I was really worried about his social development
What did you see that made you worried?
She said she could tell he hadn't been to preschool.
That's probably true; but a child with typically developing social skills can usually pick up the "school skills" (walk in line, don't talk in the hall, sit for circle) pretty quickly.
He isn't bad just very sensitive and only likes getting his way or his feelings get hurt. I thought he was just a brat so I was getting tougher on him because I felt that was ridiculous behavior.
If he's catered to a lot at home, that can also be because he's effectively trained his caregivers. I'd recommend that you work against his behavioral rigidities by going against his preferences more often. Even something as simple as running out of his favorite snack. Or whatever it is that he resists; make sure it happens often enough that he learns that it's not a disaster to not get his way.
A preschool that will actively work on following instructions and going with the flow seems like a very important option for him.
Well after four more days of K they asked him to leave because he wasn't engaging and cried when he didn't get his way. By this time I compiled some information about gifted children but they didn't want to hear it at all. I was told he would mature by next year.
I wouldn't rely solely on maturation-- I would seek to increase his compliance with instructions (even and especially in things that he actively doesn't want to do). I'd put him into situations that really stretch his abilities to cope and engage.
Then the principal had the nerve to say that with his intelligence level she would have expected him to be reading already and her kids were reading at 4th grade level before kindergarten.
That was inappropriate.
I am busy running a home business so he just quietly entertains himself all day.
I can see why school was a big change for him. But it's possible that just being with you, while you're working, he isn't getting the academic or social skills he's going to need.
At this point I wouldn't see it as a gifted/not-gifted issue, but more of a filling in missing skills issue.
HTH
DeeDee
