Should we start a "gifted child" forum? Good grief.

[Anonymous]

I mean, what is going on with the gifted posts? Lately, every kid is gifted. Does it make anyone else want to laugh out loud? This city is too much sometimes....

I have no doubt there are lots of gifted around...but to log on to DC URBANMOM is to think we live in a gifted bubble. ENOUGH.

They should have their own forum....seriously.

[Anonymous]

I think that a new forum is a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Totally agree!!!

I thought that one insanely long post about levels of giftedness was a joke at first, and I couldn't believe all the serious postings!

(I mean, I'm pretty sure my infant is super gifted, considering she is talking, walking, and reading at a 2nd grade level and she hasn't even hit 15 pounds yet. So I would love to have a forum to discuss this.)

I have no doubt many kids are "gifted" but let's enjoy them, nurture them, and be careful not to get too caught up in the rhetoric...

[Anonymous]

Meh, lighten up, get off the boards and spend more time with your kids!

[Anonymous]

I really do not think all of these kids are "gifted". They are merely normal but thanks to our poor teaching standards and low expectations all kids are "GIFTED"!. Take your kid to China, not so gifted anymore. Just normal. If we raised the bar on education in this country all these "gifted" kids and their parents would be in for a big shock!

[Anonymous]

Hear hear, PP. How are we all so gifted when our country lags behind third world nations without running water? We cannot be THAT smart.

[Anonymous]

Why all the bitterness and hostility? If these posts bother you so much, then don't read them.

And yes, a separate forum would be great for those of us who are truly struggling with these issues in all seriousness and don't need to be ridiculed and belittled at every turn.

[Anonymous]

Gosh darn, it's such a struggle to have a gifted child. You have no idea.

[Anonymous]

No bitterness and hostility here. I worked with GT's for about a decade. Love 'em. Just getting sick of logging on and seeing the copious posts about them. It is a little out of control. But I respect your right to advocate and do right by your gifted. There is just a tad bit of "taking yourself and your kid too seriously" going on for my tastes, thank you very much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why all the bitterness and hostility? If these posts bother you so much, then don't read them.

And yes, a separate forum would be great for those of us who are truly struggling with these issues in all seriousness and don't need to be ridiculed and belittled at every turn.

ABSOLUTELY!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh darn, it's such a struggle to have a gifted child. You have no idea.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and venture that this is exactly the type of bitterness and hostility that the PP was referring to.

[Anonymous]

There's no reason for a separate forum.

Parents who have questions about their kids development and behavior have every right to ask them, whether their child is 4 and not yet potty trained, 9 and still wetting the bed, 3 months old and teething already, 7 and not yet reading, or 3 and doing algebra.

I don't see why some of you have a problem with these posts. It seems that some parents read the word "gifted" and think that it is some kind of value judgment, equivalent with "destined for greatness". It means no such thing.

Do you get equally annoyed with parents who say, "My 3 month old just started teething, help, is this normal? What do I do?" She isn't saying her child is destined for greatness in teething, just that this was unexpected, unusually early, and that the standard teething toys (and medications such as Motrin) weren't designed for a child that young. (All true.) So -- advice and help, please, no complaints to her about why she feels it necessary to brag all about her amazing early teether.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No bitterness and hostility here. I worked with GT's for about a decade. Love 'em. Just getting sick of logging on and seeing the copious posts about them. It is a little out of control. But I respect your right to advocate and do right by your gifted. There is just a tad bit of "taking yourself and your kid too seriously" going on for my tastes, thank you very much.

There really are very few places that parents CAN talk about their kids' giftedness or any concerns they may have. You sure can't talk to other parents b/c then you're just bragging, right? Why is it so hard to understand that an anonymous forum is one of the very few place that parents CAN talk about the issues involving their gifted kids and so they do. In droves. A dedicated forum would be great. Keeping the bitter nasties off it on the other hand... those same people would still be drawn to it to flame and mock. People seem VERY challenged by the fact that some kids are different, in respect to the high end of intelligence. I don't expect they will just leave it alone but I am very for giving it a try!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's no reason for a separate forum.

Parents who have questions about their kids development and behavior have every right to ask them, whether their child is 4 and not yet potty trained, 9 and still wetting the bed, 3 months old and teething already, 7 and not yet reading, or 3 and doing algebra.

I don't see why some of you have a problem with these posts. It seems that some parents read the word "gifted" and think that it is some kind of value judgment, equivalent with "destined for greatness". It means no such thing.

Do you get equally annoyed with parents who say, "My 3 month old just started teething, help, is this normal? What do I do?" She isn't saying her child is destined for greatness in teething, just that this was unexpected, unusually early, and that the standard teething toys (and medications such as Motrin) weren't designed for a child that young. (All true.) So -- advice and help, please, no complaints to her about why she feels it necessary to brag all about her amazing early teether.

Oh, I think I LOVE YOU! Thanks for expressing my thoughts!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's no reason for a separate forum.

Parents who have questions about their kids development and behavior have every right to ask them, whether their child is 4 and not yet potty trained, 9 and still wetting the bed, 3 months old and teething already, 7 and not yet reading, or 3 and doing algebra.

I don't see why some of you have a problem with these posts. It seems that some parents read the word "gifted" and think that it is some kind of value judgment, equivalent with "destined for greatness". It means no such thing.

Do you get equally annoyed with parents who say, "My 3 month old just started teething, help, is this normal? What do I do?" She isn't saying her child is destined for greatness in teething, just that this was unexpected, unusually early, and that the standard teething toys (and medications such as Motrin) weren't designed for a child that young. (All true.) So -- advice and help, please, no complaints to her about why she feels it necessary to brag all about her amazing early teether.

Oh, I think I LOVE YOU! Thanks for expressing my thoughts!

Just to clarify because it's hard to read tone, I mean this sincerely.