DS4 is this easygoing, delightful little person. Makes friends easily, loves to play, very sweet and kind-hearted. We have been reassuring ourselves that he will do fine in amny settings, with enrichment at home. He is at a slightly academic pre-K this year, but they also do lots of puppets, blocks, pretend play, etc. However, there is a strong emphasis on pre-K and early K skills as well, including basic sight words, writing, counting to 100, and so on. This is a state-funded pre-K but it's attached to a private, religious K-8 school; many of the students will continue there next year, but we will not. I like the teachers and the class always seems orderly and happy. I know the academic stuff is very easy for him (with the exception of writing, where he is only slightly advanced) but haven't been worried. He has no behavior problems--I think the teachers adore him.
He has seemed completely content with the school until very recently. Last week and this, he hasn't been wanting to go. This morning he had a complete meltdown (out of character) about it. When I asked him why he didn't want to go, he had two reasons. One was about recess--I guess the other kids all want to play a certain running game and he doesn't want to. Typical kid stuff. However, he then launched into a long and impassioned speech about how he never learns anything, they never teach anything, he wants harder work, everything is the same all the time, etc. He gave example after example of things he has to do that he is tired of (rhyme, say words starting with a particular letter, count). Honestly, I even asked him if his sister had been talking to him about this because she used to say the same things about kindergarten. (He said no.)
The school curriculum is to a large degree dictated by the state requirements for pre-K. Everyone does the same things, always. I don't know if there is really much the teachers can do to enrich him...any easy, nonfussy ideas for that? All I can think of is providing harder books and puzzles and asking if he can work at a higher level when they use the computer.
He says he wants to stay home with me, but he can't; I work mornings. We have thoroughly assessed the preschool scene here. There is one other option that might work, BUT it's not nearly as many hours and it's not free. It's totally play-based and probably somewhat chaotic, but there would be no boring academics he already knows.
For reference, he reads at probably a 3rd-grade level (right now he is steaming through the Magic Schoolbus chapter books) and his math and number skills are probably end of first grade. I suspect he will test HG.
