Signs of genius or extremely bright toddler - NOT a "humble brag" as I am not related to the child!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course you are the parent. If you were really a former daycare teacher, you would know that this is not really anything completely off the charts. Lots of very verbal kids do this by 17/ 18 months, as do kids who grow up to love to read and write. But not exactly a sign of "genius."

I'm sure she's very cute, too, mom.

Whatever. Believe as you wish but I will correct you on what daycare teachers know. I have never encountered a child this verbal and communicative in my years teaching daycare and as a daycare teacher, I was one of the very few who actually had a college degree. Most had the taken the 12 credits on line needed for most franchised daycare centers in my state.

[Anonymous]

My kid was super verbal early. Eventually the curve caught up. She's just normal now. fwiw

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course you are the parent. If you were really a former daycare teacher, you would know that this is not really anything completely off the charts. Lots of very verbal kids do this by 17/ 18 months, as do kids who grow up to love to read and write. But not exactly a sign of "genius."

I'm sure she's very cute, too, mom.

Whatever. Believe as you wish but I will correct you on what daycare teachers know. I have never encountered a child this verbal and communicative in my years teaching daycare and as a daycare teacher, I was one of the very few who actually had a college degree. Most had the taken the 12 credits on line needed for most franchised daycare centers in my state.

Then why did you pretend to ask if the other kids were just slow? Obviously you know the answer right?

I don't get the point of this post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid was super verbal early. Eventually the curve caught up. She's just normal now. fwiw

You're on DCUM and you think your child is just normal? Gasp!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend's kid who was like this at that age is now in elementary school and very socially awkward.

The same friend also has a kid who had 30 words at 2 years old, and he is the most empathetic, kind kiddo. He's so loving and so much fun to be around.

I'm not saying it's necessarily one or the other.

But seriously, I would love to see some brag posts from people about how thoughtful & kind their kids are.

We're so fixated on being smart (and sometimes athletic) as if that matters at all to how happy you'll be in the future.

OP here and I'll brag about her empathy and kindness since you mentioned it! We go to a music class where the kids are on the parent or nanny's lap and they take turns beating a large drum the teacher brings around the circle. The teacher sings, "John's turn" and John hits the drum and then she moves on to the next child - adults are not asked to play. My charge is the only child in the class who, after she has her turn, sings to the teacher, "Nanny's turn!". She also crawled over to a crying baby when she was 14 months old and asked the baby, "Eat? Hurt?" and then said, "it OK".

This kid blows my socks off in so many ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course you are the parent. If you were really a former daycare teacher, you would know that this is not really anything completely off the charts. Lots of very verbal kids do this by 17/ 18 months, as do kids who grow up to love to read and write. But not exactly a sign of "genius."

I'm sure she's very cute, too, mom.

Whatever. Believe as you wish but I will correct you on what daycare teachers know. I have never encountered a child this verbal and communicative in my years teaching daycare and as a daycare teacher, I was one of the very few who actually had a college degree. Most had the taken the 12 credits on line needed for most franchised daycare centers in my state.

Then why did you pretend to ask if the other kids were just slow? Obviously you know the answer right?

I don't get the point of this post.

I am wondering if my current charge is a genius and if I should be doing something more. I was kidding about my past charges and students. Sorry I confused you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eh, most geniuses I've read about were delayed in talking. Think Einstein, Feynman, etc. Good communication is indicative of a bright child, but I think real, true, genius is rare and probably manifests in almost autistic concentration and curiosity at toddler ages.

Einstein being delayed is a myth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading at age two is iq 140. Full sentences at age 12 mons. I see a truck it brings the mail. For example. People never believe that.

My IQ is a little over 150 and I did not hit those milestones as a toddler.

Ditto. I did read before 4 (just before) but was hothoused in addition to having a "naturally" high IQ. I also went to gifted programs all my life, with people whose IQs were mostly 135-180. Lots didn't read until 5,6,7. Only a couple I knew read by 2, and coincidentally or not, had Aspergers.

[Anonymous]

OP do you have a background in early child development? If so, you should know that hitting developmental milestones early is not indicative of intelligence. Plenty of kids talk later and turn out to be quite bright.

[Anonymous]

Np ... so what is indicative of intelligence in a toddler if not verbal skills? I'm legitimately asking as I don't know, and don't know what I can trust in terms of info on websites and such.

[Anonymous]

My daughter was a late talker but started to read before she turned 3. Based on the way she plays with toys/draws/makes connections between stuff her school believes she is gifted. However we have done nothing special or different before and after this 'assessment' and I actually wish she would be less socially awkward as I believe a high EQ is more important.

[Anonymous]

We have a verbal toddler. This all seems pretty standard. It's sweet you're proud of her though.

[Anonymous]

I could read and write at 3. Ended up doing great in school, got a phd from top university, speak four languages, could probably do whatever I wanted professionally, baring physics and math because that would have required a different academic path. What does all that get me? A happy but average D.C. existence. I get to wipe butts, get up many times a night, deal with difficult coworkers and worry about aging parents as well as what's for dinner. Not very different from my best friend from middle school who was labeled slow, failed two grades (due to discrimination on the basis of her ethnicity, which I witnessed) but who is now a happily married kindergarten teacher with two kids, etc.

What I'm trying to say is that marginally higher intelligence will get you some advantages but it actually doesn't matter that much in the long run.

Make your charge feel safe and loved and follow her lead in terms of learning. That's the same advice as what would apply for most other kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She sounds lovely, OP. And you sound like a caring nanny.

I think it's way to early to make determinations on whether a child is gifted at the age of 17mos. Children evolve a lot over time, and so much mental and physical development is happening it's also hard to know which milestones coming early are indicative of what. To me, gifted is mostly useful when the kid enters school and you're thinking about differentiated instruction.

In the meantime, just keep doing what you're doing and exposing her to books, music, art, and continue to foster her physical development through outdoor play and physical activity.

Agree with all of this.

Sorry so many PPs have to rain on your parade and can't just answer nicely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I could read and write at 3. Ended up doing great in school, got a phd from top university, speak four languages, could probably do whatever I wanted professionally, baring physics and math because that would have required a different academic path. What does all that get me? A happy but average D.C. existence. I get to wipe butts, get up many times a night, deal with difficult coworkers and worry about aging parents as well as what's for dinner. Not very different from my best friend from middle school who was labeled slow, failed two grades (due to discrimination on the basis of her ethnicity, which I witnessed) but who is now a happily married kindergarten teacher with two kids, etc.

What I'm trying to say is that marginally higher intelligence will get you some advantages but it actually doesn't matter that much in the long run.

Make your charge feel safe and loved and follow her lead in terms of learning. That's the same advice as what would apply for most other kids.

Lol similar here. I was reading at 3.5 and my younger sister was reading even earlier, despite turning out to be mildly dyslexic. And while I don't mind that my parents pushed the reading hard at 3 -- heck, I now read and write for a living -- I am not doing the same with my 3 year old who seems to have little interest. He loves to be read to but does not seem to be interested in doing it himself yet. So fine. He is, however, extremely interested in numbers and how mechanical things work -- hilarious to DH and me who are both terrible at math and science -- so we try to respond to those interests without pushing.