Hi,
I am new to this forum and glad to have found it. I would like thoughts on placing DD8 into a full time GT program given her anxiety issues.
First, a bit of background...
DD8 has been struggling with anxiety and perfectionism, particularly in school, and more specifically with writing. She is under the care of a therapist for 3 years and now a psychiatrist as well. She essentially has 1 to many, what I call, mini-anxiety attacks a day. The school is undertaking more psycho-educational testing to see if she has other issues and we'll have the results in a few weeks. I won't go into more detail but it has been an exhausting and worrisome journey. Now that I understand the intensities and sensitivities of gifted kids, she now "makes sense" and feel like we might see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Meanwhile, she has been accepted to start at our school district's full time GT program next year. We feel she should get an education to match her cognitive abilities but are hesitant to put her into a more stressful environment at this time, just when we're stabilizing her worries. On the other hand, I've also read how gifted kids do better emotionally and socially when they are in the gifted programs (she's known as a quirky crier). I also worry that she already freaks out when met with material she doesn't instantaneously get. Therefore, I would like her to practice being challenged and be more comfortable with challenge. I'm afraid that holding her in the regular classroom another year will further reinforce her belief that anything that doesn't come easily is impossible.
So, I'd love thoughts on providing an emotionally safe AND intellectually stimulating learning environment.
I apologize for the long post and I hope someone has some similar experience. thanks!
