Sorry, this is a long, rambling attack of nerves!
I finally 'bit the bullet' and made contact with the local gifted children's group. I saw they had some activities my LO would really enjoy coming up! They usually require a parent form and a teacher/childcare worker etc nomination. But because my LO is home educated, and has never been in care, that's kind of a problem! I asked about what I could do, and they have been great, suggesting I complete the parent form and a more detailed submission with specific information about why I think he is gifted and some examples of his drawing and/or work he has produced.
So now I'm starting to second-guess myself. Is he really gifted? There is no doubt in my mind he is bright, but... He is only just four, but he isn't writing yet, his reading is just recognizing a few words (although he knows most of his letter sounds and names.) and his drawings are yet to resemble anything. But that seems to be at least partly because he doesn't attempt it! He can see straight away that his 'o' isn't a perfect circle and he gets upset. We have tended towards unschooling styles too, which makes that a little more difficult. Elsewhere I have written about his perfectionism, and lack of tolerance for frustration. (he got up on all fours and screamed for weeks when he was a baby because he wanted to crawl and he couldn't do it the first time he tried.)
I think it makes it worse that it isn't entirely clear what LOG they are after. Not that I know exactly where he is, but that might help my confidence!
Do you think things like photos of the very simple electronics circuits he is building by himself would be considered work? What about the little things that show personality, the things other people notice, like when we visited a projection light show, and I was pointing at all the pretty lights and he was searching for the projection boxes and quizzing me about how they work? Or examples of times when he has made little jumps of logic? One day he was watching the magic school bus episode about friction, and later, cleaning up a spill commented "water makes things slippery. Does that mean there is no friction?" His obsessive questioning in the car? (Mum, what is gravity made of?)
I know it is difficult for anyone else to answer this, but am I on the right track? Am I deluding myself? Do you have any suggestions for other ways I could offer 'proof'?
And why do I suddenly feel like I'm in an exam?
LOL
