I was talking to the school psychologist to see if the school would do achievement testing for us to submit to DYS. Our application is in limbo, the portfolio was not quite enough. She said they would not do the testing. My explanation to her as to why we were looking into the program was that we are interested in finding families with similar children (trying to avoid seeming like we were about to become "pushy parents" with the school). So she started going on about his social needs and that they are very important, but can certainly be fulfilled with the various children in his school.
Also, she talked a lot about letting him just be a kid. She even mentioned that her daughter goes to high school with a twelve year old, who in her daughters estimation, really isn't socially ready for high school (isn't it a shame he was not allowed to remain in sixth or seventh grade with his age mates to learn how to get along seemed to be the point of that story.)
She agreed that he will never find a friend at school who will be close to him intellectually, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. She asked if I ever saw Doogie Howser, the 80's sit-com about a 15 year old doctor. I said yes, I saw an episode or two. Then she asked if I remembered his best friend, who was obviously not his intellectual equal, but wasn't it great how much he got Doogie to just be a kid, and maybe that is what we should be looking for for our son.
Just smile and wave, boys, smile and wave. (from the Penguins of Madagascar)
