Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Grade placement and peer status for boys

If only because it's miserable being very pregnant in August.

Wow, thank you everyone for your replies!!! It is a difficult issue for me to think through because there are so many emotions clouding my "gut feeling" -- sadness that he's growing up so fast, missing our time at home together (kindergarten is 6 hours per day, twice as long as preK), admiration for how advanced he is, and worry over every little thing that could possibly go wrong!

I got a better look at all his classmates, and he's actually not the shortest. He's 50th percentile for both height and weight for his age, so I guess he would fit in ok with either the older or younger group. He really is a pretty mature kid as far as sitting still, taking turns, etc. and his fine motor is ok too. And he seems to be starting to make some friends in the class!



I guess this is what we'll do for now. Much as I miss him, I couldn't keep him home now that he's experienced the fun of school. He complains about having to leave his toys in the morning, but after school he always tells me that he had a great time. Even if I did keep him home, I couldn't stop him from continuing to learn. Might as well give him a chance to hone those social skills and get used to doing homework (which seems to be going better this week than last week!).

I also appreciate the suggestion to visit the public elementary school and learn more about the GT program there. Keeping him at the private school is an option too, although we'd have to adjust our financial plans.

As for sports, he's not very athletic right now but we hope he'll develop some interest eventually, for fitness and social reasons. My husband loved swimming and wrestling in HS even though he wasn't the best, and maybe those will be good choices for DS as they're less "team"-oriented.

Oy...my feet/ankles have never fully recovered

Ha ha. A few months ago I was delighted with DD1's amazing vocabulary, but now I see it a little differently. She'll be 2 in a couple of weeks -- so I guess we'll probably go through this all over again in a few years.

Although I did read Outliers, I'm talking more about my crazy hockey family (in contrast to my overly cautious kid) and how things are around here for elite sports rather than the book. And if we were in Canada, my kiddo would be in the right month to be an elite player, but you can only lead a horse to water...

ETA: Also, if you don't start ANY sport young around here, there are very few simply fun, recreational opportunities to play sports when you decide you want to try it out later. Especially team sports.

(LOL I might be the only Canadian who's steering my son AWAY from hockey... poor kid has enough pre-frontal cortex issues without risking any hits to the head )

Joking aside, I think sports are extremely important, so my two are usually enrolled in something. Currently it's swimming, skating and gymnastics

I used to think that being involved in a competitive sport was important, I've changed my way of thinking on that in the last 8 years or so. When my eldest was a mid-teen and had been on numerous teams that experienced varying levels of success, he came to me one day and said, "You know, I just can't seem to find a team that wants to ACT like a team, treat each other with dignity and respect, help each other on and off the field, everything a team is suppose to do. If I can't be on a REAL team I have no interest. I'll just do something on my own."

He did, he started into the gym and trained hard in lifting and very disciplined in his diet and sleep. He went from being the little smart kid to one of the more physically developed young men his Jr. & Sr. years in HS.....and he did it by doing his own research, his own discipline and perseverance, and by requesting advice from others and sorting out the good suggestions from the bad. He never competed, though having judged body building contests I think he'd have done well, however, he learned the same lessons he would have in competitive sports, the same ones I learned doing so.

This changed my train of thought. As long as my boys are doing something to keep them physically healthy, I'm good with that. Now DS #2 (14 years old) has seen what it's done for his brother and goes to the gym with me 3 times a week. He's a music kid but his older brother lead by example.

Aw, what a smart guy... he understood the true meaning of team

I just figured that team play would be too much of a learning curve for DS, and DD has never shown an interest until recently (she's been playing soccer at lunch at school).

Meanwhile the solo sports they've been in have still provided socialization while giving them skills and exercise. They're happy, and so am I