Hello-
Returning to mumsnet after a 2 year hiatus and floored to find this topic present!
My 4 year old son is lovable, kooky, sweet and very bright. He began (mainly) teaching himself to read at 2 1/2 ('This is Jane', etc.). At 4 yrs. 2 months his reading level is now that of an 8 1/2 year old.
His speech and observations of the world are complex and far beyond any of his contemporaries. Pre-school teachers and parents are frequently commenting on how bright he is and what are we going to do about it.
I am very proud of the little fella but its not all peachy with him. He is also very clumsy and cries very easily at the slightest bump- although he is starting to overcome this with a lot of prodding. He shows zero interest in sport and I worry about his social skills. I invite plenty of children around to play and they do seem to play really well here. I am also a parent helper at his pre-school on a rota and it is an unique opportunity to observe social interaction. He is mainly on his own although does venture forth sometimes to play with other children but mainly the girls. He is also (I am told by nursery teachers) prone to correcting children and teachers alike on their grammar! I am worried about his likability and afraid of him being labelled a show-off and getting teased.
My dilemma is- how do I know if he is gifted and therefore requiring special help or just a quirky and bright little boy? How do I broach the subject with the staff of his primary school without seeming pushy? Is there a national scheme for assessing bright little people? He is about to start primary school at the local village C of E and they are very very good academically but we are wondering if we are doing the 'right thing'. Should we go the private route instead?
Help- and thank you for your input.