Help!!! Anyone else out there with VERY bright children????

[Bafreem]

Hi
I have a 4 yr old (D.O.B.14.11.02) that can read,write (basically), swim without assistance,learning French (rapidly), ride ponies, beat me at chess and asks questions like "what makes the street lights turn on and off?" "If space goes on forever, what is beyond that?" "what is soil made of, because plants can grow in it and we can't ?"
My 2 yr old can count to 15 and knows all the alphabet/colours/animals etc. can jump and hop on either leg. (D.O.B.28.1.04)
I also have another....Crawling at six months and already using 'sign' to say hungrey/thirsty/attention required...

*hhelllpp!!! - anyone out there with the same???
Help required regarding state schooling, keeping them occupied and particulary, integration with other children.
cheers
Bafreem ( nickname is what my daughter called me before she could prenounce catherine or mummy!):

[mousiemousie]

sorry, my dd is quite dim although my goldfish is super advanced and could take on your 2 year old easily

PS Does all sound worryingly advanced, perhaps the father of your children is an alien, you should watch for other signs

[expatinscotland]

Would you happen to be American ?

[Dinosaur]

If that's really her date of birth, then she's only 3.5 isn't she? She does sound fairly amazing!

There are some mums of very bright children on here, if you do a search in the archives for gifted that should find them. I know Roisin is one.

[roisin]

this book is fabulous - the best thing I've read on the subject.

I know it's expensive, but it's worth every penny. (I have the first edition, I presume 2nd ed. is even better.) She has lots to say on pre-schoolers and early years. You may be able to get hold of it through your library.

[hunkermunker]

Why are people so quick to be snidey re clever children?

[soapbox]

The same reason that they are snidy about anything that is better than they themselves have!

[soapbox]

I suspect it was aimed at mousiemousie MT!

[mousiemousie]

Hunker, if I posted that my under five's were so unparallelled in their physical beauty that I needed special advice on how to treat them, how would you react?

[ScummyMummy]

Gifted children aren't better than other children though, soapbox.

Having said that I agree that it's preferable to leave people who think their children are gifted to talk about the issues amongst themselves.

[hunkermunker]

No, MT - mousiemousie, but not really even at her - just a general theme of "I have a clever child and have no idea what to do with them" threads always end up with "well, my child can spell any word you give her, in between me having contractions to birth her".

I know it was meant in jest.

[hunkermunker]

Having a gifted child isn't the same as having a gorgeous child.

You don't need brains yourself to have a gorgeous child (see modelling threads for more evidence of this ).

[soapbox]

No Scummymummy - they are not, but neither are they to be derided either, or their parents treated like social outcasts or entertainment value!

No axe to grind mine are not super gifted - just don't like the way in which brightness is not allowed to be discussed and poured over in the same way as notsobrightness is

[ScummyMummy]

You don't need brains to have a clever child either, hunker. The law of diminishing returns and all that...

[ScummyMummy]

Deriding children is not good, I agree.

[mousiemousie]

so can we also discuss when your under 5's are outrageously goregous and the social problems for integrating them with other children, or is that one less worthy than the outrageously intelligent children?

[rummum]

anyway.... moving on....

Bafreem... does your 4 year old go to pre-school or nursery?

[soapbox]

Every physically attractive child I have ever met (if we are talking super attractive) has always been fought over in social situations. I don't think worrying about them being social outcasts is necessary!

If you have problems on this front, post your own thread! People will be helpful I am sure!

[mousiemousie]

I think I will apologise now.

It's just very un-british to say you have the most intelligent under 5, especially when all parents of under 5's are convinced that THEIRS is the most intelligent.

Sorry though as of course you have every right to talk about this without ridicule.

[soapbox]

MT - the OP doesn't mention 'gifted' she said 'very bright'!

People with very bright children might like to discuss that too!

[Piffle]

I have a very bright ds, he is now 12
We basically bought lots of encyclopaedias and kept him in lots of activities
Be prepared for a lot of shit to be flung your way on here if you dare ask for help re gifted kids though

[CountessDracula]

how can a 4yo have been born on that date?