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Gifted and talented

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Original poster

To want to get my child tested by an educational psychologist....

359 replies

royaljelly · 26/10/2011 23:36

Sorry quite long as a bit of backgroung is needed.

My daughter turned 2 at the end of June 2011 and she is really intelligent (may be biased).

The main factors are:

Can count to 20 in English

Can count to 8 in Spanish, (we do not speak spanish and think she has picked this up from Dora),

She recognises if you ask her to count in Spanish or English.

Often counts backwards from 10 correctly, even whilst playing

Will remember statements, such as, 'We will build a den after dinner'. As soon as dinner is done we have to build a den.

Recognises colours such as pink, purple, brown, as well as primary ones and will get the correct crayon even if the wrapping is a different colour.

Recognises shapes and can draw them if asked.

Spots mumbers in the street and calls them out.

Has circled the toys in the Argos catalogue for Xmas.... we thought she was scribbling but she has a definate view on what she wants, (quite a tomboy and has missed out the entire girly range except for a kitchen).

As parents we thought she was rather bright, but thought our own biased views made this the case. This has now been picked up by her childminder and even people at the bus-stop who think she is older than she actually is.

I have been on the Mensa website and they have said that for children under 10, their tests be carried out by an educational psychologist.

They seem to mainly carry out tests on ADHD or troubled kids and partner now thinks that if I go ahead and organise this it may label her.

I think that if we get advice on encouraging and building her intelligence then this will benefit her in the future.

I should add that we do not sit her down and command her to draw shapes or count, but do this as part of family fun time ie: sat on one parents knee as we play Trivial Pursuit with her much older brothers, (she gets to move the counter).

Do I go ahead with the tests or not. I am afraid of becoming complacent with her intelligence and not allowing her to have the best opportunies in the future.

OP posts:
OurPlanetNeptune · 27/10/2011 00:33

she was born the midwife was shocked at her reactions

Oh good Lord. Do you realise how ridiculous you sound. Your daughter is two. Give her a chance to develop at her own pace for goodness sake, if you are as immovable in real life as you appear on this thread things do not bode well for your daughter. You sound like the ultimate pushy mother from hell.

Original poster
royaljelly · 27/10/2011 00:33

ILoveTIFFANY are you being serious, you seem to have taken this personally. I asked if you had kids because I found it strange that you would not do everything in your power to give them an advantage in life and have now resorted postingflaming and sarcastic remarks. Unless you have something intelligent to contribute please refrain from posting as you are clogging up any othere replies.

OP posts:
NorfolkBroad · 27/10/2011 00:33

Just a thought though OP. Even if your dd does turn out to have a very high IQ as a result of testing I would strongly advise that you dont make it something you frequently talk about in front of her! I once had a boyfriend who was constantly told by his parents that he was gifted and that basically his peers were inferior to him. Consequently he thought he didnt really need to try and ended up getting a crap degree because he had been made so complacent! I totally agree with other posters that being advanced at this age is not necessarily an indication of attainment later on.

Loshad · 27/10/2011 00:34

royal - she's really not that special
child 1 - was doing everything your op says at 2 and a bit more , now 18 - primary interests include : clubbing, going out, drinking, sex with girlfriend, rugby
child 2 - doing everything your op says at 2 and loads (and loads) more, primary interests include going out, drinking, rugby, Getting back with girlfriend for the hope of sex
etc etc
early bloomers don't necessarily translate into genius adults, my older 2 may or may not dazzle the world - i've missed off their uni applications/courses and hopes, but tbh they are like every other 16/17/18 yo i've run across (and as a teacher thta's quite few) - they like having a fun, and why not.

esperance · 27/10/2011 00:34

Yes we psychologists do test the intelligence of gifted children. Privately it would cost at least a couple of hundred pounds; upwards from there depending on the number of tests done. Most psychologists would probably advise the OP to wait until at least age 4, preferably the start of school because of the unreliability of early tests.

SacreLao · 27/10/2011 00:35

royal What advantages in life would you be giving her by IQ testing her? Would you treat her differently depending on the result?

GypsyMoth · 27/10/2011 00:35

I won't refrain from posting!

Why should I?

531800000008 · 27/10/2011 00:36

oh no, clogging up replies, now that would be AWFUL Sad

SacreLao · 27/10/2011 00:36

Royal As someone else said, other children do this also.

