Is your child gifted?

[TheBazTheBearandTheBelle]

I am just wondering if there is anyone else out there who finds it hard to talk about their child being gifted? If my son had special needs due to something more debilitating like dyslexia or ADHD it may in fact be easier to push the teachers to act on helping him, not that I would wish those things on anyone. Is it just me or is it truly more difficult?

[belledechocchipcookie]

You know there's a whole section for this, there's a few parents in your boat.

[belledechocchipcookie]

//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/gifted_and_talented

[nlondondad]

It is more difficult for two reasons:-

1. Parents make incorrect claims that their child is gifted. This may be because they don not really know what it means.
   

1. Unless you have had experience of a truly gifted child - which I have, not mine - you do not grasp that it presents difficulties for the parent, and indeed sympathy for the predicament is relevant! Raising a gifted child so that they survive into adulthood and come out as reasonably well adjusted adults is an achievement.

[TheBazTheBearandTheBelle]

Thanks for this.
ChocChip - hadn't realised there was a whole section, will take a look. Are you in the boat?
nlondondad - I agree with you. Having been a teacher for many years I know that pushy parents are a disaster and have not grasped the real sense of giftedness. Now we have children of our own and the eldest is most certainly gifted in "maths" and no one seems to be in the slightest bit interested in this, or his OCD like querks! He's only 5 and is already quite resistant to learning at school sometimes because no one will challenge or excite him. We do loads of mental stuff at home but he's only 5 so needs to play too! Any tips? I know you said your experience wasn't direct but you may still have some.

[belledechocchipcookie]

Ds is 12. I think people just see that he's very bright but don't have a clue about the other issues that go with it.

[Colleger]

Why is there a need to mention it to friends though? After twelve years of bringing up a gorgeous genius there is no need to share it with the world. It took me four years to work that out....

[belledechocchipcookie]

I don't mention it. He just has to open his mouth.

[Colleger]

I suspect they think he's weird then and not gifted!

[belledechocchipcookie]

Oh no, he's had word perfect speech since he was 12 months. I don't have to say anything, he's more then capable of having articulating himself.

[Jonnyfan]

More capable than you are, maybe?
Sorry, not being mean, it just made me giggle!

[mrz]

TheBazTheBearandTheBelle there is no law that says children with dyslexia or ADHD can't be gifted too ...

[Marne]

Both my dd's are gifted and both have sn's, dd1 has Aspergers and is on the g&t reg (top of her class accademicly but socialy behind), Dd2 is in reception (no G&T reg because there are only 4 in her year), her reading and maths skills are a year ahead but her social skills are at the level of a 2 year old.

Many children that are G&T also have sn's including ASD, dyslexia and ADHD.

Anyway, all children are gifted .

[mrz]

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
? Albert Einstein

[MollieO]

Ds is apparently gifted but since it isn't in an academic subject it doesn't count!

[belledechocchipcookie]

Every child has a gift Mollio. It's just not obvious sometimes.

[MollieO]

belle it's obvious (amazing singing voice) but not maths or English so no offer of any support or development in school. Fortunately I've managed to organise stuff outside school. Can't imagine needing to do that if he was good at maths!

[belledechocchipcookie]

Being gifted in music is just as important as being gifted in maths or english. I imagine it doesn't help the school SATS results though as music isn't assessed. I'd have a look at the provisions for gifted musicians, I know ds's school have scholarships for this.

[Marne]

I know several people who we gifted at school, got A levels then went to uni and then realise that they have no life skills (can't cook, clean, no idea how to handle money ect...), what use is being gifted if you cant look after yourself in the big wide world?

A child should be encouraged with what ever subject they are good at, be it maths, sport, PE or bell ringing.

[Colleger]

Not belittling your son's takent MollieO as there is nothing more beautiful than the treble voice but I'm not sure I would class singing at that age as a gift. Many boys have lovely voices and even if it is great now, when it changes it may be fairly average. Now if he is aged 7, for example, and is grade 4+ piano and can sing then he probably is musically gifted.

[Colleger]

Marne, there are plenty of dimwits and average people who have no life skills!

[belledechocchipcookie]

Christ Colleger, there's no need to put people down.

[Marne]

That wasn't my point Colleger , and what is average?, my point was, what use is being gifted if you have no life skills?

[Madsometimes]

Colleger, small children with excellent voices are gifted, how can you say otherwise? You only have to listen to choristers to hear the gift. However, if I had a potential chorister I would probably not put him into a choir school because of the boarding and workload on such a small child.