I just want to figure out where he is and what to do. I dont think he is profoundly gifted. I think he is definitely a level two, and possible a level three (according to the Ruf book). But I know that I am not a professional, and I dont like to depend on my diagnosis. I just want to make sure I am doing the "right thing" especially going forward and determining the best schooling options. We dont have a lot of choices where we currently reside. Honestly, I feel a bit overwhelmed.
Jai, if it was me, I wouldn't bother testing yet - but that's mostly because I think it might add to a sense of confusing and/or feeling overwhelmed. Your child is really young, and if the test results come back lower than you anticipated you might find that his results are potentially skewed because he didn't feel like being tested or was distracted or whatever, and if his tests come back sky-high you also might find either yourself or others questioning are the results really valid? We've had both happen to us with our EG ds and our possibly MG dd. Both were first tested when they were 5. DS' test was fairly accurate, as he's had other IQ tests in over the years and the #s have always tracked. BUT - when we were advocating for a change in placement for him in school in the early years we had school staff who believed that his high scores weren't necessarily accurate because he was young when he was tested. At the time, the thing I wished that I'd had in addition to the testing (and possibly in place of it) was a record of his accomplishments as he grew - ideas that he'd expressed, models that he'd created, etc. Having a portfolio of the proofs in "real life" of his giftedness would have helped more than the IQ tests in advocating for him as he went into school.
Re what to do now - expose him to all kinds of different things - museums, art at home, take him out for nature hikes, talk to him. Let him watch PBS or the Discovery Channel or interesting videos you find online. If he has a passion, fuel it. Take him to the library. Read to him - read read read and read again to him, even if he is reading himself. Read big books, classics, complicated things. Don't limit yourself to reading children's early reader books. Ask him lots of questions, ask him for his ideas.
Then when he's taking his nap ;0 do your research - look into what educational options are available so that you'll be ready when the time comes.
Last thought - seriously, don't over think it. You'll do FINE by trusting your own instincts. It can feel overwhelming raising a gifted child, but it can also feel overwhelming raising a non-gifted child. I think for most of us the overwhelming feeling comes in because we want so badly to do things right, to give everything we can to our kids whom we love beyond measure. Ultimately it's simply loving our kids that matters the most to them and is what they will remember forever, and it sounds like you are already doing a great job with what really counts
polarbear