My best friends son was very much the same and had an AMAZING memory, he has now been diagnosed with Autism aged 8 years old however but no signs at 2 years.

All toddlers learn quickly.

squeakyfreakytoy · 27/10/2011 00:39

come on OP, tell us what the midwife said.. I cant wait to hear it Grin

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 27/10/2011 00:39

This cannot be serious. I can't remember the section for IQ on any uni application. Mensa is a club for people who are good at a specific skill sets (e.g. unlearned pattern recognition) it is irrelevant for uni applications (and yes as a teenager I did qualify for membership so its not sour grapes on my part and no it made bugger all difference to my uni applications).

My children could converse in 2 languages by the age of two because we are a bilingual household - children pick stuff up really quickly at this age. I am sure there are plenty of MN out there with 2 year olds that can count in several languages simply because they are exposed to them the same way your DD is exposed to English at home and Spanish through Dora. My children were not just reciting but interacting in two languages and translating as can the millions of bilingual 2 year olds worldwide (i.e. its normal for children to be able to do this).

If in a couple of years she is obviously advanced compared to her peers then do something but bear in mind that children develop at different rates and precocious children don't always say ahead.

That is my reasoned benefit of the doubt response.

My gut response is one of
a)[hhmm]
or
b) let her be a child FFS

GypsyMoth · 27/10/2011 00:40

Thread clogger here wants to know too....Grin

squeakyfreakytoy · 27/10/2011 00:41

Hush now Tiff.... you little clogger, you Grin

exexpat · 27/10/2011 00:41

If you really want to pay hundreds of pounds to get your toddler's IQ tested, that's your business. But I really don't see how you think it would help your DD's future in any way.

My worry is that if you have a piece of paper saying your child has an IQ of 130/140/150 (and it's very hard to measure accurately at that age anyway, so the piece of paper is not really worth anything) you are then going to think you have to make her do Mensa activities/take GCSEs at age 8 etc just to prove she can - not at all good for the child.

And I say that as a former 'gifted' child myself, and parent of two 'gifted' children who have never seen an educational psychologist but are happy, healthy, doing extremely well at school, developing their own interests and definitely not being pushed.

The best thing you can do for her future is play with her, talk to her, buy her interesting and challenging toys, take her places, let her interact with other children, be herself, and not rush into getting her labelled as anything.

531800000008 · 27/10/2011 00:42

I mean, really, clogging is not asseptible innit

har har har

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 27/10/2011 00:42

Oi Tiffany - Did you just try and clog my reply! Wink

squeakyfreakytoy · 27/10/2011 00:43

I feel sorry for this poor child, only 2 and with the pushy mother from hell.. :(

Original poster
royaljelly · 27/10/2011 00:44

ILoveTIFFANY I was not telling, I was asking...but if the wine overrides then so be it. That includes you 531800000008

SacreLao I did think about autism or even 'sauvant', but she is very friendly and remebers peoples names so she can greet them. She does not lack confidence in public situations and knows her own mind.

I must admit part of me wants to get her tested to see if any of these issues are underlying. That way I can proceed in a way that is best for her.

OP posts:
SacreLao · 27/10/2011 00:44

Great post Expat - this is what I asked, will you treat her differently.

If her IQ is average will you think 'oh well feck it, she can carry on normal life' but if she is indeed 'intellegent' all of a sudden she needs pushing to learn and achieve etc.

All that pushing will lead to resentment, rebelion and sometimes under achieving. Never mind that your older children will suddenly become the children that 'wern't quite smart enough' to warrant all this special attention.

Have you even considered university for them or is only your 2 year old worthy?

Original poster
royaljelly · 27/10/2011 00:46

I can't spell remembers before ILoveTIFFANY and 531800000008 jump on that.

OP posts:
SacreLao · 27/10/2011 00:46

royal Not at all suggesting your daughter has autism at all, just a example.
I don't think any 2 year old's show signs of Autism.

Original poster
royaljelly · 27/10/2011 00:48

squeakyfreakytoy please read the entire post about NOT making learning seem like work before you reply.

OP posts:
jamandposterpaint · 27/10/2011 00:48

Love it Grin

Particularly the shocked midwife bit ...genius!

MonstrouslyNarkyPuffin · 27/10/2011 00:48

You should really get her applications in for Oxbridge now.

GypsyMoth · 27/10/2011 00:48

I think it's you who has been at the wine!!!

Calm down.

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