Hello parents,
I am new to this forum, and frankly, not sure if I should be here or not since I have not tested my ds, who is 4 and a half. But, I have known that he is different and very bright from early age. He used to remember roads where we have passed. He learned the alphabet at age 2, and the phonics on his own at about 2.5 years. He spoke 3 languages since we are bilingual and used to switch between them depending on who spoke to him until he was 3. People were impressed at his vocabulary and how clear he spoke. He loves machines, and is very curious about them; he wants to know how things work. He loves music, and sometimes I think music is all he wants to do all day if I let him. He talks, and talks, and talks. Now, social skills and listening skills is something else. That is where we straggle. He is VERY bossy. He wants things to go his way and tells people what to do. Teachers at school had difficult time with him in his Pre-K class. He received not so good evaluation of his skills at his Pre-K school because he does not want to cooperate every time when asked. The teacher said he does not know the phonics of the letters, when I am telling her that he starts to read. He does read with me, but he has difficulties putting 12 piece picture puzzle together ( I don't remember if I was able to do that at that age either).
The teacher recommended to get him evaluated with the local public school for special needs. So, I did, and now he has an extra support in his school and he is coming along. However, even though he starts playing with kids his age, I think he will always prefer adult company. I don't think children like to talk about electricity much :), or how things work. So, now, I have a dilemma, to send him this year to K or to wait one year. The teachers recommend me to send him because he will get really ahead by the end of 2014 that he might be really bored, since he is already reading, counting and recognizing numbers to 100; but I need a medical evaluation to get a special needs in place in public school. I WILL not do that. I BELIEVE he will outgrow this as he age, because I do see positive changes. I do think about a private school, but the recommendation he will receive from his current school will not be great when it comes to social/emotional skills, and I am afraid his defiance may get on his way when the testing for Pre-K comes. ( I hope not, I will have to promise him something really BIG so he cooperates).
Would you please share, thoughts, experiences, did you wait extra year for K?
