Parenting Gifted and Talented Children A presentation by
Parenting Gifted and Talented Children A presentation by Sara Walker
Characteristics of the Gifted Child Unusual Alertness Unusually large vocabulary and complex sentence structure for age Learn basic skills quickly Vivid imagination May often be asynchronous Problem solvers Heightened sense of awareness
Video How to Raise a Gifted Child in a Normal Household https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=zdjzk. NF 1 N 1 Y
Assumptions/Misconceptio ns “The school will tell me if my child is gifted. ” “The school knows what is best for my child. ” “My child is gifted and therefore should be able to do ______ with ease. ” “I’m not smart enough to be able to help my gifted child. ”
Myths about Parents of Gifted Children They would rather praise their child than see them work hard. They believe intelligence is fixed. They think the gifted label is the equivalent of a “golden ticket. ” They want nothing more than to see their child accepted into an Ivy League school. They lack empathy for students with learning disabilities. They can’t wait for the next parent-teacher conference. They “push” their children to excel.
Some Do’s Be involved in your child’s education and schooling— if you don’t have the answers, or even know what questions to ask, there a multitude of resources out there just for this topic! Kindergarden— when to start is an individual decision Skipping grades— for some, it’s the best approach, BUT many are reluctant to suggest it, as they think it may have a negative outcome on social skills. Not deciding IS doing nothing. Give compliments and encouragements! If the child is not being challenged at an early age, they may not learn perseverance which may cause more problems down the road.
Do’s continued… Demonstrate how to prioritize and schedule so that children don’t stretch themselves too thin. *Give your gifted child the information you have on their abilities and IQ. Enjoy this experience with your child and remember that you’re both new at this!
Do Not’s Lose sight of who the adult is and who the child is. Giving too much power to the child may place unneeded pressure on him/her and undermines your authority. Over-schedule. Being involved in a multitude of things does not equal being challenged. Focus the challenge on strengths or weaknesses, let your child pursue interests, but also help them to recognize skills and knowledge necessary of a functioning adult.
Do Not’s continued… Use your child as an example or hold them to an unrealistic higher standard. (ESPECIALLY with other siblings) Worry that your child will get a “big head” from knowing him/herself better. The more your child knows about him/herself, the more aware he/she will be about abilities and also more aware of things that he/she does NOT know yet. (Think metacognition)
Some Issues Parents Face Homework— allow a break after school before hw, appropriate study environment, motivating completion, separating family activity from studyin, checking up on completion for underachievers, for boys it’s often helpful if the father is the one taking an interest in the child’s homework.
Issues continued… Single Parenting/Divorce— you may grow closer with your child, they may be taken to more adult activities/stimulated especially to cultural activities, but may expose them early to controversial issues. Also, they may expect to be consulted on adult issues and may be upset when they are not (dating someone new, for example)
Issues… Creativity, Pretending, & Lying— imaginative play is very normal in children, & especially in gifted children. A vivid imagination and pretend friends are fine, but it needs to be explained that there is a time and place for it, and at school the child should be called by his/her real name. Explaining that pretending is okay, but that the parent needs to be able to trust the child is important here. (Story from pg. 128)
References Clark, B. (2013). Growing up gifted : Developing the potential of children at home and at school. Upper Saddle River, N. J. : Merrill/Prentice Hall, [2013]. Morawska, A. , & Sanders, M. R. (2009). Parenting gifted and talented children: Conceptual and empirical foundations. Gifted Child Quarterly, 53(3), 163 -173. Rimm, S. B. (2007). Keys to parenting the gifted child. Scottsdale, Ariz. : Great Potential Press, [2007]. sengifted. org
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