Lighten up an relax

What do I mean by lighten up and relax? What I mean is that you won't always get the perfect teacher/administrator/school, your child won't always do well/behave/tell the truth etc. So if you lighten up about it now, you will save yourself much stress later. So what is realistic to expect? I have come to the conclusion that 75-80% satisfaction with the education system is pretty darn good. You can just expect to make up the other 25% on your own (enrichment- whatever- more on that later). In most places I encounter people (work/church/volunteer opportunities), about 1/4 of the people drive me nuts- their inefficient, goofy, mean, etc. So why would that be different in public school? The good news- about 25% of the folks I encounter are outstanding. The rest- are - you guessed it- somewhere in between. that is doable.

What do you do with the 25% of the folks that are bone-heads you have to deal with in school? Start with this: Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children- A parent's complete Guide on the Davidson Institute website and read the book Genius Denied http://www.geniusdenied.com. Then get ready for a long 12 years.

Just a side note: My DS is an only child. I am told by parents of more than one that I would have reached this epiphany much earlier than DS's 3rd grade year.

Texas Association for G/T Conference November 2008

I presented a parent session entitle "What do I do with this kid?". It was very well received and one participant suggested I start a blog- so here I am. I forgot how validating it was the first time I heard other parents share their frustrations about parenting their GT kids. Non-GT parents often think we are just being whiners- but there really are unusual challenges we face. I hope to share resources and will post some of the day to day challenges and success I have with my 10 yr GT old son. Here is my top 10 "survival" slide text from the presentation:

1. Relax and lighten up
2. Educate yourself (books, conferences)- resources to follow in subsequent posts
3. Join/start a parent support group
4. Join/start child support group
5. Use honest and upfront communication wiht your self, your child, the school
6. Give your child information (books, talk)
7. Nutrition, sleep and supplements
8. Goals and plans- have your child make them you make them too
9. Teach your child self-determination skills to be repsonsible for his own learning
10. Seek professional counseling (child and adult)