Who on here believes his/her child is truly gifted?

[Anonymous]

Duh, respondents to this thread will be self-selected, so naturally most of the kids will be gifted, or close.

DD tested into the gifted program, but we think she's lost ground since early childhood, when she was casually freaking us out on the regular. DH and I both test around 150, and all of my siblings are at least 140, but she was different. Her toddler speak was jawdropping, and it was not unusual for her to demonstrate advanced math skills when sugary things were involved. She just knew exactly how many cookies per kid per batch or how many packages of ice cream cones to grab to match up with a tub with x servings, when all we had taught her were the values of the numbers.

She was very excited to go to school, but I think the reality was just kind of boring and crushing, and she's completely lost interest. She's very shut down, still tests very high but is not engaged at all and even forgets basic math facts. I think we made a terrible mistake not taking her abilities more seriously - we didn't have the resources for private, and gifted education is underfunded in our state. We also didn't want to set her apart, because we both felt very self-conscious about our intelligence.

Given the high risk for underachievement, I really hope other parents of gifted kids will not succumb to the snarkiness and shaming. Giftedness is essentially a mismatch with the environment, and it can play out as a disability if the child's needs aren't met.

[Anonymous]

DS has been classified as highly gifted via two IQ test (one privately administered and the other through a research study). He is currently in third grade AAP and is interested in finding an alternate Earth type planet. He is fascinated by aliens/humanoids/humans living in an another world that could support life. He has other interests that involve mathematical concepts as well. However, he is on the spectrum. He is socially inept and struggles mightily with maintaining friendships. Is he incredibly intelligent, yes! Is he remotely social, no. Last I checked the most successful people have a healthy balance of being intelligent and smart. I just hope my highly gifted child finds a niche in some theoretical occupation where social contact is held at a minimum. Either way, we are focusing our attention on giving him social skills therapy and not Kumon courses after school.

[Anonymous]

My DH's family is full of "gifted" people, and I can say that they're a pretty catastrophic and miserable group. Of his mother's 7 siblings, 1 scored #16 in his entire country's college entrance exams- he became a doctor but married a spiteful lady and struggled with depression his whole life- his kids are beyond mediocre. Another one of DH's aunts won a scholarship from their country to study math in England and earned a phD, then promptly had a nervous breakdown and became a recluse who does not work. 2 of DH's other aunts became businesswomen and self-made millionaires, but they are also pretty miserable and probably have bipolar disorder or something.

Thank goodness DH is happy-go-lucky and shows no signs whatsoever of giftedness!

[Anonymous]

Who knows? How do you define "gifted" anyway? My three kids differ widely in their "gifts". Two are very good students, the third is more creative and expressive in orientation. One excels in math, the other has more verbal strengths. All are nice people with strong values.

So to answer the question, I'd say I'm the one gifted -- gifted with three great kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why all the talk about "giftedness"? Isn't the program called "Adavanced Acedemics" now? There's a reason for that. It's just accelerated classes for kids who are bright and pick up things quickly.

The question asked whether you think your child is gifted. AAP wasn't part of the question at all.

[Anonymous]

I just can't get over the number of people on here who truly think their kids are gifted. If gifted means exceptional intelligence, well beyond the norm, there is no way all these children are gifted. "Exceptional" means they stand out...are your kids' teachers ALL saying that your kids are the most amazing they have seen in their careers? That is the type of child that is truly gifted - one that stands out in a sea of other students over years of time in a classroom. The one kid you never forget you taught because he/she is truly exceptional.

Advanced in math or reading, big vocabularies, periodic table knowledge, etc. - that doesn't cut it. Helpful? Yes. A blessing? Absolutely. Gifted. Nah.

[Anonymous]

So how would you describe a gifted child?

