Pretty sure 22 month old is gifted

[Tsarina1]

Hi all, just looking for some advice on how to handle our 22 month old, she's fantastic, sociable, bubbly & fun. However she has been speaking in full sentances since 14 months, has a huge vocabulary, today she used "actually" in the correct context for example. She has really advanced role play, favourite games being libraries & asking me to sign books(we went to an Axel Scheffler book signing ages ago), she also recites books back to us she freked my mom out last week when she picked up A Squash & a Squeeze & "read it" also does this with the Gruffalo & Gruffalo's child any rhyming books really. Knew her alphabet song at 18 months & counts to 20. How do we continue to keep her stimulated? Imo her social development would be more important now & she goes to playgroups, music classes, library & has plenty of playdates. She mixes well but tends to prefer slightly older children, has to know everyones name & strangely enough wants to know their mammys name e.g Ella & her mammy Helen will be at playgroup. V interested in adults & talks about DH's & my friends quite alot as well as their kids, Does she sound gifted or just bright to you? Not that it really matters she's still our beautiful funny little dd but I read a checklist on giftedness & she ticked the majority of boxes

To be honest it just sounds like she is bright.
Dd was talking in full sentences by 18 months, you could have a proper understandable conversation with her, she could count past 20 by age 2, colour in really neatly within the lines, very sociable little girl, sing lots of songs perfectly etc. she is now and 6 and I would say normal, bright yes and obviously amazing to me, she's extremely crafty and amazed me with her creations
My ds1 who is nearly 8 IS gifted and talented, and started school with a reading age of 14 etc but didn't utter a word until 2 years 3 months, wouldn't even sing a song now if you paid him and as borderline aspergers is very unsociable !
I think 22 months is too early to 'label' them or push them towards being a particular way. The best thing you can do for her is treat her as a normal child, and be led by her and what she wants to do and find interesting.

Ok so what you have there is a delightful, bright and happy child. Well done you. What you MAY have is a child who has she grows can be defined as 'gifted'. Nobody in their right mind though would be trying to label her as such now and as for what you need to do, you just need to keep doing what you're doing. It clearly works and she will naturally go as deep as she needs to do.
Regarding the books - it may well be that she has a photographic facility to her memory. Three members of my family do I think (well two do and we strongly suspect dd3 does). This is very helpful in learning to read and in school and academic work generally but it's not of and in itself 'a gift' as such.
I would try and forget about defining your dd and just enjoy her, challenge yourselves and her with new and interesting things and yes be vigilant that at nursery and school she gets extension work. But don't obsess about labels or needing to excel everybody else (I'm not saying you are doing this now) it's really not healthy for either of you.

Sounds like she has a brilliant memory

Just enjoy it! Lots of bed time stories, a good fancy dress box for playing dressy ups and maybe some Story stones (large pebbles with images painted on that she can line up and make a story with). But dont push it - just enjoy it.

Stuff like Playmobil when she's a bit bigger is good too. And ELC do that similar thing which is for younger children. Can't remember it's name!

Happyland! That's it. Anything like that allows to play very creatively and imaginatively.

She has lots of Happyland & absolutely love it, Santa is bringing more!!! Loves books, playing outside, playgroup, playground etc not so much arts & crafts yet but loves sticker books so I guess we have it covered Hack I just googled the story stones & she(me!!!) will adore these, too late for Santa but will buy for her bday, lovely idea
I think the interest in adults eg who is whos mammy & daddy & what their names are is slightly peculiar? Also the real interest in our friends, has to know their names, wants to look at photos of our friends etc..

Tsarina my boys have always been very interested in who 'belongs' to who in terms of family relationships etc. Some children just are.

Mine are bright - DS1 is the most able reader and mathematician in his school but I wouldn't say that either of them were 'gifted' just bright, inquisitive boys.

I don't think it's peculiar at all that she likes to know who fits with who. She's probably quite in to patterns and ordering things - like lots of bright kids. It's a pattern to know who fits with who. It makes them feel in control and secure.

I saw an adorable two year old in town today. Dad got in a lift with younger sibling leaving toddler with mum. Lift had clear doors so toddler saw dad basically disappear upstairs - oh the questions! Where was daddy, how had that happened, where had he gone. I saw them 5 minutes later and she was still on the same theme whilst very actively and sweetly looking at sparkling stuff. Kids like to know what the story is. Lots of children are very noticing. You probably talk about your friends quite a bit so dd wants to know where they fit in with her. It's a way of sticking close to you and also probably something she perceives as an activity which is rewarding for her - because you, I'm sure, like it when she asks about your friends and shows an interest. So she's learnt it's a good topic for close mummy and dd time and attention.

DD went through a phase of wanting to know who is who and being fascinated that "Granny" is also "Mammys Mammy" and "Auntie Emma" is also "Mammys Sister"

Bottom line is you just can't tell at this age.

Some kids steam ahead in one area, then stall or catch up in other areas. It does tend to even out. How many early walkers do you know that are still physically advanced? Early potty trainers that are exceptional at using the toilet? Early talkers that are now average? Other kids catch up.

All you can do is encourage her interests, and keep her occupied and entertained. Don't push or hothouse, just let her learn as she goes along.

