Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion hello!

I'm so glad to have found this forum.

We have two intensely wonderful sons, 8 3/4 (thank you very much) and 6. We live in a small town which has very limited options for public education. Our older son has always been a self-directed learner, with little patience for rote or repitition and 2 days after the Spring semester when he told me "mom, I can't do (2nd grade) any more" we pulled him out to homeschool/alternative school 25 miles away.

He's reading at the 12 grade level whatever that means, and in May did a NWEA MAP test that placed him solidly in 8th grade math. We've been asked if he has a photographic memory, but I just think he remembers stuff. He's usually a contented person who thinks all the time.

He has been so much happier at home and his dad is his absolute best teacher, but of course I wonder if we're providing ENOUGH stuff for him.

Our 6 year old is a totally different child than his brother of course, just as intense but in a different way. Kindergarten was just boring for him.

So, here we are!

Welcome! This is a nice place to share all our experiences. There are getting to be more and more homeschoolers here, too. Many others, myself included, do afterschooling or enrichment to keep the kids happy.

Hi, Barbara,

We pulled our DS8 out of second grade, too, although he's nowhere as advanced academically as your DS. But he's happy again and we're looking forward to HSing this fall.

Welcome, and good luck!

Welcome Barbara!

Hi! Welcome!

We have a DS7 who is HG+ and is homeschooled. We pulled him out of public school in late Sept. of 1st grade for "emergency homeschooling." He came home the first day of 1st grade--this boy who had loved 2 years of pre-K and a year of half-day K--threw his backpack down and said, "I'm NOT going back! And if you MAKE me go back, I'm NOT going to 2nd grade because it will be even LONGER and more BORING!"

So that was last year. We looked at other options for this year and chose to HS again. For us it has been the solution to a problem more than a philosophical choice. But whatever! It's working!

We also have a DS4, and I don't know what he is yet...I know what you mean about different but intense! If it were possible to be GT only in terms of the emotional intensity, that would be what I'd think DS4 is. We're in wait-and-see mode with him, and he's in pre-K now. It's good for him to have time to be without big brother. He'll go to K next year, we'll request testing by the school, and then we'll see if public school is for him or if we'll be a homeschooling family.

Anyway, there are lots of HSers here, and this is one of the few places I've found where HSers and school families really share and support one another's choices. It's wonderful and friendly and positive and a great place! So welcome!

Hi Barbara!

I too have 2 gt boys, one soon to be 6 year old and 4 year old. We will homeschool the older one next year. My two are also very different.

Your older one sounds like a very gifted child. Have you looked into Davidson Young Scholar program? It provides lots of support and if you are lucky you may find similar children within a reasonable driving distance.

oh thank you all so much for the warm welcome. I'm sure you know the feeling of wanting to share details of our life but not trying to compare. Sigh.

The 8th grade math stuff did really blow me away though, even if I'm not sure what 8th grade math IS or OUGHT to be. Especially in retrospect when after the test he said "mom, that was really fun!"

oh all right since I can I'll share another comment he made when he was 6. On his way to soccer practice he looked at me and said "mom, what if everything is just a dream, if you make up everything inside your head?" and the next day I could see him trying to influence events - and being somewhat disappointed. He was also a little bummed to find out he wasn't the first to think of the idea!

Clearly you are in the right place.

Welcome

Hi Barbara,

Great question from your son. I remember going through the same phase.

You might look into Lucid Dreaming.

In addition, the Australian Abos have a lot of wonderful legends around it that your son would love.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamtime

And he will love this book.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Livingston_Seagull

I gave my salutatorian speech back in high school about JLS, Austin! I used to love that book! The title was "Paradigms," as I recall.

(I remember because one of my dad's friends learned the word from my speech. Then a year or so later, he was quoting my speech back to my dad, not remembering where he had heard it from. I was so proud! After all, who remembers graduation speeches? I felt like a HUGE success! I hadn't thought about that in years...)

I wonder what I'd think of the book now...

Anyway, good book rec for a kid that age!