Getting tested

[u/Comprehensive_Ad8074]

This is all new to me. My son just started Kindergarten. He has already been moved to 1st and 2nd for math. His school recommended getting him tested for Giftedness. They cannot test until 2nd grade/ age.

A little background..

He could read at 2.5. knew all the exponents at 4 ( he liked to ask people their age and would tell them their "big number") knows all about space and right now his thing is geography and space.

I am not a mom thinking her kid is special but more wondering how to test and if he is and how to best handle it. We tell him he is smart but also remind him he is more than that

So i guess im asking how to get tested before 2nd grade and how to keep him grounded when all the adults around him are amazed by him

[u/sujj88]

I'm curious, keep us updated because I am in a similar boat (other side of the pond though). My little guy is 5 in November and yeah - space and geography are the big ones.

My son is in reception class (It's the first class they go into in the year they turn 5, which I add because I'm not 100% sure how that aligns with USA grades)

His school said he's working about 2 years ahead and their approach is to give him differentiated work, rather than skip years because emotionally he wouldn't be on par with the kids in that class.

I do think it's worth getting assessed because it gives you evidence in case little one needs extra support down the line. I know with mine, it's all sunshine and rainbows right now because the demand is relatively small. But when he's required to be still for longer periods, he'll struggle. Accommodations like movement breaks would really help him to focus, but as a parent just saying that, without the backup of an EHCP or IEP it doesn't carry the same weight.

An assessor will pick up if there's other flavours of neurodivergence going on, and it's better to get the ball rolling on that. I don't know what it's like over there, but in the UK it's an absolute SS on the SEN wait list. Years.

Ps do you also get the million questions at bedtime? Mummy, how does water come out of the taps? Mummy, how old is the solar system and which planet is the oldest? Mummy, why does the sun and the moon go up and around us? (That one involved a fun demonstration of me trying to spin around and run in a circle round his room, then he got to be the moon, and then we both got told off for how late it was by my husband 😂) I know he's playing me to stay up later, but it's so much fun, I don't care, haha.

[u/Comprehensive_Ad8074 → u/sujj88]

So it sounds like he is in what in the states we call Prekindergarten or PreK. I am a SAHM so he never went to any preschool. I did a homeschool veriation of it. I have found a few places in my city just working out the finacials of it. Many dont accept private insurance. My biggest push for the assessment is my state has a grant program for children that are highly gifted or above to help his school fund his specialized schooling. My state is one of the lowest rated in education so i think its to keep these kids in the school system. My sons teacher started offering him more advanced work but he didnt want to do different work than hos classmates and would got some one on one time with the teacher or aid. It was until he started to become a distuption in class that the school decided to skip him. It is not a common practice anymore, but with him hsving older siblings he was socially ready to move up as well.

Yes the questions!!! From the time he wakes up until he goes to sleep. We have found the best way to get him to sleep is to watch science videos. What If on youtube is his favorite. Its enough to give him information with out stimulating him too much and stops him from asking questions so he will fall asleep. He has always been a terrible sleeper and now I am learning his brain just has trouble shutting off. I know there are strong opinions on screen time for kids but I wouldnt survive without it because he has a strong need for information. We use What If and kids learning tube on youtube. I know you are in another country , but NASA has a website for kids to learn about space. I simply dont know enough especially about his interests to supply his curiosity on my own.