*NOTE* This is a blog... I write this so that I'll remember what I felt... and so no one need actually read the following if you have stumbled here.
It's funny how I can read back through the last two pages of posts and think "Wow.. was Aidan really just reading that a few week ago?" I have no idea how to describe what it's like to have a child that is on level 1 one day and two weeks later be on level 4. My mind is scrambling to keep her doing the "easy" curriculum and lesson plans I have for her in a way that engages her and she still enjoys it. Mentally she is beyond what we do. It is as if I'm teaching the concepts to an 8,9,12 year old. She never NOT understands. (sometimes she seems to not understand but then 2 days later I'll find out she does indeed know it) She does not need the worksheets and games I have her do and play. Literally... I tell her what a thing is and Ta Da... she now knows it.
I could... if I wished... sit her down and fly through multiple lessons at a time... verbally... without using manipulatives or games or flashcards and she'd have them down and be done. Wanna know how I teach vocabulary words or phonetic rules or whatever else I wish her to know? I TELL THEM TO HER! (Yup, that's it... that's my secret) I could... if I wished... have her well into 3rd or 4th grade material or beyond (who knows?) by the time she would be entering KINDERGARTEN. I do not see the point in that and so I don't. I keep school fun and I keep it simple. I teach her concepts she'll need to know and I do it slowly. Yes, I deliberately slow her down. I deliberately draw out lessons and fill her time with busy work... worksheets and games and such. Basically, I do what many parents of gifted children complain the school system does.
But most parents of gifted children do not have a "PROFOUNDLY gifted" child.
They are....
....simply.....
... worlds apart.
I lurk and write in a few message boards about gifted kids. Although I may find a few nice people and even... some kids who are somewhat close to Aidan's skill level in certain things... I mostly find myself lonely and left out. (not saying I haven't found kids even more advanced than her) What they go through is not what I go through. They talk about how Jr. might be a little bored in Kindergarten and what can they do about it. LMAO! The idea of Aidan going into K when she's 6 is hilarious! There is NO question whatsoever if she'll be going. They argue back and forth over "hothousing" and I'm a prime target. If ever I poke my head out of lurking to say what my 3 year old is doing... I get long replies about how "pushing" isn't right and unnecessary and they'll even out eventually (blah blah blah) and WOE ON ME if they know that she's doing 1st grade curriculum right now!! THEN I become a horrible mother
who won't let her kid...
well?... be a kid.
HA!
School for her is fun. She loves it and believe it or not it is not the main focus of our week. You would have to be in our house to fully understand but what I give her as a weekly list to accomplish is done in 10-15 minute spurts throughout the day/week. If I added up the time it takes her to do it all... I'd say she spends maybe 3 hours a week doing it all.... maybe. (and that includes all the time consuming games we do that I don't list on her "to do" list.)
I am NOT pushing! Far from it! I'm slowing her down from the simple but effective method of NOT TELLING IT TO HER. I could...if I was pushy... be moving her faster. I don't want to. I think, like most people, that 3 is too young to push the academics. I also think that... at 3... although she can mentally understand a lot... she may not be ready to have it all in her head. I don't want her "burned out". If that makes any sense.
(I also want to not have her graduate before she reaches puberty...but that's just me)
Luckily... for the moment...she's happy doing whatever she's doing. Will it change in a year? a month? a week? I dunno. I hope not. I know it probably will. There will be a time (hopefully later rather than sooner) when Aidan will get tired of the easy games and wish to be more stimulated. Then I'll have to let her go at her "mental capability" pace. Then she'll require that we speed up. If or rather when that happens....
I hope I'm up to the challenge.
(The fact that she has a younger sister who is showing herself to be quite advanced as well... I wont even get into right now)
5 comments:
After reading your post on 1+1+1 I had to come see what you are doing. It sounds like your daughters are absolutely amazing! You should feel blessed! I don't think I would "hold them back," I wouldn't suggest pushing either. But God obviously blessed them with great minds and it would be a shame for them not to develop their minds to their full potential. We should always strive for excellence. If they love it, you should go for it.
I look forward to reading more in the future about what you are doing with your children. Especially the two year old since that is the age of my oldest. Thansk for the post.
Thank you thank you thank you for this. You just wrote about Ansley. There is never anything she does not understand, literally a 30 second explination is all she needs. Often I don't know how she learned things. And yes I tell her things, and that is it. I hate hate buying curriculum things, because I feel I waste my money. She is out of them in no time flat. I buy something that will challange her and in a week it becomes to easy.
Yes the thought of her starting K at 5.5 is a JOKE. There is no way. Already she is on a high 1st- 2nd grade level across the board. She has over 2 years till she could start K. There is no way anything could work for her.
I do not push, but have heard the same things you speak of very often. If you knew my kid, you would know the stubbborness she gets from her mama, well she will not do anything she does not want to. She loves to learn, if she is not learning she goes nuts. I do things with her, yes, because she asks. When I don't do things with her, she figures it out on her own and does it by herself.
No one understands, because often a gifted child is ahead yes, but very few are PG and are at this level. It is extreamly lonely. She moves so fast and constantly need to know more, and more, and more.
Just tonight, she had a fit, because it was so late I was making her go to bed, but she wanted to read another book.
I am glad you found my blog. It is nice to meet another mom, whose is experiencing this. SOmehow, it makes it not as lonely knowing someone else out there gets it. Really gets it. I look forward to getting to know you.
I followed to your blog from Amanda's blog. I have a 3.5 daughter who is quite advanced as well. Nevertheless, I fully intend to send her to K at 5 (she will go a bit earlier than 5 since she is October born). Yes, Anna can do many things on the first grade level or higher (especially reading), but there is still simple thrill of making friends and being in a different environment. She goes now to a play-based preschool for 3 mornings a week and enjoys it a lot. I want to give school a chance before I look at other options. In the meantime, I'll be following you :)
I found your blog from the comment on Amanda's blog. It's certainly interesting to raise an advanced child. My daughter is 3.5 now, and her reading is at 4th grade level. I cannot claim that she is universally gifted - she does great in math, but she doesn't like writing at all. It's an interesting challenge and a great opportunity. I kind of agree with your approach of pacing her - you don't want to turn off her enthusiasm for learning more. I am a full time working parent, and we still plan to give our public school a chance - it's supposed to be very good. In the meantime I will be following adventures of your daughters :)
Thank you for commenting on my blog, as it lead me to you !! It is nice to read about other families facing the same challenges I do.
I am not pushing my children, they are dragging me along, kicking a screaming. LOL
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