FWIW - Checklists have been pretty useless to me, as they don't seem to fit our situation. DS was a somewhat late talker (due presumably to chronic ear infections) & he's pretty introverted. It seems like most of the checklists I see are more about philosophical conversations & early verbal development. So they often peg him as mildly gifted, if at all. But that doesn't seem to fit a kid who started reading paragraphs before he turned 3 (without instruction) and is now teaching himself how to read an analog clock.
I had a lot of mixed feelings about the Ruf estimates when I looked at the checklists online. However I finally broke down and bought the book. Like the OP, I just wanted to get some idea of where he fits on the gifted spectrum. So far the anecdotal evidence in the book has been very helpful & reassuring. It has chapters on each of the 5 levels, and then gives examples of what several different children were doing at various ages. I felt like I got a better sense of the variation within the spectrum, which allowed me to get a better sense of where my child lies.
Even though I don't agree with everything in the book, it's definitely worth a look for parents of younger untested kids. It offers a unique perspective in the limited world of books focusing on young gifted children.
