I am also new to this forum and so happy that I've found it. I am just coming to realize perhaps why my DS5 is so intense. For awhile I was questioning my parenting skills. Was it a lack of discipline? Not that I could see. Perhaps I should try that whole reward chart thing? Never worked, my son is not bribe-able and easily adjusts his interests. I've read so many parenting books and none of them ever fit our situation. I felt like they were all parenting 1 and I was onto the upper division parenting subjects. His kindergarten teacher even asked to have him tested for ADHD! Which, it turns out he is not. That's when I started to look at the fact that maybe he is having difficulties because he is gifted. Why do I feel like I'm dealing with a 12 year old when my son is only 5? I did have him tested recently via a school counselor who said that my DS had an average IQ and should be adequately challenged. I am really questioning the test's accuracy. It seems like the test really missed the mark because as far as i can see he has met a majority of the criteria for giftedness.
Regarding your mention of emotional sensitivity, last night as we were finishing dinner my son all of a sudden started to get teary-eyed and said that he didn't want to die. It was completely out of the blue. Then he told me that when he hears a violin play it seems so sad and reminds him of someone dying. (A couple weeks ago we went to see a family symphony performance by Lemony Snickett called "The Composer is Dead".) He went on to say that he couldn't even look at a picture of a violin without starting to feel sad (so much for the violin lessons I was planning to sign him up for). We ended up having a conversation about death and why people die. It doesn't seem like normal 5 year old conversation to me.
I have always felt that my son isn't like most of the other kids in our neighborhood. He is very intense, often inflexible, extremely independent, and a critical thinker with a mind of his own. I have had a very difficult time and am exhausted at the end of the day. I also have a DD3 who I believe is on the same path.
It's nice to know this community exists because I often feel like I don't have other parents that can relate to my parenting issues. Thank you to everyone for offering so much support!
