Mana, doubtfulguest, HK, you ladies are terrific. Full stop. Thank you so much for joining the conversation. I truly respect your parenting wisdom and warnings.
During DS' first year, I literally began questioning my own sanity. Nobody but my husband, pediatrician (thank God), and parents believed any of DS' early milestones. Comversations with outsiders began to feel very...ontological. Now DS' traits are so undeniable that only a fool could doubt him. (I can feel you nodding in the future based on your experiences.) The first time he spoke up in his angelic voice, he was 5 months old, and it was "I love you too, read book". Even then, he knew how to get what he wanted...
@Doubtfulguest: the commiseration is just as valuable as the advice, so thank you for sharing your experience. The $2/second heuristic sounds about right, though I cringe at the thought. DS is like a Venus fly trap; one hint of a new morsel of brain candy and he launches his whole body into devouring it whole. I've all but given up on buying books, too, unless they're 25-cent retired library copies. We just finished reading Steig's "Dr. De Soto Goes to Africa" which, last week, seemed too complex a storyline. As was true in your family's case, the only constant is change.
I never thought I'd find myself doing this, but I'm trying to rally some good educational resources to formulate some scenarios once DS becomes school-age. We're a long way off, and I hesitate to become to mentally attached to any one option, but I'm seriously considering starting a private HG+ elementary school with ability-based cohort assignmet. (I know DS is waaaay too young to be tested, but he's tracking a solid Ruf 4+, so I'd bet good money he's HG at a minimum. Both his parents are.)
DH and I both have business backgrounds, and I'm formulating some contacts on the gifted educator side of the equation. We're also located minutes away from a world-renowned university in a province that woefully under services HG+ gifted children. So I'm embarking on this journey hopeful that I can build a dynamic, adaptve learning environment that's designed to roll with the punches dished out by kids like DS, something along the lines of a Canadian Davidson.
If that's not a tall order, I don't know what is!
