Boy genius

The first time I held Jonathan, I knew there was something special about this baby of mine. Maybe it was because he was my first son.

As a baby, he would lie in his crib for hours reaching out his little hands for a wooden puzzle map of the United States that we hung above his crib. My dad taught computers and engineering. Mario and I thought it was funny when he tried teaching Jonathan to play with a computer at five months. My baby did make the mouse picture jump on the screen. But he couldn’t have known what he was doing. Could he?

At six months, Jonathan loved watching television. By the time he was a year old, he was singing his ABC and reading words aloud from books.

When Jonathan was two years and eight months, we had him tested. He had the vocabulary skills of an eight-year-old. His IQ was so high that the psychological wrote: ‘160+, probably a low estimate’. My husband didn’t seem surprised. He owns a delicatessen in Levittown, New York. His relatives are mostly professionals – doctors and lawyers. I was one of 11 children. My parents have 30 grandchildren, and 17 are gifted. But none is quite like Jonathan.

When Jonathan was a year old, he was fussing about the map puzzle over his crib. We were amazed when he tried to fit the states together. Soon he could arrange all 50 states in their proper places. Then, he learned their names. If we took one out and showed him the puzzle, he knew right away which was missing-and even what color it was. Next, Jonathan began learning all the countries of the world.

Child stardom has its pitfalls, but think of all of the opportunities that come with it. Spending time with all those interesting people. Travel. Money for special schools and tutoring. Jonathan will be old enough to start school next fall. My husband and I are struggling to decide which of our limited options will be best for Jonathan.

Three years ago we moved to East Northport, New York, and bought a house we couldn’t afford because we heard the public schools are the best in the area. They may be, but I’ve seen what they have to offer gifted children, and it isn’t much.

He goes through the books that the experts recommend for him like a hot knife through cold butter. Plus, he knows five languages: English, of course, Spanish (he’s bilingual), some Polish and Czech from my family, and he’s learning Korean.

There a school for gifted children here, but it costs $5,400 per year. The irony is, if Jonathan were handicapped, or learning disabled, we wouldn’t have to worry about paying for special schooling. Because my son was born a genius, that’s not available.