Mulan,
The following is a description of this boy ............it is what has happened through the years.
Here is part of the problem,.....He almost died at 30 days do the Pertussis Vaccine. After that he developed ADD which we did not understand nor was it really understood at the time by his teachers until we put him in private school.
While in private school with his brother he thrived. He also had the problem with reading where the letters get all mixed up but the private school teachers saw it immediately and straightened him out. Yet his first words were "Two Balloons" and he also learned another language by time he was 7. His IQ and other tests were so high that at 7th grade Duke University contacted him and let him know that they wanted him when he graduated from HS.
He also has exceptional artistic ability. His art work is breath taking and he was also recruited for the Orlando Boys Choir. He performed in Japan at 10 years old. He still has a voice to die for, Much like Cat Stevens now that he has grown.
He is exceptionally bright, handsome, charming, and sociable but extremely sensitive. As he got older the sociable thing took over everything including grades, etc. After those social needs took over he barely graduated high school, yet had the highest scores in computers, surpassing his teachers in grades.
This is our problem as parents,....where do you draw the line with problems and abilities? We are still trying to walk him through life. After he came home tonight do to our request to return the truck, he was so exhausted he fell asleep in his room without eating dinner.....hence my guilt, exhaustion, and questions.
So we are still trying to help him.....but get to the point where it is costing us mentally, physically, and financially.
I don't think there are any answers. His llittle brother just keeps saying "Thats Jeff"
r.