gifted child
does anyone here have a gifted child. I know every mother thinks they do but I was told that my son is gifted. He will be three in December and shows a lot of signs for his age. Anyway, I was just wondering how to get him to do simple tasks. He likes to do things that are harder but the simple ones he always says "I can't" I'm guessing it's just because he finds it boring and wants me to do it for him. I don't know. Also, classic for being gifted, he is very emotional and sensitive. How do I explain to people (i.e. my husband's family) that he's not a "wuss" or a "mama's boy" that it is because he takes things in faster than he can express himself. They have never had a gifted person in thier family but my side has because my younger brother who is 8 is also gifted. My mom doesn't do well with him, though, so I can't really ask her these questions. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Answers:
We've had a few gifted children in our greater family, and one in my nuclear family. You can tell when they are reading "Westinghouse" off the refrigerator at two, or saying "the sign on that gumball machine does *not* say "Out of Or"der", or "She looks enspacinated". My favorite was when my son was playing with pennies instead of going to sleep. My wife said, "Don't touch the pennies, and go to sleep". He said, "I'm not touching them". She said, "I can hear them". He replied, "Telekinesis" (moving them with his mind).
I don't know what to tell you. It's a hard life for the gifted one. They are never understood...the school system seems to spend more time burying them, than helping them to expand their thinking. Just give him your love, and support, and point him to resources where he can absorb more interesting information, and try new things. Sometimes, you may have to take him aside, and explain that relatives are not always polite, and he may need to defend himself. It can get hilarious, when your gifted one defends himself, by talking over the heads of idiots. Best of luck to you, and your gifted one.
Answers:
What exactly do you mean by gifted. Can you give some examples? Sometimes children can be called gifted when actually they could be autitic or a similar condition. Especially when behavior problems are involved. The child may know how to read at 2 for example but they cannot interact with their peers. I'm not insinuating that that's the case with you, just be aware that it could be a possibility.
Answers:
What I mean by gifted is that he is hitting his "baby milestones" three or four, sometimes more, months ahead of the guidelines and other children. He will be two in December and can recite his colors. He remembers words to country songs on the radio amazingly. He has a very vivid imagination, I've never seen anything like it in a two year old! Also, he has a long attention span and speaks very clearly and in full sentences. Even this morning we were watching Animal Planet and saw an iguana. He looked at me and said "Mom, that's an iguana." I said "yes, it is, very good." He looked at me with his big blue eyes like it was no big deal and said, "an iguana is a lizard." I thought my eyes would pop out of my head, I was so surprised by that. He amazes me on a daily basis on the things that he picks up and remembers. He has been tested through Parents As Teachers for disabilities and there is no sign of one. He also doesn't have any behavioral issues. He's just a normal two year old. I know of a lot of kids that are worse than him actually.
Answers:
I'm the mom of 2 indentified gifted children and a third that I also thought was gifted. My children are grown, so my advice comes from hindsight. Encourage your child, but DON'T push. Allow him to be who he is. Allow him to run with his interests, be it dinosaurs or Math. Allow him the experience of occasionally not being the Best. This will serve him well in later life.
All my children did things earlier then other babies. The crawled earlier,walked earlier, talked earlier, put sentences together earlier and asked more questions then I had answers for. But they were emotionally only children so, I allowed my children to be children. They spent a lot of time outside exploring & playing. I only signed them up for activities that they were interested in. I took my lead from them. Encourage but don't push!
Answers:
We've had a few gifted children in our greater family, and one in my nuclear family. You can tell when they are reading "Westinghouse" off the refrigerator at two, or saying "the sign on that gumball machine does *not* say "Out of Or"der", or "She looks enspacinated". My favorite was when my son was playing with pennies instead of going to sleep. My wife said, "Don't touch the pennies, and go to sleep". He said, "I'm not touching them". She said, "I can hear them". He replied, "Telekinesis" (moving them with his mind).
I don't know what to tell you. It's a hard life for the gifted one. They are never understood...the school system seems to spend more time burying them, than helping them to expand their thinking. Just give him your love, and support, and point him to resources where he can absorb more interesting information, and try new things. Sometimes, you may have to take him aside, and explain that relatives are not always polite, and he may need to defend himself. It can get hilarious, when your gifted one defends himself, by talking over the heads of idiots. Best of luck to you, and your gifted one.
Answers:
What exactly do you mean by gifted. Can you give some examples? Sometimes children can be called gifted when actually they could be autitic or a similar condition. Especially when behavior problems are involved. The child may know how to read at 2 for example but they cannot interact with their peers. I'm not insinuating that that's the case with you, just be aware that it could be a possibility.
Answers:
What I mean by gifted is that he is hitting his "baby milestones" three or four, sometimes more, months ahead of the guidelines and other children. He will be two in December and can recite his colors. He remembers words to country songs on the radio amazingly. He has a very vivid imagination, I've never seen anything like it in a two year old! Also, he has a long attention span and speaks very clearly and in full sentences. Even this morning we were watching Animal Planet and saw an iguana. He looked at me and said "Mom, that's an iguana." I said "yes, it is, very good." He looked at me with his big blue eyes like it was no big deal and said, "an iguana is a lizard." I thought my eyes would pop out of my head, I was so surprised by that. He amazes me on a daily basis on the things that he picks up and remembers. He has been tested through Parents As Teachers for disabilities and there is no sign of one. He also doesn't have any behavioral issues. He's just a normal two year old. I know of a lot of kids that are worse than him actually.
Answers:
I'm the mom of 2 indentified gifted children and a third that I also thought was gifted. My children are grown, so my advice comes from hindsight. Encourage your child, but DON'T push. Allow him to be who he is. Allow him to run with his interests, be it dinosaurs or Math. Allow him the experience of occasionally not being the Best. This will serve him well in later life.
All my children did things earlier then other babies. The crawled earlier,walked earlier, talked earlier, put sentences together earlier and asked more questions then I had answers for. But they were emotionally only children so, I allowed my children to be children. They spent a lot of time outside exploring & playing. I only signed them up for activities that they were interested in. I took my lead from them. Encourage but don't push!