Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Gifted and talented

Talk to other parents about parenting a gifted child on this forum.

Original poster

Development

39 replies

jellybeans001 · 03/12/2013 13:34

Hi just wondering if my daughter is above average and how many of your children were doing it at this age. She's my second child and she's going to be two this month. Basically she can count 1 to 10 and recognise them all, she knows her abcs and knows some phonics as well. She has known this for a while. She knows her colours as well but doesn't recognise them yet. Is she above average?

OP posts:
Acinonyx · 03/12/2013 14:40

Definitely above average for 2. I've found development to be very spotty and uneven myself however. My own dd could do the same and I got a bit excited wondering how advanced she would be starting school - but she wasn't really. I remember people stopping to watch her write messages in the snow when she was 3 and that was when it struck me that this was quite unusual. Although she started reading and writing before 3 though it stalled and didn't really take off until she was 6. Now at 8, she tests in the top 1% but I can't say that I am blown away by the startling evidence of this on a daily basis Xmas Wink.

So she did turn out to be way above average - but it's been in phases and I'm still not at all clear where it is going or what her primary talent is.

ReallyTired · 03/12/2013 14:44

I think your daughter sounds very normal. Academic stuff like abc or counting is not a sign of a more able child. Quality of speech or fine motor skills like drawing are a better indicator how able a child is.

Development is a journey rather than race. Dd could speak in sentences at 16 months, but at four years old her speech is no different to her classmates.

Acinonyx · 03/12/2013 15:15

Don't be such a kill joy ReallyTired - it can be a sign of ability. It's hardly 'very normal' for 2 - why insist that it is?

Original poster
jellybeans001 · 03/12/2013 16:01

Thanks. She can hold a pencil and pen properly as well and loves drawing. She doesn't hold the pen properly all the time but she can do it and I have been shocked that she could do it. She talks in three word sentences as well but when it comes to songs can sing abc song very well. Thanks to all that have answered keep them coming :)

OP posts:
NorthernShores · 03/12/2013 16:21

It often depends what a child is exposed to. I suspect given the genes both children should do well academically. However child 1 I emphasised counting, sounds, colours etc. No 2 child iam much more relaxed and enjoying the journey more. There's no real point to starting early as a bright child will pick it up very quickly later on.

Original poster
jellybeans001 · 03/12/2013 16:33

I have not started anything with her she learnt this all from my older child that is in reception, reading to them and songs I put on for them both and her playing on the ipad

OP posts:
kitchendiner · 03/12/2013 20:35

From my experience, these early signs are definite indicators - my DS was reciting large passages from books before he was two, he couldn't do shape sorters or jigsaws and had no interest in holding a pencil. His verbal IQ is top 1% and he has dyslexia. So yes, the signs were there from a very early age.

richmal · 03/12/2013 22:46

Dd could read about 30 to 40 CVC words by 2. This was certainly above average of what most children are taught by that age. I do not know, however, if it above average of what most children could be taught.

Original poster
jellybeans001 · 04/12/2013 00:00

Thanks a lot for the information. Richmal she knows more then what I have written down in my post she also knows all the basic shapes and knows some colours and can identify some colours as well. As I have two children thought she would have been above average because I have hardly seen any just turned two years olds doing that. Thanks to all of you that have answered me and has really helped me to see that she is above her age group and it has been confirmed by others similarly stories. Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
jellybeans001 · 04/12/2013 00:02

She can also identify shapes

OP posts:
iclaudius · 04/12/2013 00:10

I'm in the camp that it means very little at this age

richmal · 04/12/2013 07:05

Where as I think the more you teach children, the more they will learn and the further ahead their ability will be.

Jellybean, I do think your daughter is above average in what she has learnt.

ReallyTired · 04/12/2013 10:46

I agree that jellybeans001 dd is above average in academic knowledge, but other children learn other useful skills at two years old. I believe that intelligence is far more than just the ablity to do academic work. Some children develop other talents at the same age.

Development is so varied in the early years and I believe that indentification of gifted children is impossible at the age of two. Einstein didn't speak until he was three years old!

I believe that high ablity can be cultivated by good parenting.

Floggingmolly · 04/12/2013 10:53

All quite normal; not gifted and talented, I'm afraid.

Original poster
jellybeans001 · 04/12/2013 13:09

Did not say anything about my child being gifted or talented floggingmolly she is only just turned two abit too early to say that I asked if you read what I said whether she was above average or not and people experiences of their children doing it at that age and don't agree that it's normal

OP posts:
Floggingmolly · 04/12/2013 13:13

This is the gifted and talented board...

Acinonyx · 04/12/2013 13:29

Utter humbug Floggingmolly. There are a lot of posters on this board who are not fans of the g & t label but are more comfortable posting here than looking even more pretentious by posting on the general boards.

jellybean - you will be realising by now that being told everything your child does is utterly average is a rite of passage on here.

ReallyTired · 04/12/2013 13:37

I think that jellybean's dd is lovely. She sounds like a happy little girl who is learning about her world. Prehaps the little girl is gifted or prehaps other children will catch up. Only time will tell.

My son had a friend in primary who was very ahead in nursery and was given the "gifted" label at the age of 3. It proved a bit of curse as the boy become lazy and did not work at things that didn't come easily.

Acinonyx · 04/12/2013 13:45

Of course that's true ReallyTired. But there is a general attitude here that the op (and other's like her) are misguided and wrong to try to place their child's skills with regard to the average development of a child that age.

That cannot be right. If the child was well below average op might well be advised to seek professional advice and they might suggest useful intervention. It wouldn't just be a case of -' oh - don't concern yourself as they all even out in the end' (even though the child might well catch up in the end - many don't).

Original poster
jellybeans001 · 04/12/2013 16:37

Thanks reallytired and acinonyx do agree have sensed abit of negativity from some parents on this board. Thanks for that comment on my dd she is really lovely and sweet.

OP posts:
Original poster
jellybeans001 · 04/12/2013 16:42

First time I'm posting on this board as well :)

OP posts:
Acinonyx · 04/12/2013 17:12

Consider yourself initiated Xmas Wink

Original poster
jellybeans001 · 04/12/2013 17:22

Thanks acinonyx think I've learnt something new today and that's not to go on about what my child can do as some don't like it:) even if its a two year old :( sad really

OP posts:
Worriedandlost · 04/12/2013 18:07

Jellybeans001, I did not read all the answers but can definitely say your dd is above average, mine was similar at that age, she is at school now and it proved that she is above average. You will probably hear a lot of-let her be a child, blah-blah-blah- my advice will be-help her to develop her talents, bright children are different and they need a lot of mental input to keep them out of trouble :). They are hard but rewarding job! Good luck to both of you!

Original poster
jellybeans001 · 04/12/2013 18:48

Thanks worriedbutlost it's positivity like yours that makes the world a better place to live. Will try my best to keep her happy and hopefully learning. Will do my best for her.

OP posts: