We were lucky to end up at a school where the teachers and administration really listened to us. I explained that DS was a child with some weaknesses but he also had really strong strengths and that I expected those strengths to far exceed the weaknesses in the long run. So basically, I asked them to help remediate his LDs, but to also acknowledge and nurture his gifts. He was allowed to accelerate in the areas where he is capable (math) and was given help in reading, writing and some OT. There is no gifted program at this school but they use flexible ability groupings for all academic subjects and a hands-on curriculum that encourages critical and creative thinking, so it is very gifted friendly.
DS9 has done really well. He continues to excel in math, his reading went from below grade level to 99th percentile this year, he graduated from OT and continues to see the EC teacher a few times a week for writing, which is still below grade level. He seems happy and motivated to do well at school, and that is great.
Out of school I make a point of taking to him and encouraging his ideas. That crazy, out of the box thinking that you mention is his forte too, so we spend a lot of time discussing things like spinning magnets and the perpetual motion machines that he could build using them. He has all the GT friendly building toys. Next year I will try to finagle him into a weekend science program for middle schoolers.
But mostly I want him to understand that he is smart and capable, even if every little thing is not easy for him in the short term. Reading biographies of eminent 2Es, what I notice over and over is an involved parent who really believed in their child from the early years and gave them support and self confidence to succeed later on.
