Hi LynnW -
I think testing both kids is a wonderful idea. Sometime when we think that a program "stinks" it is because it doesn't meet our own child's needs, and we assume that our child can't be "that" different than other "highly capable" children. But some of our children are quite different than the majority of gifted children.
A good way to get started is by reading Deb Ruf's "Losing our Minds, Gifted Children left behind." It gives you ways to understand the "levels" of gifteness, and in the back is a way to understand your local school and how the level of the child and the level of the kid interact.
I would reccomend that you try to met some local gifted folks and some local homeschooling folks. I have never homeschooled personally, but by listening to gifted homeschooling parents, I have found that almost all of my assumptions about homeschooling were wrong - there are people who homeschool is a wide variety of ways. I'm not saying it isn't a tremendous amouth of effort and responsibility, but even short term homeschooling will teach you a lot about your children and your self. I just saw this website:
http://store.sunburst.com/ and though, Wow!
Once you have the testing in hand, the tester should be able to make suggestions for your individual situation. Check Hoagiesgifted.org for specific names in your region. You do want someone who has tested lots and lots of gifted kids and seems to like them.
Best Wishes,
Trinity
