Slightly dubious about posting

[Elfina]

As I've seen lots of people get torn to shreds!

But, here goes: DD is 2 at the end of the month, and has, in the last month, begun reading short words (milk, jam, cat, dog etc). She counts up to 24 and recognises, 30, 40, 50 etc. She also "understands" numbers up to about 12.

Nursery have told me that they're amazed, but I thought I'd ask MN. Bright, or just a bit ahead?

Be gentle.

[Worriedandlost]

Bright or gifted

[ebolahat]

Sounds pretty average to me, sorry

DS is younger and is currently free reading James Joyce.

[Elfina]

Not sure why you'd be so mean? MN is great sometimes, but diabolical at others.

[Worriedandlost]

Ebolahat, your ds is younger than 2yo and free reading James Joyce? Did he try War and Piece? Could be more interesting for a boy :)

[Dukketeater]

Sounds great but i'd leave her to just get on with it..don't label her already

[RubyrooUK]

I was categorised as gifted as a child. I was reading words as you've described at 18mo and sentences by 2 years old.

So your DD sounds extremely quick to pick things up and very bright.

But as people say, it's early to say how it will turn out. I'm still very quick at reading and writing but have alas not turned out to be noticeably different from my work mates. My early skills translated into good academic success but not a life full of plaudits (although I'm perfectly happy with it!).

[BaffledSomeMore]

Bright but not G&T

[Elfina]

That's fine I have no desire got her to anything but happy!

[MelonOfTroy]

My 2y 1 month old does similar. I don't think she's g&t, more that she's bright and a 3rd child so is engaged with her brothers schoolwork etc.

I expect she'll be broadly average in topish groups when she gets to school. Perhaps your dd will be the same.

[var123]

I have a video of Ds1 age 23 months counting up to 10, and having to think hard what the word for 7 was. Now he is 12 years old and somewhere between top 15 percent and off the scale, depending on what kind of intelligence test it is.

So, if its valid to extrapolate then that will give you some idea. Wish I could turn the clock back and just play with my little boy though!

[Elfina]

To be honest, it's the reading I'm interested in. I'm quite dyslexic so u was curious about whether she would struggle. Her dad's a statistician so the number-love inherited from him

[var123]

reading: its good. I think its the sort of level the selective nurseries ask for. (Unbelievably, there are such things as selective nurseries!)

[DancingDinosaur]

He sounds bright. Maybe even gifted and talented.

[Elfina]

To be honest I'm not even sure what gifted and talented is

And I do not want to know what a selective nursery is. FFS, what world are we living in?!

[Elfina]

Oh and I should say, she's completely average in terms of physical milestones, her speech is quote normal, and she doesn't bloody eat or sleep, so I don't think she's some kind of wunderkind

[morethanpotatoprints]

OP, my dd didn't sleep and still doesn't do too well on this, she is a very gifted musician. Somebody, can't remember who said that many G*T people are bad sleepers.
I think she sounds great and could well be G&T I think its important to monitor because she may experience problems at school and you'd at least know why.

[Elfina]

That's interesting regarding the sleep!

[var123]

Gifted and talented means one of two things. It means extra special ability according to the real world meaning - like you might say he/ she is a gifted artist or writer.

Then the other kind - its a term adopted by educationalists, during the Blair years, i think. it went hand in hand with extra funding for schools to develop the top 10% of the pupils in their school. Most schools took it as the top 3 pupils out of every mixed set of 30.

The funding got stopped years ago though, but the terminology is still hanging around (I guess because it makes parents feel that their children are special). Sadly though, the important part - the funding - has gone.

[Elfina]

Ah, I see. Thanks for that info, clearer now.

[Stripylikeatiger]

My dc is a little younger than yours but I have quite a few friends with dc who have just turned 2, non of them can read anything or recognise numbers I think your dd does sound exceptional. What fun to be able to start to do reading with her!

[Wailywaily]

When DS was 2 he was busily teaching himself to read. Like you OP I am dyslexic and I just watched in amazement at how easily it seemed to come to him. He is now a very bright 5yo in reception and taking school completely in his stride. For fun he engages in reading duels with his dad, but he is also a rough and tumble little boy who loves football and fighting his older brothers.

[Worriedandlost]

morethanpotatoprints, I think g&t are not bad sleepers, they are "little" sleepers :)))

[Worriedandlost]

Op, this is interesting reading on a subject
www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=5%20levels%20of%20gifted&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Worriedandlost]

If your dd turns to be gifted it may be not your choice- to play with her or to teach her. Depending on level of giftedness child may be thirsty for knowledge and learning and the best you can do is provide the right environment for her. Quite a lot of people will say to you "she is only a child" / "let her be a child", etc, but it may be not the right thing to do for the gifted child. You can not use the same approach to a gifted child as to the "normal" (ordinary child), they are different and different things work for them.

[Elfina]

Thank you all. Both my DH and I were Very Bright, and I guess u just want it do the right thing for DD, whatever that means...