There is no unambiguous definition for giftedness. There are characteristics by which you can recognize a gifted child. For example, the IQ is above 130. The gifted child is eager to learn and has great perseverance. It will solve problems in every way and achieve its goal. Gifted children think quickly and want to know and learn everything. They are curious and love depth. Gifted children must be recognized.
Young children
Gifted children have a lot of energy and will acquire skills at a rapid pace. They quickly understand the game of cause and effect. They need little sleep and are energetic exploring all day long. They also need new toys more often. Parents need stamina.
Toddler
A gifted toddler already has a large vocabulary and good sentence structure. Often they teach themselves to read and they quickly see something in numbers and figures. Of course, this is not the case with all gifted individuals. Every gifted child expresses that gift in a different way.
By the way: if they can read on their own, they, like other children, will love to be read to them.
Many questions
Gifted children question your ears. It must then be addressed, otherwise these children will lose interest and motivation. Parents will therefore always have to respond to the questions and possibilities of the child, as is necessary for all children.
Challenge
If children cannot release their energy, if there are not enough challenges, there is a possibility that behavioral problems will arise. Children must be able to be themselves, even if their behavior cannot be compared to peers.
Raising young children
Parents usually have the image of a child playing with friends, playing pranks and going to bed tired at night.
Gifted young children
Gifted children enjoy reading books, thinking and using their brains. They will often look up things at the computer and try to make connections. They are also not easily tired in the evening. Especially with a first child, parents have little possibility of comparison. The child will be ahead with some things and lag behind their peers in others.
Accepting giftedness
A first requirement for parents is acceptance of giftedness. Parents often only realize this when others point it out to them. Giftedness has advantages and disadvantages, and parents need to become aware that they just have to help their child develop. Faster than others, though.
Raising older children
Parents’ concerns
Often parents worry that at some point children will ask them questions they cannot answer. A child can develop an interest that parents know little or nothing about. The main thing is to stimulate the child, to take the child to the library, to look things up on the Internet. You don’t have to know everything yourself to be able to answer your child. You do, however, need to provide them with the opportunities to learn more about it. Parents must match the needs of the child (as is the case for all children and parents).
Listening to children
In addition to having children listen to their parents, parents must also listen to their children. Only then do they know their needs and can respond to their eagerness to learn. Of course, parents don’t always have time for their gifted child. Usually there are more children in a family and all children are entitled to attention. A gifted child must learn that too.
Opportunities and needs
Whether children have a developmental advantage or disadvantage, their capabilities and needs must be addressed. A gifted child also plays, is not always at the computer.
Social and emotional development
Luff
Gifted children are often so precocious in their intellectual development, their language development and their use of language that playing with peers is an obstacle. Because they find little connection with their peers, they also have few opportunities to develop their socio-emotional side. Parents should know this, because they must be able to explain to their child that there are differences between children.
Kindred
Parents of gifted children can ensure that their children come into contact with peers of equal development. There is a national organization for gifted individuals that regularly organizes meetings and children’s activities: Pharos.
Emotions
Parents of gifted children will also have to deal with an emotional side of their children, which is addressed earlier than that of their peers. Gifted individuals are more likely to read and learn about sometimes frightening things in society. Their emotional development has not yet reached the stage that they can cope with it easily. It is then important for the parents to talk about it seriously with the child.
Perfectionist
Gifted children also think about themselves more than their peers. Sometimes they set too high standards for themselves and then show poor performance. They cannot compete with others in terms of performance and do not know whether something is good enough. So they sometimes become too perfectionist. Adults can teach them which criticisms to take seriously.
Again: Bring gifted children into contact with peers who are undergoing or have undergone the same rapid development. The Union Pharos can help with that.