Gifted Children & School: parenting advice

[Miranda]

Thx ladies very much overall. These last couple posts about the friends make a lot of sense.

A couple things have happened since the last post with this. The short conclusion is that I signed the commit letter we will do it...

One, I got to talk first hand with a little girl that has been in the a few years that came from our home school. When I asked her how she liked it, her first words were this: "Really, I don't like it there". DD knows her, and injected in the conversation about DS etc., so we got side tracked about some other questions. I brought her back to comment #1 and said, "why and what?".

One was the social aspect. She said that even though they are with the other students, some pick on them that they are "snobs" and unfriendly. She said, "well, that is wrong because we are friendly, but have just all been together in our special class so long that we know each other well and are really close friends". That made sense, and is to be expected I think. However, it confirms a positive that the kids do develop some close relationship with other gifted children.

Secondly, she said she didn't like the principal. DH and I do know this woman, and I called her with some more questions, from our home school when she was there. DH says, "she's a total ditz head". Communication skills wise, she is. I don't really see DS having that much interation with her. If any real issues, I think I could handle it.

The bus commute is a bummer. She rides the bus 50 minutes each way. She lives not too far from us. I called the transportation department, and unfortunaly, they confirmed we are the furtherest point away. Plus, the bus has other special needs kids. Like potentionally developmentally disabled. I will have to talk to DS about this. His experience is limited. I think I might have it worked out to drive him part of the time. That would be half the ride time.

The 2nd grade teacher the little girl said is "awesome"... the projects were fun, she wasn't board, but didn't feel like she was over burdened, etc. Those things were comforting to hear.

Ironically, while out to dinner for a DS and mommy only "date", we saw one of his old classmates. The boy was so excited to see DS. I didn't even know he was his friend. I had to break it to the boy and mom that he would not be back next year. She has had some issues with one of her children being the opposite end for special needs and potentially going into the developmentally disabled program. Very sweet mom and nice family. Listening to her talk, it made me think later how lucky I am to have the "issue" that I do with my own child and decision.

On that note, I thought, we should give it a try... because we are blessed to even have the "option" of opportunity, regardless of the potential negatives.

Thanks
Miranda