Anonymous wrote:I just can't get over the number of people on here who truly think their kids are gifted. If gifted means exceptional intelligence, well beyond the norm, there is no way all these children are gifted. "Exceptional" means they stand out...are your kids' teachers ALL saying that your kids are the most amazing they have seen in their careers? That is the type of child that is truly gifted - one that stands out in a sea of other students over years of time in a classroom. The one kid you never forget you taught because he/she is truly exceptional.

Advanced in math or reading, big vocabularies, periodic table knowledge, etc. - that doesn't cut it. Helpful? Yes. A blessing? Absolutely. Gifted. Nah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DH's family is full of "gifted" people, and I can say that they're a pretty catastrophic and miserable group. Of his mother's 7 siblings, 1 scored #16 in his entire country's college entrance exams- he became a doctor but married a spiteful lady and struggled with depression his whole life- his kids are beyond mediocre. Another one of DH's aunts won a scholarship from their country to study math in England and earned a phD, then promptly had a nervous breakdown and became a recluse who does not work. 2 of DH's other aunts became businesswomen and self-made millionaires, but they are also pretty miserable and probably have bipolar disorder or something.

Thank goodness DH is happy-go-lucky and shows no signs whatsoever of giftedness!

Indian?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH's family is full of "gifted" people, and I can say that they're a pretty catastrophic and miserable group. Of his mother's 7 siblings, 1 scored #16 in his entire country's college entrance exams- he became a doctor but married a spiteful lady and struggled with depression his whole life- his kids are beyond mediocre. Another one of DH's aunts won a scholarship from their country to study math in England and earned a phD, then promptly had a nervous breakdown and became a recluse who does not work. 2 of DH's other aunts became businesswomen and self-made millionaires, but they are also pretty miserable and probably have bipolar disorder or something.

Thank goodness DH is happy-go-lucky and shows no signs whatsoever of giftedness!

Indian?

No... but close enough!

[Anonymous]

You are funny and obviously have a great sense of humor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So how would you describe a gifted child?

Anonymous wrote:I just can't get over the number of people on here who truly think their kids are gifted. If gifted means exceptional intelligence, well beyond the norm, there is no way all these children are gifted. "Exceptional" means they stand out...are your kids' teachers ALL saying that your kids are the most amazing they have seen in their careers? That is the type of child that is truly gifted - one that stands out in a sea of other students over years of time in a classroom. The one kid you never forget you taught because he/she is truly exceptional.

Advanced in math or reading, big vocabularies, periodic table knowledge, etc. - that doesn't cut it. Helpful? Yes. A blessing? Absolutely. Gifted. Nah.

Read back my prior answer that you quoted. Your kid would stand out above all others...as exceptional...not to you, but the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Speaks four languages at age 12. Publishes in MS, HS. Leading violinist at 10. But those are prodigies. There is a difference betwen prodigy and gifted. Some gifted kids know better than to stand out that much --they are too smart for that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC was tested using the WPSSI-III at 3y4m and scored in the 60th percentile.

Both DH and I were in the gifted programs in school and did very well. There is a streak of genius on my side coupled with ADD and mental illness. FIL was profoundly gifted and went to university at 14.

Giftedness was not even on our radar until DC started speaking like an adult near 18 months, reading and adding at 2.5--shocking everyone. DC reads chapter books comfortably now at four (for fun, not forced), and can skip count any number (6, 12, 18...72.) Just figured it out--manipulates numbers better mentally than I do--taught me a few tricks. No concept is ever too abstract...

Even with a test score that says average I believe pretty close to gifted, possibly 2e, because of genetics and performance.

I had a friend like that. The best thing she ever said to me was "...no point in talking about it. No one believes you and they get mad!" Yes, her children are gifted by any measure.

I think a four-year-old who does not even enter kindergarten for another 1.5 years but is already reading chapter books and doing math like this is definitely advanced. That is the definition of advanced.

[Anonymous]

I am the PP 21:11--I submitted too soon. The definition of gifted is just way too loaded and unclear for me to ever want to use on my children.

[Anonymous]

Agreed!