a bit of a wwyd for the parents G&T kids.

[DancingIceDragons]

Ds(6yo) is very bright and has an astounding ability to absorb and understand anything scienetific. He has recently astounded me with his ability to read resulting in him access the more specific mechanics of sex. dumbass I forgot to check how they covered reproduction in a science book about how the body worked earlier this year.

The thing is due to complete chaos after a failed attempt at a PGCE i have had some gcse and keystage 3 science revision and text books sat in the bath. (emergency storage, we use the shower). Ds loves to read them.

Would you leave them for him to read and thus be further scarily ahead of his peers science wise and probably bored at high school when he gets there or would you quietly put them away for when it is considered more age appropriate. letting him get his science information in a less curriculum orientated display?

Let him read them if he wants to but make sure there are lots of intersting and non-schoolie alternative things for him to read and do

I wouldn't stop him reading them

I don't think he will be scarily ahead at all. Secondary age children do not tend to gain their sexual knowledge from a text book at that age. If he has shown curiosity now, then to talk to him about it and do not assume he has absorbed everything, G and T or not.

Lol "i dont think he will be scarily ahead" I have a 6yo who talks in terms of particals and how they interact to form chemical reactions. And can explain exactly how the digestive systems works, why we need bacterial and it us not good to disinfect everything. The difference between bacteria and viruses. And wants to figure out a new propulsion system so that he can go visit mars. He is musing about black holes and what they do to the particals and matter that gets sucked into them. Nope he wont be scarily ahead at all.

Also re sex, he know exactly where things go to achieve pregnancy and is figuring out gestation periods. He is trying to currently understand why different animals have different gestation periods. Plus it was his horrified exclamation that his willy is never going there that was the discovery point of the mistake. he was sat in the back of the car reading the book.

He has tons of reading material, try to keep it varied for him. he was detrimentally obsessive on space but was expanded to encompass science on whole. Yep he has tons to do but it would appear this is his favourite toilet reading. generally reserved to that though. I have just ordered some new replacement fiction books to replace his thomas tank engine books that we have finally sold.

Not sure why you are laughing at the comment. He does sound like an ordinary bright obsessive 6 year old.

Don't worry, and don't limit his reading.

The only time I worried was when DS picked up my copy of 'How to talk so kids listen...' and proceeded to read the whole book in two days. I did not want him using my tricks back on me!

Although in retrospect it has done him good.

I wouldn't necessarily stop him reading them but would imagine that revision books would be a bit boring.

There are a lot of excellent science books out there that your ds would get far more out of than GCSE books.

I wouldn't worry too much about being ahead of his peers in science. It's one of those areas of the curriculum where there is always so much more to learn no matter how familiar you are with a particular topic.

I have one of those too

he IS "scarily ahead" when it comes to science

it's not debatable, he just patently is and everyone who knows him knows he is

However he is Aspergers and while he is very far ahead in some respects he is markedly impaired in others - he needs what primary school is offering every bit as much as the other children do - he just needs different bits of it more than others

if your ds is scarily ahead at something, you will learn quickly not to let it go to your head - it is just part and parcel of the messy, hectic, hilarious reality of having a school-aged child and he really isn't much different from other children in that they ALL have strengths and weaknesses. My ds is lamentably poor at football, sitting down when told to, putting his hands up, realising from non-verbal cues that he is making somebody angry - all essential tools he will need if he is ever to have a job/relationship/normal life. Fat lot of good being gifted at science is going to do him if he can't master these other things.

sorry, I ramble

he HAS Aspergers, not is

typo

he tries so hard. bless him, he really wants to be good at football

he goes to multisports club every tuesday and it's almost painful to watch him loping around the pitch, trying to reason with the referee at the top of his lungs, and tripping over his feet

bless him

Kids who can read well and widely at an early age do tend to pick up facts and figures that make them seem very advanced.As their peers' reading ability catches up, it does all tend to even out a little. You may well find that he forgets stuff too - ds1 knew all sorts of weird, nerdy facts about the solar system when he was 6, but he's forgotten quite a few of them now that's his obsession with space has waned a bit.

Ds knows shedloads about sciencey stuff, not because he is super brainy, but because he is a bit brainy and he has a science teacher and an engineer for parents. So if he was in a class wiht my DS he would obviously be cleverer, but not necessarily know more stuff, so I'm sure he'd be fine.

I don't think there's any problem with reading GCSE revision books, but it's quite a dull intro to science I think. There are more interesting ways to feed the science habit. Especially as you are in the know yourself.

GreenStinkingStumpSleeves it is the same reason behind his science stuff. plus he is the product of two scientist. We have worked hard to balance him out and encourage him to developed his other skills.

The reason why I laugh is that he stuns the science teachers that he has had contact with through his dad. he has a grasp of the subject matter that i know A'level students to struggle with. He is just wired that way already.

Ds can play football but cant do pretend. He just doesnt understand why children can believe in the toothfairy and father christmas. Its just so unlogical to him, and so much evidence proving it is a lie.

Currently we are encouraging his language skills and i think his french club teacher was surprised that i told her I never learnt french and havent spoken french with ds when she said it was obvious he spoke some french at home, or enjoy holidays in france.

he has a very fine brain that has an inability to rest. if it is logical and rational then he can accell.

SO the concensus if leave the books there. Ecourage other stuff. Let him have best of both worlds. i can live with that. it is more or less the approach that has been taken to try to keep him as balanced as possible.

DancingIceDragons - Has he read the Lucy Hawking books yet? ("George's Secret Key to the Universe" & the "Cosmic Treasure Hunt" one). If not then I think he might really enjoy those too.

I love an interested, knowledgable child btw, and a bright one too of course. We'd have lots of fun.

Apparantly he loves reading it. ALthough grandad has said that they layout of the revision guides is really good with the pictures and breaking down of facts into small sections.

coppertop we have one, but he is still young and doesnt have the concentration span for long reading atm. He likes books he can dip in and out of.

ThefallenMadonna: He is currently researching the planets so i have learnt greek history as this week he wanted to know why mar's moons had the names they did. it is an education. I google and find the sites. then we sit look at the pictures and disguss it. Life is definetly a learning journey.

Yes, but learning lists of facts?

Kitchen Science is what you need!

x post - that was about revision books. Not researching planets!

I am all for it. Not to blow my own trumpet but I was overly obsessed with the rude bits in biology books and once got in trouble in year 4 for wandering off at the Natural History Museum with a friend to the 'reproduction' exhibit.
Friend is now a doctor, and I have a biology degree from a Russell Group.
In fact, I am now a health reporter due to a women's health blog I used to run because of my EXTENSIVE knowlegde of the female reproductive system.
Interests pay off!

sssshhh i was saving that one until the summer. Have you done red cabbage indicators? lots of fun and messy.
hot vs cold water ability to disolve sugar?
mentos in diet coke (out doors only!)

If you are near Manchester it is also the MOSI science festival this week!