OMG the oneupmanship does indeed start early.

[akaJamiesMum]

Out for lunch with DH yesterday. DS was at nursery - we both had a day off and thought we'd make the most of some child free time.
We went to a local bistro place which does beautiful food and settled in to enjoy a nice leisurely lunch when we started overhearing a woman talking loudly on the next table. And I do mean loudly - not evesdropping as you could not miss what she had to say.

"Isabella's doing really well. We had a letter home from her school saying she has been assessed as among the "gifted and talented" so she's now attending special sessions once a week. It's great - they give her scenarios and work on problem solving etc".

By this point DH is already giggling (no manners at all) but it got worse.

"I knew she was bright - I do feel she needs stretching - the local school will be alright for a couple of years but then we'll need to look around for a private one"

DH is practically puce by now and I am kicking him under the table.

and then..... the best bit.

"Well of course next year she leaves the reception class so there will be a new teacher - I hope she is as good as the one Isabella's leaving"

This finished me - gifted and talented - reception all in one sentence - bloody hell - does this mean my DS will be written off at 4-5 if his ability to hold a pencil (which is already giving cause for concern) doesn't improve? Just glad he's not in with this superbright "Isabella"

I think its really grounding to have a first born 'summer' boy who's v v normal and lovely for it - okish at football although never gets picked for the A team - slow to read initially - I mean 'what's the point when there's a sand pit with plastic dinosaurs in it'...and then later have a so called 'excpetionally gifted dd....school are falling over themselves about her and we actually laughed out loud at her first parents evening - mrs 'loud' probably has had her 'bright' child as her firstborn and thinks that its her parenting that has helped etc etc - I do sometimes sorry about ds1 feeling underrated etc but in his eyes as she knows nothing about warhammer she is just so not worth knowing!!! -

julietfarkinbravo - thanks for confirming what I thought - the bright ones do just stand out from the crown I'm afraid - for us us mums who also have so called 'normal' ones -

if you haven't wondered whether there's something a bit unusual about your child by the time they are 2 or 3 then you've got a great 'normal' child but prob not gifted acedemically...just enjoy if you can and revel in all there achievements - whether that's getting a medal for coming 3rd in the resevres race at sports day or whatever - its just great whatever it is....

maggiems

I'm not really tlaking about coming out with As at A level and going to uni - its the ones who would be able to do this wihtout actually working v hard - being motivated and passing exams is not always an indicator of being excpetionally bright - I'm wure we all know people who just stand out from the crowd - maybe the lucky ones who had good chances at school managed to stretch themsleves a long way by going to the better unis and finding inspriational teachers and tutors - its the others that weren't picked up at school or who's parents weren't bothered who might find life more tricky...

She sounds pretty frightful, though.

My older daughter is pretty damn bright. I have to confess all I do is heave a sigh of relief and get on with being utterly hopeless about any sort of educational support, relying on the fact that a houseful of books will somehow osmotically enhance her educational experience

There are medical problesm like glue ear, allergies probably many other things which can hold back a child in the early years, but not later on. Skills at primary schoool like colouring or using sissors are not important beyond primary school.

Some children are throughly hot housed. The hot housing might make them appear gifted, but it wears off after a few years.

Einstein was not a high flier at primary school. However he didn't do too badly in later life.

Life is what you make of it. A lot of the world's most outstanding people were exceptionally hard working as well as intelligent.

I think in dd's case - hot housed is ab not the problem quite the reverse....

Virgo, No I know you were talking about gifted children as opposed to those that suddenly realised that they had to work and pull their socks up. It was clear from birth that Dt1 was just a bright spark and just didnt really have to be taught things. He is able to do well at school with minimum support. So in a gifted and talented child which I'm sure dt1 isnt , I'm sure that quickness of mind must stand out at an early age. I was really responding to JFB's quotes about "spotting the less talented ones". Just making the point that there is hope for some in this category athough they are probably not going to go on the G&T list.

Boys are slower to develop, however most geniuses who have existed through out time have been male. Prehaps this was due to lack of opportunities given to women.

I believe that the present education system is sexist towards little boys. A lot of little boys do not have good pen control because of developmental reasons. Isabella may well be over taken by lots of intelligent boys at a later stage.

My little boy with a hearing impairment wants to be an ear doctor. He wants to cure granddad's deafness. I want him to believe that everything is possible with hardwork.

Lilymaid - LOL at your neighbour! can you imagine the hooting in the staffroom when THAT was recounted...