Brief intro .. wanting to say "hi"

[SorrelZG]

I drop in here and read mostly .. I'm not sure if I have posted in the past .. but I'm finding myself down here more and more and so I wanted to formally say "hi". :)

 

I don't know if any of my children are gifted at this point as I'm still learning what that even means. What mostly brings me down here is my oldest. I have been "playing school" with him on and off since he was three. He started forming letters out of anything he could find so I taught him correct letter formation at that point and that's pretty much how I always feel with him as I try to teach him - out of step or a step or so behind. Being officially of kindergarten age now, this was my year to stop playing on and off and practice being committed and consistent before we really had to be doing school. I've done some curriculum jostling since starting a couple of months ago and instead of finally working through and finishing one of those many K books we had started, he is working through 1st grade books at an accelerated pace while I continue to work on figuring out just where he's at.

 

I feel a little awkward at times because the first impression of others is, probably understandably, an over zealous first timer with her oldest but in reality I'm trying to provide my son the tools he needs to keep moving forward with his endeavors (he is highly entrepreneurial) and feeling kind of alone in trying to figure that out due to the impressions of others and how that affects their input. So, I don't know if he's gifted but he's obviously accelerated and .. er .. quirky. He's going through somewhat of a personal growth spurt at the moment and I feel like I'm always getting to know him.

 

So, hi. :seeya: I love reading about your children. None of mine have done the exceptional things some of the children represented here have done. I still think of my children as exceptional, of course :lol: but I mean things like starting to read at 18 months. That reality kept me away from here for a little while thinking this wasn't the board for me. All I can say is that my three younger ones have all been advanced verbally and DD taught herself phonics and blending at 3. She didn't walk until she was 22mo and has some sensual and emotional quirks. DS2.5 has one-to-one correspondence for as high as he can count (currently to 14) but is usually swinging from the treetops and scaling walls, refusing to be tamed and the most I can say for my 1yo is that he's been calling his dad ("dada") with recognition, not just babbling, since about 6 months. So no 3mo talkers or 1yo readers here but I think they're awesome :lol: - I hope I can still pull up a chair! :D

[QueenieReighn]

Welcome! This is certainly the right board for you. So many people don't understand what it is like when you first start trying to figure out where your child is at and find that you are racing after them. People here will understand that you are not trying to be a pushy mom, you just have a kid that is past what the other kids are doing. Keep on doing your best and the people here will be more than willing to help you out in figuring out what that is and support you. :-) Don't doubt yourself or your kids because we know there are many levels of advanced and yours is one of them so feel free to relax and join in on the fun here with all our unique joys and difficulties.

[SorrelZG]

Thank-you. Your kindness and encouragement means a great deal to me. :)

[LittleIzumi]

Welcome! I've got kids at about that level, too. I am CONSTANTLY changing curricula and levels :lol:.

[serendipitous journey]

None of mine have done the exceptional things some of the children represented here have done. I still think of my children as exceptional, of course :lol: but I mean things like starting to read at 18 months. That reality kept me away from here for a little while thinking this wasn't the board for me.

 

:iagree: me, too. It's kind of become a joke btw. hubby and I that our oldest is clearly very gifted, but he was one of the Other Kind. Late talker (no babbling; he tried a few words at 18 mos but was clearly infuriated by the sounds he made and that was it until he was older than two, when he began to produce beautifully formed words and developed quite a vocabulary). Not only did he not read early, he basically refused to allow us to read to him until about a year ago. Once he figured out that he couldn't actually get to the items illustrated in a book (he was about 6 mos) he was over books, with the exception of a very few favorites. When he was four and I did FIAR with him I would bribe him with white chocolate to get him to listen to the first reading of a story but after that we were usually okay. He refused to do art projects, hated coloring, would only practice cutting if I threatened him with time-outs and help him on my lap while we practiced (which I made him do at 3 yo because he was frustrated at not being able to cut; we did little Kumon books, one page three times a week). Now he's advanced in math because it was about the only thing he liked and I started him on my adaptation of Math-U-See primer when he turned three.

 

But he's a very thoughtful little guy, extremely analytical, and not only absorbs information like a sponge but he puts it together to make sense of it and come to new (sometimes startling!) conclusions. He's also very empathetic, compassionate, and fairly responsible. Recently he asked me "what do you have to do to have a baby?" and since we're studying anatomy I was a little concerned about having to deliver The Talk. But I asked him to explain what he meant, and he said that babies are a lot of work, what do you have to do to be ready for one? Other than work hard. :) He's such a serious little person sometimes.

 

anyhow, he's crazy intense and perfectionistic &c and we're sure of the diagnosis, but he doesn't qualify for inclusion in any of the "gifted" homeschool groups 'round here. ;)

 

it's nice to meet you! I wish I'd thought to introduce myself ...

[SnegurochkaL]

but he was one of the Other Kind. Late talker (no babbling; he tried a few words at 18 mos but was clearly infuriated by the sounds he made and that was it until he was older than two, when he began to produce beautifully formed words and developed quite a vocabulary).

 

But he's a very thoughtful little guy, extremely analytical, and not only absorbs information like a sponge but he puts it together to make sense of it and come to new (sometimes startling!) conclusions. He's also very empathetic, compassionate, and fairly responsible. .

 

:), Sounds like my son. My son didn't read at 18 months and still not really reading yet. He is a mathematician:) and wants to be an engineer.

 

I think it is very important to help them in their learning endeavor and nourish any desire to create. My oldest girl was a late speaker, but when she started to communicate, she flipped through several languages. She finally settled on English being her primary language ( she was confused why people didn't communicate with her in Russian or French, when she wanted to chat with strangers). I made few mistakes with her not providing enough challenging environment, so it shut her down for some time. I felt we lost few years with underachievement. She still needs to learn the basic of time management and not to be carried away by a very interesting math chapter she wants to finish before going to bed:)

 

We all learn from our own kids or somebody's experience.:grouphug:

[SorrelZG]

It's so encouraging to read these things. :D

 

But he's a very thoughtful little guy, extremely analytical, and not only absorbs information like a sponge but he puts it together to make sense of it and come to new (sometimes startling!) conclusions. He's also very empathetic, compassionate, and fairly responsible. Recently he asked me "what do you have to do to have a baby?" and since we're studying anatomy I was a little concerned about having to deliver The Talk. But I asked him to explain what he meant, and he said that babies are a lot of work, what do you have to do to be ready for one? Other than work hard. :) He's such a serious little person sometimes.

 

 

Ana, I know exactly, precisely what you mean here. My child can act like I'm an ogre in putting simple spelling words before him but he goes and turns a Kindergarten 5 minute history "lesson" into something I need a Doctorate of Divinity for... similar story with science!