Thanks so much for all the thoughtful responses.
MON...
I know exactly where my anxiety comes from: My ds just turned 6 and JUST missed the cut-off for Kindy last year. We could've pursued private K but chose to let ds go to preK instead with his friends (also was worried about his maturity last year as he would be the youngest in K).
It was a looooong wait last year. In retrospect, we did tons of home enrichment (much more than he gets this year)since he was only in school 2 days a week last year.
My anxiety comes from feeling like we should've pursued early-entrance into K last year more aggressively. When I look at the maturity level of the kids, I feel that he would've been fine. Now I feel like I have a first-grader (or higher) stuck in a Kindy class.
I feel like we've waited and waited for academic enrichment (beyond what I can provide) - and I don't see anything coming in the near future. There are no GT programs available until 3rd grade, and then it's only for 2 hours a week. He's only 6, but he's been so hungry for learning since he was so tiny. I guess I have this dream that there is an actual classroom that will help him pursue his advanced interests: Chemistry, biology, geography, mathematics, physics. I suspect that classroom may only exist in our home.
I know that it is unrealistic to expect that any child will be happy all the time about going to school. He certainly wasn't happy all the time about being home last year (he's very social), but it just seems like SUCH a mismatch.
My dh and my brother-in-law both struggled with boredom and complacency in school, and really had a hard time once college hit. So, I guess I have that nagging worry in my brain as well.
