Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Excited for new school year?

DD8 is starting 4th grade at the gifted magnet she's been at for 3 prior years. She cannot wait and I am excited for her. She will do Math Olympiad, Robotics, and somehow also fit in travel basketball and rec soccer this fall (at her request). Her dad coaches both so neither will be practice intensive. I am not looking forward to dealing with some of the emotional issues I've seen developing, namely perfectionism-light which manifests itself mostly in self-criticism. I just hope I'm up to it.

DS11 will start 7th grade (second year of middle school). He did well in 6th but most of the teachers really emphasize neat, pretty work that does not have to be too deep. And piles of piles of it. That is difficult for my deep thinker with horrible writing who likes to question whether the "right" answers are really right. Not sure "honors" really means anything at his "highly-ranked" middle school. I just hope he makes a few more friends although he does have a handful now. He's doing his second year of orchestra with the cello and loves it. He will do that, piano, and school yearbook.

I'm going to be swamped at work all fall, which is kind of scary for me with both kids likely to kick it up a notch in terms of work.

Good luck all. I look forward to seeing updates!