[quote=Dottie
But halfway into 1st I realized we were only just getting started!
[/quote]
Oh...I'm smiling...just hoping that I can wrap my brain around all that is happening so quickly. I know you are right. Maybe I'm in a warm and fuzzy state of denial right now. It seems that maybe I've been in this "well, what we're doing seems to be working" state of denial for about 1.5 years now!
But it IS really exciting to think about what the future may hold. I'm sure the journey will be an interesting one, whatever happens.
My husband and I had a long discussion last night about skipping, what I'm finding the research shows, etc.
He has some significant concerns. He agrees that we need to really watch DS to make sure his little "spark" returns (as far as school is concerned, anyway. I must stress what a joyful and confident child he is when he's not at school). He acknowledges that early entrance/skipping may be something we need to seriously consider.
But then he started talking about how it feels (or maybe how it felt for him) to be a little boy at school who, perhaps, isn't as big as the other kids. He's very worried that he'll always be chosen last for the kickball teams, or that he'll always be left out/made fun of, etc. for being smaller than the others. (Assuming he will be smaller, heehee, if we let him skip.) He made a really big deal of it all. Of course I've considered these things. But I also think it's important to teach DS that he IS different, and that it is
OKAY. I must stress that we are NOT parents who will push our son into any specific sport/club/interest. We believe it is important to provide him with opportunities, if he desires, and we will help to foster any passion or even remote interest in a wide variety of topics. DS is already small for his age. He was a premie and hasn't "caught up" yet. He might not catch up to be an "average" size at all. So this just adds to my husband's concerns. His point is this: if DS is hanging his head all day because of how he feels about being left out/too small/too different...can he really focus on the academic material, anyway?
*sigh*
This is all very complicated.
We might be thinking way too far ahead.
How do you balance these very real social issues with the desire to keep your kid interested in learning by skipping?