Btw, as nice as it is to think your child is gifted, it can be incredibly stressful. Mine is under the "additional needs" scheme at school. I need to find a secondary that will allow for her needs. It's constant stress wondering if I'm doing the right thing, if she's losing out in other areas, what if it all tails off in a few years. It's all consuming, time, energy, and money, finding the right people to develop her, wondering if holding her back or letting her push forward is right. Pressure to "perform"....Wondering about the impact on younger siblings, do they feel valued and special even though they may not have that level of talent. Will they give up trying because they can't be as good as their sibling, how will it affect them...

My eldest did all that at 20-22 months as well. I wondered if he was gifted.

He's 22 now and I can categorically say that he wasn't.

My DS could do everything your DD could at that age. He scores average on national tests

As a mum of older children (4!) with varying degrees of talents I can categorically say that you cannot really tell at that age. There is such a huge variety of "gifts" and aptitudes a child can develop later on!

From what you describe she is a well rounded, mature for her age and stimulated child with a lot of curiosity. Don't take it the wrong way, it's an excellent basis to maybe develop talents later on!

One of my best friends' son didn't discover his gift for piano until he was 13 and he is now - 3 years later - winning international competitions!

It's too young to tell really. Even if there is an element of gifted it doesn't change anything and may just level out when they start school. Or it may not and school will guide them.

My eldest child was exactly like this at 22 months. She is now nearly 12 and whilst she is bright and in the top sets at school she certainly isn't gifted :) I think all children develop at different rates.

I think nurture as well as nature plays a part. If she has a good capacity to learn then I would spend a few minutes here and there playing maths games, sounding out letters in words or encouraging her to make lines or circles with a pencil. I used to love teaching dd at that age and she loved learning. She went to school able to read, still loves reading and is very advanced with maths. I never bothered whether or not she was gifted and talented, just in how her ability could be built on.
I would disagree with "they all level out and the others will catch up".

She sounds like a bright little button!

I was on here a couple of years ago about my son who before 2 could name every car brand (including less common ones such as Dacia, Lexus etc) and by 2.5 could distinguish between models - 'ooh a Suzuki splash!' He also knew all his letter names and sounds and numbers at 2. He knew shapes, colours etc too. He is now getting on well with his reading at school but not exceptionally as is interested in the world around him. I think he's probably quite clever at shape recognition and has quite a good memory.

My current 2 year old can do all the cars, colours, numbers and most letters too! I no longer think of that as exceptional!

I think toddlers get quite obsessed with certain things but it's not always a sign of giftedness - it might be, but unless they are properly reading at 2 or something similar I don't think you can really tell.

My DD has always wanted to know names and specifics. Who is who. Who fits where in their family. Who is so and so's Grandma. Names, ages, eye colour, their job. All questions my DD wanted and wants answered. She would spend DAYS looking at their pictures and my Facebook friends profiles if I let her. She isn't gifted, she's autistic and rhythm and order and repetition are her life. As the Mother of a child who is mentally and physically handicapped and has been labeled since birth, try not to label your DD as anything other than happy and bright at 22 months. Enjoy her and keep doing what you're doing.

I wouldn't change anything and see how it goes .
My kids were significantly ahead at that age but they averaged out ( high end of average mind )

You can't make her gifted so don't ' coach ' & 'push' it . She is very little to be putting a label on her.

Don't push her, she's 2.

But I get what you mean about wanting to keep them stimulated, have you thought of beginning identifying the written numbers & letters? Also, basic counting - as opposed to reciting the numbers in order.

Well she sounds extremely bright to me.

I wouldn't worry about doing anything special to 'bring her on': she seems to be faring very well with you doing what you're currently doing :)

It can obviously go either way as she gets older but it could be she will be very able. A friend's son was like this at a similar age and he is so able now he's older. I could also read well before school and found school a breeze.

What you describe sounds exactly like my DS. Reciting the Gruffallo and other books at that age, reciting numbers to 10 and talking in sentences at 18 months. At his two and a half year check he was assessed as being at the level of an average 5 year old.

He is now 9 and is described by his teachers as very bright ,has always been in the top groups in class and has been assessed at a level 2 years above his age throughout his time at primary school. He is not unusual and there are three or four other children in his class who were at the same level ( and a similar number in each if the other three classes in his year group)

No one has ever used the term gifted to describe him ( apart from his doting grandparents who love to bang on about how amazingly talented he is!) He is just bright and has never needed any special academic support. The school does a great job teaching to a wide range of abilities in each class.

I would agree that if you find teaching her a chore then she will pick up on this. However if you are one of those parents who likes teaching children things like reading and maths and they enjoy it also then it will advance their ability. It is a case of getting a good balance of activities and so just doing bits here and there.

I have a dd who in retrospect enjoyed being taught when young and at 11 still enjoys learning.

Just to provide another perspective... your DD is slightly ahead of my two at the same age. DD1 is very gifted. I'm told DD2 could well be as well, but the jury is still out!

But at the age of 1, it doesn't really matter! Just keep doing the things she enjoys.

It sounds to me that there are good chances that she will turn out to be gifted. I am very surprised how many people say that their children were the same but just bright now. Perhaps it is getting very common that children know their abc at 18 months and count to 20 before they are 2yo and I just did not notice it :)

The only reason a child will know their alphabet and can count to 20 before 2 is because someone has taught them.