Well, I am a "newbie" to all of this. I went to my pediatrican for my son's, Marshall, check up and was explaining some very real concerns my husband and I are having.
Marshall has been making up songs since he was one and half, been talking since 9 months, remembers things, even now, from when he was 18 months, memorizes books we read to him after one time, knows how engines work and pistons, knows more about trains than a typical train engineer, can add and subtract, was talking about war concepts with us in the car, directs peers, very compassionate. These are all very good, unexpected, things he has been showing since birth.
However, I was talking to his doctor about "problems" we are having at preschool. Getting intense with friends, not listening, nonstop talking, won't participate, won't do his work, etc. His pediatrican wants us to have him tested. He will be four in April, and if we weren't having behavioral problems (I am at my wits end at home, however thinking he is gifted has given me some additional patience). I thought he wouldn't put his shoes on, get dressed, or every day things because he was being defiant. However, in researching this, I have read that some gifted kids CAN'T do simple task, or it takes them longer. I see this in Marshall. His mind is going 100 mph that he can't slow down. He is right now in the dining room asking me to teach him chess! I am not sure I am ready for this...I was prepared for shapes and colors!
Anyway, not sure what is in store for us with school, life and social settings. Any words of wisdom as we are probably going to have to redirect our visions of soccer games to other fun events. Fortunately, we have always said that we wouldn't push our kids into anything that wasn't for them. But, he is so advanced, I don't know what to do next. He is also the size of a normal two year old, and that has me somewhat concerned. Size isn't a big deal, but if you are so small and advanced, can you be ostrisized from normal kids? Well we have to go to the library, as we have exhausted our current stack of kids documentaries in the last five days and have to get new ones. Fortunately, he is still a kid and Scooby Doo has an appeal as well. Any suggestions on good chapter books, as that has his interest right now? He'll let us read to him for hours, but mom and dad can't read about planets and trains for that long!
Any advice would be very welcome!
