Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

to think that DD's a bit of a brainbox?

34 replies

GoldenHaze · 16/10/2010 20:36

OK, this isn't a smug look-at-my-child sort of a thread. Honestly it isn't. I'd just appreciate some perspective!

DD's two years, four months and seems to be a bright spark. She's could read numbers before she turned two and has had the alphabet (lower and upper case letters) down to a tee for about three months. Today we went to a cafe and she read the word 'cup' to me, as in "C. U. P. Cup. It's cup." I was amazed.

So, should I be impressed or should I just shut up and realise that this is nothing special really?

I'm not writing this with anticipation that people will say she's particularly intelligent or anything. She's my first child, so I'm not too familiar with development milestones really.

BTW, I'm not a pushy sort at all. She's shown an interest in reading for ages, and so we look at books etc. If anything I shy against 'pushing' her in case she loses interest. Perhaps I should encourage her more?

OP posts:

activate · 16/10/2010 22:43

sorry but you can't be gifted at reading (well I know they say you can but you can't because everyone reads) - personal bugbear

Loshad · 16/10/2010 22:51

what a ridiculous statemetn activate- everyone can run, but some people are definately gifted at running.
OP your dd shounds gifted/very advanced to me.

piscesmoon · 16/10/2010 23:01

She sounds very bright but avoid labelling-just enjoy.

MrsLucasNorth · 16/10/2010 23:05

Would second what Phipps said - don't forget that emotionally she is 2. I only say that as mum of a v. bright 6 yo, who I frequently forget is not about 12!
Take her lead and do things at her pace and she'll be fine

MrsLucasNorth · 16/10/2010 23:08

Btw, technically, gifted refers to the academic ie reading, writing, numeracy.
Talented refers to specific skills ie art, sport, music
At least that's how dd's teacher defined it to us.

eventide · 16/10/2010 23:09

DD was the same at that age and could read words like cup and longer words as long as they were spelled phonetically. I think a lot of it is just good memory. Even the reading - if you can remember the sounds that the letters make you can read a lot of words. DD has always had a fantastic memory. I wrote down all the words she could say, in context, at 13 months and there were well over 100! I don't think she's a genius though she just seems to remember things better than most of her peers. I'm not going to take anything for granted though "bright" kids don't necessarily do well at school if they're lazy (which if she takes after me she may well be!).

activate · 17/10/2010 08:37

Loshad Sat 16-Oct-10 22:51:37

what a ridiculous statemetn activate- everyone can run, but some people are definately gifted at running.
OP your dd shounds gifted/very advanced to me.

Actually it's not a ridiculous statement because children develop different skills at different rates and the concept of "gifted at reading" can only apply for about 4 years because by the time they are 8 or 9 children equalise in their ability to read - it is a finite skill - As an adult I am not more gifted at reading than you are, but someone can be more gifted at running or jumping.

Yes it is advanced - but people get hung up on the stupid G&T label and it is IMO, as a parent of 4 (3 of whom have been "labelled") and an educator dangerous for parents of very young children to obsess about gifted as a government defined term as it leads to disappointment when they naturally equalise.

otchayaniye · 17/10/2010 08:57

It's great when they do this, but not really unusual.

My daughter picked out some words at 14 months. Things like 'baby', 'mummy' and 'cat' and so on. Not reading phonetically, but from sight (much like Asians learn their pictograms)

She's been talking since 9-10 months at at 23 months has full adult conversations, with words like 'particularly'.

Her memory of books has impressed me. If I stop reading anwhere in any Beatrix Potter, Julia Donaldson, Anthony Browne book she will continue and has memorised them.

I'm now teaching her to read as she keeps asking. Through reading to her, phonetics games and painting. It's sinking in like a sponge.

All that said, I don't think she is preternaturally bright. (don't flame me, this isn't G&T by stealth) She's very curious, quick to learn, and more importantly, I've taught her.

People have criticized and poo poohed me for teaching her, but I think we leave it too late in this country. You can't force it on a toddler anyway, so this idea of forcing them to eat flash cards for dinner is wide of the mark.

Also, have some perspective. If some children read a little earlier than others, in the great scheme of things it's a minuscule amount of time difference and they tend to even out.

Keep reading to her and enjoying watching her ask questions about the world. It's an attitude.

gracevictoria · 17/10/2010 09:10

My mum had a habit of telling everyone how my DB could tell the time by the time he was 3.

When we were adults I asked her who taught him how to tell the time. Her answer
"You did".

It went straight over the top of her head that it was pretty remarkable for a 5 year old to teach a 3 year old how to tell time

We all have to remember that emotional intelligence is extremely important because without it, even the most academically gifted child may underachieve.

Flip

1 2