Hi Wyldkat,
I'm sorry that I don't remember if you have any indication fo Wolf's LOG, so adjust the example 'up or down' accordingly. Assuming a child who is HG:
How would you feel if we lived in an alternate universe where each 5 year olds was expected to have the maturity to spend 6 hours a week with all two and 3 year olds in order to prepare them for being a parent someday? Were all the activities and expectations and teacher tones of voice were geared to the two and three year olds? I would think that it was quite bizarre, no matter that everyone else thought it was normal. Perhaps 2 one hour chunks with a few agemates would be a better way to achieve the goal.
I think you should ask Wolf if he likes the preschool, and ask yourself if it helps the family, if the answers to both questions is 'no,' I would get him out of there. I don't think that there is anything wrong with him. Remember that siblings are usually of similar LOG, so that a sibling who is 2 years younger might be closer in ability than an agemate. Also, if Wolf and his younger sib did play peacefully 'in parallel' you would be pleased and celebrate that, not judgmental or worried, right?
Sometimes home day care centers have more of a mixed age group, and some preschools are better about setting up activities that include a wider range of abilities - you could keep looking...
I remember DS13 in daycare complaining that one of the little girls 'refused' to talk to him. When I inquired, it seems that she was a late talker, and didn't talk to anyone. I can picture that this is confusing/scary to a gifted child. We also got the 'monopolizes adult attention' comment quite a bit.
I found this puzzling at the time- as in - and how am I supposed to explain to a two year old that he should be less active in seeking the teacher's attention? But now it makes sense that he would want to talk to the person in the room who had some idea of what he was talking about.
Best Wishes,
Grinity
