Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Is 2e for Exceptionally Exhausted?

I'm here and trying to figure it all out...

I suggest that you put him in the 2.5/hr a day Kindergarten for a while. That way, you can get some rest and re-evaluate the situation. Then, you can decide whether he'll be emotionally ready to skip 1st and go to 2nd next year or whether he'll need to go to 1st. You can also do some research on different schools and see what's available to meet his needs.

He can unwind, destress, and play for a while.

Meanwhile, take a breath. Or two. Or even three!

Are there charter schools where you live? We have had great luck with them. My HG DD attends a full day gifted program. My 2e/HG/ADD/Dysgraphic DS attends a regular charter, but the focus is on experiential learning, the arts and meeting kids where they are, both emotionally and academically. In DS's case, that meant getting a two year math skip, spelling one year below his grade level (and only 1/2 the words to start), reading at grade level and two pull outs per week for OT and writing therapy. He has done really well there and is way, way above grade level in everything except the writing now. They grade skip regularly too, and not just the uber-gifted. So look around and see if you can find a diamond in the rough. Nothing about my son's school screams "gifted". They have average test scores and struggle financially, so the facility is not beautiful and sleek. But the philosophy is very gifted/2e friendly and it has worked out great for us.

Thank you for the responses.

He did meet the OT who was leading the Handwriting/Journaling time and talked to her about fidgets and ADD. He liked that they have someone who does that. We are also not officially diagnosed with ADD but it seems a good fit with what we see at church, school, and home.

I think this is going to be an extra tough week at my house. I think I know what is best but making it happen is another hurdle. I think my next step is to email the principal and talk things over about our concerns.

We took my oldest out of grade 0 (K) last year with extreme anxiety (diagnosed) and it needed 9 months of therapy after 3 months of school to help him get over the anxiety, bed wetting, anger, tantrums, aggression, night terrors, zoning out, apathy etc etc.

We decided to just let him be at home playing for a while to find his centre again. It led so naturally into a continued way of life that we decided to keep at it and homeschool, but in a less formalised way. So we unschool essentially and I go about my day and he and his younger brother (4) go about theirs. When they want to do specific stuff I am there. I suggest things for each day but they are totally free to say yes or no, and they go about their own "work", right in the same room as I do my "work".

I cannot tell you how much happier he is - full of pure joy again; it sparkles from his eyes! And I got my precious, sweet, funny, cheerful little guy back again. It was a scary and dark and very exhausting time which I never EVER want to repeat EVER again. So I am happy too (And sleeping again! yay!)

You seem to know what will work best, so now you just need to take a deep breath and let it happen Your son also needs to learn to trust his instincts and communicate them to you quickly. But its so hard for them when they are living in that situation daily I really hope that this will work well for him!

I had similar situations with my eg/pg DS 7 last year in k and the previous year in pre-k. Both times, DS was in private gifted schools - anger, tantrums, aggressions, anxiety, withdrawals, etc. Both times the private gifted schools were oblivious to my son's 2e issues. Never again, I said.

This year, I'm homeschooling. I never thought I'd be doing it. It was never in my plans. However, there's only so much head banging you can do and how much you can take seeing your DS disintegrate. Then, there's the money aspect of it. There's no way we could afford a private school this year and the public schools are not an option for us.

Have to say the homeschooling has been the lesser of two evils, so far or at the moment. We're usually reading each day and loosely following a general curriculum guide (about an hour each day if we do it). DS is able to self-pace himself and read or write to his heart's content. He's also been able to go to neurofeedback twice a week for ADHD symptoms, which has been reduced with it.

So I can relate to Madoosa from having the anxiety, anger, tantrums, etc. to homeschooling and seeing DS become happier. The big issue for us is the acceleration options that we can do with homeschooling/unschooling. Even with the private gifted schools, there was a limit to the acceleration possibilities.

I do feel for you - HappilyMom - because it's not easy when your DS melts over school.

I love posting here because you all really get it. Not just get it, but lived it and have experience to share. That is a treasure.

Thanks for all your help!