But I was constantly told not to teach him anything during those ages. My in-laws would get so upset that he knew so much. They would corner DH or I and say things like, "There's not going to be anything left for the school to teach him!" And when we were facing the decision for grade acceleration last year, we got all of the "I told you so" speeches and "You brought this on yourselves" lectures.
I really hate this. I'm sorry you were fed this line of you-know-what. As if you can stop these kids from learning! And really, why would you want to? Why should the kids have to slow down for the convenience of the schools? To me, that's madness! Backwards, wrongheaded thinking! Are the schools there to serve the kids or the kids there to serve the schools?!? :p
Maybe I'm just being stubborn. I don't really want to pick my poison. I want my school to be a poison-free environment!
Oh, I'm SOOOOOO with you! But you're right. Reality beckons, and the sooner you get past the grief phase of the GT denial pattern--which is where you are now, I think, ebeth--the mourning for the easy education that is not to be for your child, the sooner you can start taking action. You're on the right path!
It is taking me some time to completely accept the fact that he is all that different from your average kid. And part of that acceptance is figuring out what I need to do to support him the best that I can.
You're perfectly normal. But FWIW, I say let him learn, follow his interests, and tell the people giving you bad advice to buzz off. Your in-laws included. You know what's best for your child. Denying his gifts isn't going to help him, and it very probably will put out that fire in his eyes and stomp all over his feelings of self-worth. GT kids need to learn like they need to breathe. It IS a hunger, as real as the one they have for food. Feed it, and they thrive. Starve them, and you kill something important inside them.
Sorry. I don't mean to preach to the choir. Sometimes I just get wound up!
Hope it helped a little, at least!
