I understand a lot of what people are saying. But I have to disagree with some of it.
Like forcing vegetables. If I do not force DD to have fruit (and I have to blend it every morning or it doesn't get consumed) and eat her vegetables, she would just eat carbs. And she has bowel problems. It isn't an option not to force her. Not about to start giving her a laxative a day because she hates fruits and vegetables. So using this analogy... she has to be forced into healthy habits because of health concerns for her. She really has issues with the bowel.
So, staying with my devil's advocate role, how different is that for someone whose child is HG, even PG and doesn't have learning passion? What would you do, just let them slide?
DD was motivated to learn to read by herself at 2.5 and did math early. She was motivated in her Montessori preschool to do the math area when she got there. By the second year there, she got bored and just played.
But her lack of trying comes mostly from fear of failure. She hates to fail. We have been steady in praising efforts, not success. Though you have to praise success also, but try and show how all the practice paid off. That is our mantra. The practice is what created the success. She really hates not being able to do something and gets frustrated when it doesn't come easily. And hates, really hates when we try and show her a better way.
Though she gets into the class situation. She became an excellent swimmer this summer. She had a fabulous teacher and since we are on the ocean all summer, we really wanted to make sure she was as good in deep water. She way surpassed our expectations, diving off the block and swimming the length of the pool. At 41 inches and 34 lbs, that was a feat of energy. And sometimes a big wave takes her and she is OK with swimming with it, then coming up and swimming to one of us -- we are always near her. So sometimes she pushes herself beyond anything we thought and then....
