Our DS7 is in a great school which is accommodating his needs as a highly gifted student. We moved here from another state just under a year ago, so he hasn't known his classmates for very long. One classmate lived in our townhouse complex and DS considered him his "best friend." (I, however, observed him being mean to my son on several occasions, but it kind of went over his head.) Anyway, the neighbor boy moved to Georgia suddenly last week. Obviously DS is pretty bummed and we've talked about it. I set up a playdate with another boy from his class--he is also quiet and shy and they play Lego together. They get along, but apparently this boy has other friends he's known his whole life, so DS isn't really "in" with his group. For the past week DS has eaten lunch alone. He also has anxiety that manifests by chewing, and he's destroyed several shirts. We bought him a shark tooth chew toy necklace and he chewed the end off in one day. :}
So...help! My degree is in education, my husband has a master's in psychology, but when it comes to DS, we don't know how to help him. He started seeing the school counselor just before Christmas, but it's only every other week, and so far he has had to miss gym (his favorite special class) twice. I worry if we increase the school counselor time, that will only isolate him even more from his peers. I do plan to see if they have a lunch group or something at the school.
Should I not be this worried? Will he figure things out on his own? Grade acceleration is one the table, but I'm not sure if that would solve this particular problem.
Thanks in Advance,
Siren
