Well there are some cyber schools that are still out there up and running. I personally prefer the charter version for reasons previously stated but I have a friend who was recently considering both and there actually didn't seem to be too much difference...except of course considering the whole fact that charters ARE public schools.
It sounds like your Mite has done very well regardless of when you found out his intellectual abilities. I don't think you can beat yourself up about it. Well, you can but I don't think it will do any good and I'm sure he would tell you the same thing. He seems to be thriving in his own ways and although a little more enrichment will likely go a long way for him at least you know NOW rather then NEVER.
) Something is always better then nothing and now is better then never. Nobody's perfect and I am positive your son knows better then to have that expectation of you or anyone else.
) Don't be so hard on yourself.
I'll tell you what I have to wonder....I read some of the stuff people's kids are doing at such young ages and I gather that they are in the same range as my son and I scratch my head and think "so is my son just a little more dumb or have I been neglecting him or not pushing him enough or what?" Ok, I'd never call him dumb, I was being dramatic of course but you get the idea I hope? I am certainly pleased that he's entering 4th grade in the fall at only age 7 and in fact he informed me yesterday that he has every intention of clearing 2 grades again this year. I did tell him we'd see what the curriculum looks like and we'd talk again about whether or not that was a realistic goal and I also praised him for having such high expectations of himself. He looked at me like I had fallen off the moon of course because if he wants to do it I'm sure he will but again with the maturity and content and then I am back to thinking...have I held him back too much? *sigh* It does help to know that in August I am having him re-tested. This is a dr our ped. reccommended and our insurance will pay for the 4 hours of testing and she'll give me the results right away. I asked my son if he minded doing the tests and he said he would do them. Part of my reasoning is because when the school tested him (about 2 weeks after he turned 5) I knew they didn't WANT to test him, I know they have ceilings on their tests, and he tested on a level of the average 3rd or 4th grader for some of the stuff they tested him on...aside from the astounding IQ they recorded for him. Anyway, I'd still like a completely unbiased person doing the test of their own and I'm looking for a more well rounded eval. because I want to know socially and emotionally what the dr's views are and whether I should just let him keep plowing through stuff or what. I am terrified of doing the wrong thing and just seeing irrepairable damage done to such a great mind and I can't stand the thought of that so....I have to rely on someone smarter then me to tell me what to do I guess; or at least offer some guidance or insight. I hope I haven't completely squashed the time in his life where he'll really excell and use his exceptional mind though by encouraging him to be a kid. I want him to enjoy his childhood and not be such a little adult all the time. I grew up like that and I don't wish that for my children.
( Now I have run off on a tangent.....sorry. *blush*
