Here's a passage from the GDC link posted: 1. Parents are excellent identifiers of giftedness in their children: 84% of 1,000 children whose parents felt that they exhibited 3/4 of the traits in our Characteristics of Giftedness Scale tested in the superior or gifted range. Over 95% demonstrated giftedness in at least one area, but were asynchronous in their development, and their weaknesses depressed their composite IQ scores.
To me that doesn't seem like it says very much. It says that of the 84% who had 3/4 of the traits, most had at least one area of giftedness but their development or IQ may not show it. Am I understanding it that this of families who made the considerable commitment to travel and pay for testing at the GDC? Right there I'm thinking that would be a big screening device.
My anecdotal experience is in real life parents are often wrong. I've had parents tell me their kids are gifted based on stuff like reading Magic Tree House books as a seven year old, learning the ABC song as a three year old, etc. These are wonderful bits of development of course and should be celebrated. However, parents vary a lot in their knowledge of child development and some parents don't spend a lot of time around other kids. Typically developing babies, toddlers, and preschoolers can develop at a stunningly fast pace. One day they don't know something that the next day they do.
