other than that?)

Our neighborhood is VERY old fashioned. It is lined with sidewalks and there are lots of kids around. We have a park 2 blocks from us and kids are everywhere. I have 2 little girls within 6 months for my DD3 within a block. There are kids my son's age within 2-3 blocks, but unfortunately he hasn't really clicked with any of the very close kids. Some parents in this area are very relaxed about letting the kids run around on their own. I'm not there yet.

I like the running through backyards. No cars to hurt them, no easy way for strangers to see them, moms keeping an eye on them...

It's all good!

Questions, I think it takes time to get used to the idea of hs. There are lots of questions one needs to face and decide.

Our state doesn't allow p/t hs, but there are few private schools which allow it. I think we are 95% set on hs next year. DS5 knows about it and is thrilled. We are still looking for the p/t option. We found one school, which we really like, but it's too far away and the logistics may be way too complicated.

delbows, that's awful. I cannot believe the other people attitude, especially the teacher's!

Ania, see you in Europe. We too are heading there in the middle of May I even have similar concerns about English like you used to have.

It looks like there could be quite a few new hs come next school year.