Have you ever wondered if your child was genuinely gifted?

Have you ever wondered if your child was genuinely gifted?

If you have a child entering a completive private school, there is no doubt your child has to be bright. The expectations for entrance into a top school are extremely high. Teachers look at your ability to sit still, reasoning, fine motor, language… and the list goes on and on.

Working with these bright youngsters I am always amazed with how much knowledge they have and how much they can obtain. The growth I see is miraculous. Many of these parents know their child is smart.  Some parents often wonder is my son gifted?

Most parents want their kid to be the smartest and the best. So how do you tell if your child is genuinely gifted?

I have become engagingly consumed with this topic myself.

Dr. Silverman is an expert on giftedness and believes it is her calling.

Her are some of her thoughts on this growing topic.

What does it really mean for a child to be gifted?  Can you measure it on an IQ test?  Is giftedness defined by a group of qualities that can be observed such an extensive vocabulary, strong curiosity, and great thinking skills?  Does your child seem brilliant at times, but the teacher says he's lazy at school? Could a child like that be gifted, but bored?

Dr. Silverman is a psychologist who directs The Gifted Development Center in Denver, Colorado where over 6,000 children have been assessed since 1979.  Dr. Silverman will tell you how to recognize if your own child is gifted, what special issues gifted children face, and what you as a parent MUST do to help your gifted child succeed in school and life.

Giftedness is seen as asynchronous development. Has nothing to do with achievement in school or academic level rather the complexity of a child’s thought process. These kids may feel out of sync with other people.

Here is a list of 25 Characteristics that a gifted child might embody

•    Reasons well (good thinker)

•    Learns rapidly

•    Has extensive vocabulary

•    Has an excellent memory

•    Has a long attention span (if interested)

•    Sensitive (feelings hurt easily)

•    Shows compassion

•    Perfectionistic

•    Intense

•    Morally sensitive

•    Has strong curiosity

•    Perseverant in their interests

•    Has high degree of energy

•    Prefers older companions or adults

•    Has a wide range of interests

•    Has a great sense of humor

•    Early or avid reader (if too young to read, loves being read to)

•    Concerned with justice, fairness

•    Judgment mature for age at times

•    Is a keen observer

•    Has a vivid imagination

•    Is highly creative

•    Tends to question authority

•    Has facility with numbers

•    Good at jigsaw puzzles

Now ask your self how many of theses characteristic fit with my child’s personality. If you answer yes to more then 17 of these characteristics your child may identify with giftedness.

Here are some facts:

-Children are best identified as gifted between the ages of 4-9

Boys vs. girls

- More parents have brought boys for testing then girls for the past 90 years.  Girls often have higher IQ but girls aren’t displaying early on behaviors as much as boys.

-Giftedness with learning disabilities, twice-exceptional children is more common then many people think. (Many kids do poorly on IQ test, however this doesn’t mean they are not gifted. They may be gifted with a learning disability.)

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Many parents with gifted kids are choosing to home school their kids because they

are unsatisfied with regular education.

The importance of parent advocacy is huge for giftedness!

To find out more about giftedness visit http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/index.htm