DS5 was grade accelerated so is in first, but he has mostly different work and has clearly been labeled "smart" He tells me how every day people tell him how smart he is. He has mentioned in the past that he didn't have time to get something done because he kept telling everyone else how to spell things because they kept asking him. He has talked a lot about helping others, which I obviously would like for him to do at times...but also wouldn't like for it to hold him back.
A while ago before school started he talked about how everyone calls him smart. I asked him what "smart" meant to him and he said that it meant "making good choices." When school started he realized "smart" took on a different meaning and looks at it in terms of just academics. He has had some behavior issues at school and he talked about how others always tell him how smart he is. I reminded him that smart is also making good choices and good decisions based on what you know. I told him that there are many that are very smart in that way as well, and many that have been making much better choices than he has. He said to me "well, I am not talking about that kind of smart, I am talking about the kind of smart where you know lots of things." (sigh). He is competitive about lots of things, I wish he would become a little more competitive about having better behavior...but it seems that is the least interesting thing to be competitive about. Oh well, maybe someday : )
