Three years ago I joined this site, asking about my DS who was not of school age but was very demanding about his learning.
link to previous post for those interested While I dropped off the board, since I had so many places to go and things to try, my worry and stress over this little guy never stopped. Fortunately the GI issue I mention he mostly outgrew, he's still very short for his age, but is hitting a spurt currently.
My oldest, DD8 is in 3rd grade and has been identified as gifted, and DS is now 5 and recently started kindergarten in the same school.
Things haven't slowed down at home. We're still working with motor skill delays, but we've gotten much better that his delays aren't a concern. But his mind still is. His ability to absorb information as rapidly as he was when I wrote my first post has exploded. Not long after posting, he was so fed up, so to speak, that he taught himself to read in order to do the concepts he wanted.
DS's never-ending thirst for knowledge caused chaos at home because DD8 is aware that his natural skills surpass hers. Their strengths fortunately are different, so they often help one another, but his mathematical ability puts him at a level I am scared to find out. I've managed to quell the anxiety in my oldest, but I'm still struggling being mom to DS.
K started last week. His teacher contacted parents ahead of time to introduce herself. I wrote back that I was concerned for DS because of his strong math skills. She found my "non bragging" email convincing enough to contact DD former teachers, who all having met him attested to his skills. She asked me to bring in samples so She could see what hee can do, and was surprised to see the workbook was grade 4. She advocated I initiate gifted testing and told me she was working with older grades to find him math work he could do on his own. I love DS teacher's advocacy.
I've done all the consent work, now I only wait for testing to occur. If it is anything like DD, I won't innie anything until 6 months from now. I'm hoping because even the administration have caught wind of him, that it will be fast tracked (with DD it was teacher initiated And a lot of time loss was from mailing convert forms home).
I'm terrified. Which is why I drug out my old account to come back to this lovely group, because I think DS is going to have us join that family (DDs current evaluation was not high enough for entry). DS never slowed down. He still just thinks constantly. I don't know what I'm doing, because the challenges with DD were never this blatant or intense. I can't talk to other parents here regarding DD or DS abilities, because they turn so spiteful, like I've pushed this. I was so thankful for the community before, and I wound up being so busy chasing his coat tails with new and fun things that I knew I had to come back and hope you could help me again. I'd rather ask than stay up another night worrying the what ifs.
I know I will have to advocate harder, I know he wants math and I will push for him. But is grade acceleration really a necessity? Or is there still a stigma? I fear the reality of the test scores I know are coming; I've never pushed him, just kept offering more and he's putting it together on his own, in his head. I want him to be his happy, social self, and thankfully we have a wonderful schedule of EC activities for all 3 of my children (youngest DD is 3) - and I don't know how best to even consider moving forward from this point. I know there's a parent out here who has been in my shoes or similar. Do you have any words of advice for me moving forward?
With my warmest regards, I thank you in advance.
