Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School Random out-of-the-blue update

Hi! Life has been insane, but summer is coming, and I have a feeling I'm going to need you guys

I figured I'd post an update just in case someone... uh... cares?

DS1 is finishing up JK, it's been a ride, but he is going 5 half days a week at this point. He was assessed, and came up autistic and gifted. What little intervention he's had for the ASD has lead to some serious problems because of systemic homophobia, polyphobia, and cis-sexism (all of which have major impact within our immediate circle.) He seems to have settled on the "Inventor" path, designing a lot of interesting vehicles, in particular. These seem like nothing but flights of fancy, until you take him to a group setting where he is handed a robot kit and told to draw what he wants it to look like... and he draws circuit diagrams instead of pictures. Or belatedly clue in that he's trying to explain how to modify a refrigerator to heat a zoo exhibit using the surplus heat from the penguin enclosure.

DS2 is 2.5, and turning into, you know, like a big kid. He is much more interested in social stuff and traditionally academic stuff, and is also much more consistent in his abilities (if he can read his name one day, he can still read it the next, etc.) He will probably go to pre-school next year, because he *gasp* likes socializing with other kids. He seems to feel that I am a superfluous but amusing part of his life.

-Mic

Hi. I love updates. He had homophobic preschool teachers?

Welcome back - it is good to hear how things have been.

Have you checked out pbskids design squad? They have episodes where teams are given challenges and they design some really cool stuff, but they also have invention challenges that kids can do and submit their ideas to. We've used it a lot and my kids love it.

He wasn't able to manage preschool, no, this was the ASD people. I had a similar problem, when I was a teenager, and being encouraged to learn 'social skills' aka 'present as a girl, and don't go lookin' queer now, eh?'

Not sure they're really homophobic, just trying to explain to him what "marriage" means... and being wrong, at least in the context of his home life. Also, our area has a lot of very conservative Muslims, who may be re-enforcing some of what we're trying to undo.