My DS6 tends to mimic whoever he's near. He will rise or fall to the occasion every time. The doctor told me that this is typical of HG, although DS hasn't been tested so we don't know that he's HG.
Ah, yes. DD5 was great at this! Sadly, preschool meant that she "fell" as she had no true peers there and the teachers only expected, the minimimum of what was appropriate for the ND age group development. So no challenge or encouragement there, either. Bleh!
Oh and someone told me once that DD5 didn't "go underground" as I thought, but rather she regressed to where she should be because her home environment had been highly stimulating all the years before she went to school. Emphatically, no! The only change was that she was surrounded by ND age peers and teachers who only expected the bare minimum - if that! for long periods of time, and she learned that she was different and "adjusted" to fit in, and even then she still spent 90% of her time in solitary endeavors. The other 10% was during circle time when she was required to sit in a group with the other kids but not actually interact with them - now that I think about it does *that* count as socializing? - and outside play. Regarding outside play, this usually entailed a few games of tag, but even then the teachers said she did her own thing for the most part, unless one counts the fact that she let herself be bullied "so the other kids would play with her". Double Bleh!
Okay sorry! Didn't mean to thread jack. The whole thing still irritates me and it's been a while.
Happily now we are homeschooling, things are much better and her skills are coming right back up to where they were previously and she's progressing ahead rapidly. It's sooooo good to have her back!
P.S. I am not anti-school or preschool in any way. I was severely disappointed in how it turned out for DD though, especially, since this was supposed to be one of the best schools in the area. I think if the right fit is found any school can be great! I hope it works out well for any one going that route.
