You guys are awesome! I have to say that my head is swimming with all of your comments and suggestions and it is really making me rethink what we are really concerned about and what is really the issue. I know that he has perfectionist issues - but is it really as big a deal as I originally thought? With all your support and suggestions, I'm really starting to think that I am over-thinking the "middle of the road" problem. As I re-think and re-analyze everything, I'm thinking that I may be remembering back a year or two ago when we really did have problems with him trying new things and him never feeling like he did anything right...I'm realizing that while he still expects so much from himself, that he doesn't have quite the extreme reaction as he used to. Hmmm, so much to think about. I think I have been under the mistaken thought that being pg meant it should show itself in a way that can be measured by others (other than when he was little and doing all the pg stuff then) and so when it is not showing up in 1st grade I feel like he is somehow not living up to his potential and I'm failing him. Now I'm starting to realize that I'm putting way to much on school and that maybe the best is to continue doing what we do at home with some afterschooling with standard reading, writing, and math, but also just really let him go with what he really likes and see what comes of it.
My dh just reminded me today that after his pre-k and k experience we just hoped that someday he would love to go to school and not cry everyday (ya - that sucked) and now we have that and we are forgetting that he is happy right now. Yes - he could be working harder, doing more challenging work, but I'm hoping that will come...with a little bit of tweaking on our part with his curriculum.
Again - lots to think about and I know we will doubt all of this over and over and go back to, "shouldn't he be doing more??!" But right now I think I am feeling much more peaceful with letting him be a 6 year old boy that likes school and in knowing that his potential is not being lost just because he isn't reading 'grown up' books yet.
Anyway, I wanted to say a blanket, "thank you!" to everyone. I have read every post and thought about everything that you guys have suggested - such valuable info, I hope it keeps coming! I will also probably start more posts as my journey with pg6 continues - especially since my dd4 and ds1.5 seem to be headed down the same path!
