Yes! And this was precisely the point I was making. Couldn't have said it better!

I hear what you're saying about anecdotal evidence. It certainly doesn't meet rigorous standards of logic. But this is a forum where we're sharing our experiences, so I don't think anecdotal evidence is inappropriate here, given the context. Besides, what else do we have but our shared experiences? I know I've learned a TON here from the experiences of others. Frankly, it's why I'm here.

And again, just for the record, I was NEVER slamming GT schools. I'm glad they're out there, and I know (from anecdotal evidence! ) that they're often a WONDERFUL solution!

I think this is pretty good advice. It's too hard to plan ahead too far, you kind of have to feel things out for yourself as you go. There are too many variables involved. CFK has a great point. This board is great for sharing, cheering, and sometimes commiserating!

It's easy to worry about stuff that may not even happen when you read some of the stuff people post.

I think at one point I was very sensitive to hearing people's successful situations because I didn't understand why that child's school was treating their intelligence more respectfully than my child's school was treating hers.
But now, I'm trying to seperate that and rejoice in every success story, let them inspire me to pursue the possibilities.

ROFL - Boy you said it! The Montessori DS is at now WAS the LAST one I considered. I visited about 8 schools and day cares (Montessori, non-Montesori & home day cares) For the three I thought were promising I went back with my DS. Man, it was a lot of leg work. I am SO not looking forward to doing it again.

Back then, my work schedule was a lot more flexible too...

I had better go to bed and get some rest. Parenting is hard work.

- EW

three thoughts.

first, like others posted... we wppsi'ed at 4 years 2 months. went well (and i was worried she'd have the polly pockets answer for her).

second, to find a tester - try posting a questions under regions and give a general location and have anyone pm you if they have a recommendation. worth a shot.

third, from a financial aspect you might want to wait until you may be considering early entrance or basic schooling. my guess is you want validation of what you know in your heart but your brain isn't letting you embrace. if you may need tests for early entrance next fall - you might be better off waiting until winter/early spring when more information in terms of grade leveling of skills is available. we did test at 4 but we were anticipating enrolling in K at 4.5.

Keep doing whatever it is you are doing and try to avoid thinking of the labbels and school issues that will come. oh uh, "may" come because i'm sure there are some awesome schools that aren't SUCKING the brains right out of kids ;-P teehee.

oops I skipped over the school conversation and just stepped knee deep in it. around here it is the less "awarded" schools that have the best gt programs. but i for one would rather be in a gt self contained classroom regardless of what school they stick it in.

Our story is sort of like kickball's, except we SB-v'ed at 4.1. I was thinking DS should go to kindy early (at 4.8, which he is now), and we needed the info in the spring to get the ball rolling. When we found out he was HG+ and it was recommended to us to let DS play another year, we did so.

And it is amazing how much things change in a year. Last year, through the end of 3-4 YO preschool, DS was extremely clingy and didn't want to leave me and had elaborate goodbyes and rituals. Today, I dropped him off, and he happily said his goodbyes and went off to play. We have him in a play-based 3x/week afternoon preschool.

Re: worries. I have to mention that I did worry a lot about how DS was going to manage in school - i was certain he needed early entrance to kindy. But I told DH I would go along with the tester's recs, and I'm happy I did. First, my worries have gone mostly away - i know what I'm dealing with, and i'll be prepared when the time comes for "real" school. Second, with another year of no school, easy to put off any residual worries I might have wanted to have. Third, my wiggly kid doesn't like to sit still for long periods of time, and he acts his age quite a bit, and he would have been a trouble maker. Other things have changed though. For instance, he is now reading at an incredibly high level (with intonation and everything!), so i'm thinking we have to rethink our plans of kindergarten on time, then skip first; and switch it to skip kindy. But we'll have to wait and see. But I emphasize what a huge relief it was to know what we were dealing with in terms of our kid's LOG. It turned out especially helpful, since we underestimated what it was.

As for schools, the psychologist, who is a specialist with HG kids, said not to worry too much until middle school, but expect to go through many different school options, including homeschooling. We live in a pretty small city (16,000 population), with few choices, so at first we were worried. But now we know homeschooling is an option, and we are brave.

Isn't it amazing how much better you feel when you just know that you have options? Just astounding!

st pauli girl and kickball -

Thanks for the additional replies. It helps to have more experiences to ponder.

kickball, I did not quite get what you meant by "grade levelling of skills". I am new to the lingo



Also...

Maybe I should start a new thread but I have been wondering about GT denial (my own and in general). From what I have read here and elsewhere, parents often are accurate in approximating their child's GTness. On this board certainly many have a "gut feeling" regardless of testing. I am wondering how many have overestimated, in addition to those that have underestimated.

And it really was an "oh - we can do that?" moment when we were told we would probably have to homeschool at some times. Truly a revelation.

Yup. I had the same experience, SPG.

I always used to think of homeschooling as a philosophical choice that you devoted yourself to and never looked back from. But in my panicked state last year, I spoke with a friend of mine who had always floated back and forth between public schools (including a GT magnet school), private schools (including a GT one), and homeschooling with her 4 kids. She showed me that homeschooling doesn't have to be a permanent rejection of schools, just another option among many. I saw that for her, schooling for her HG+ children is like a Chinese restaurant menu instead of a lifelong commitment to one mode of education.

It was quite possibly the most freeing realization I ever had!

Even if we hadn't decided to homeschool, knowing that it was okay if we did--even for a year or two--made me feel like we were in the driver's seat instead of being at the mercy of whatever the teacher was willing to do that year.

What a difference!