When your child is "different"

Lady Dove, you hit the nail on the head with what you said about "toughening him up"...I'm always thinking that in my mind, that he needs to learn to toughen up, or life will step all over him.

*sigh*...yeah, he is a deep thinker...and he often asks questions that are hard to answer. He talks abt life and death a lot...where do we go, how do we know what there is beyond life...many times I just dont know the answer, because we dont have any tangible proof of anything, just belief.

I think I will give him some time. He really is different, and maybe he needs some space to develop properly, instead of all the pressures of school, bullies, teachers, homework. After we start hs, I will see if things change, if he makes any progress, otherwise I will have to brace for a "talk" with Dh...

The other day, he comes home and tells me that his teacher had a sore throat..."mom, every time she spoke, I felt like clearing MY throat, coz I care so much abt Mrs. K."

I didnt mention this before, but I wonder if this has any relevance. My marriage was very very rocky in the beginning, and as a young child he would see me sitting in a corner, just crying...he would come and hug me with his tiny hands, and stare at me worriedly with his big eyes. I wonder if that had any effect on him...

I feel bad abt saying he is of average intelligence, just trying to be honest in my observations. I mean, what mother doesnt want to say her son is the next einstein? Maybe you all are right, and he is just so outside the norm that even I find it hard to evaulate him properly.

IN any case, thank you all for listening, I appreciate it.