Hey, What about Dorothy?
J - I can hear you, dressed as Dorothy Gale saying:
"Oh, I don't think there's anything in that black bag for me."
See Below for more setup:
Tin Man
Oh, Oh, it ticks! Listen! Look, it ticks!Lion
Read - read what my medal says. Courage! Ain't it the truth!Dorothy
Oh - oh they're all wonderful.Scarecrow
Hey, what about Dorothy?
Dorothy
Oh, I don't think there's anything in that black bag for me.Wizard
Well - you force me into a cataclysmic decision.
The only way to get Dorothy back to Kansas is for me to take her there myself!
Dorothy
Oh! Oh, will you? Could you? Oh! Oh, but are you a clever enough wizard to manage it?
Wizard
Child, you cut me to the quick! I'm an old Kansas man myself, born and bred -
in the heart of the western wilderness, premier Baloonist, highest class.
And in that balloon, my dear Dorothy, you and I will return to the Land of E Pluribus Unum!
J -
I'm just not a clever enough Wizard to manage this question of yours.
BUT -
I have faith in you. You are the one who knows your children best. You heart is the place where the prayers for guidance from the source of true Wisdom comes. You are going to have to make the compromises and do the best you can with what you have.
All I can suggest is
1)that you read your old posts to see what you have learned and what still bothers you.
2) that you spend time with normal children your childrens' age and in the classrooms.
3) remember that the adults you see function are often doing what they do best, and have had years of time to practice, and heavy motivation to do so. So it is natural for them to look smart. Most adults run fast from any thing they aren't good at.
4)You have seen that a good teacher in a supportive school can make a huge difference. If you could count on getting this at your "any decent public school" I would say, well, golly dear, get over yourself. That has not been my personal experience in a highly rated, highly spoken of public school. Anything that meant going outside of the age-mate classroom was not going to be availible to my child. We switched to private school. They offered a grade skip, AND a further Math Acceleration. Opps, the Math class meets during half of his history class - well that won't be a problem for him. Well it was, and 3 months later he was back with his grade mates, embarrassed, but at least not flunking History.
You won't ever make the right choice because the right choice doesn't exist. You can do the best you can with the resources you have. Yes there does have to be a point were you say enough is enough. Here's an example from last nights dinner table:
DH: My co-worker says her son has a Robot building club at his Middle School. They are doing great and going to competitions and in the newspapaer.
Me: Oh how cool, that must be FLL, lego leauge!
DH: Do they offer that club at your school?
DS: Yes they do. It's called the Social Suicide Club. ((sarcastically))
Me: Oh that's too bad. I guess a larger school has more kids and some of them are more likely to like things like Lego Leauge.
Was I thinking - "Ut Oh, how is he going to make friends when in his view his school is so anti-intellectual? Did I pick the wrong school for him? What a shame!" Sure I was thinking that. Am I willing to let this negative sour me on the school overall? No Way! Although part of me feels that I Shoulddrive him an hour each way per day so he could go to a school with like-minded kids, he is learning how to learn. He does have friends. He does see YSP friends outside of school. Enough is Enough! He likes his school. It isn't perfect.
Your children are so young, and you have done really well so far. You have learned how to advocate for them, learned how they react in various situations. You have the resource of YSP (ask your Family Consultant, and the email lists to dig up name of testers for you, ok?)
You are so far ahead of me, not realizing what was going on until 3rd grade, after a wicked bottoming out in 2nd grade. What ever path you take will have good qualities and bad qualities, but if we all walk together, I think we'll be ok.
FWIW, I worry more about your ds2 (sib to YSP son) who reminds me more of my son. I'm afraid he won't put up with "baby work." Just a hunch....
Also - I speculate that if you had survived your childhood fully intact, you wouldn't be second guessing yourself so much now.
Smiles,
Trinity
