I have just started learning about giftedness about a year ago. I mostly never saw myself as such, but now with the research I think I was or am. I moved arround alot as a child maybe 10 plus times, mother married and devorced a lot, 4 times all before 18. Mostly rural schools with no Gifted programs. Once I was tested, or so I have been told in 1st or 2nd, they wanted to send me to some special school, but we moved again. Reading was easy, however learning by whole word vs phonics, has made spelling and writting difficult. Also the pace of writting is very difficult even today. My brother who is a year younger has ADHD, was on ritlain, and had a very difficult time in school. I always thought of him as not so bright, he was in special ed classes, he was kicked out of K, he has a lot of issues fitting in, even more then myself. The funny part is my DW mentioned that my brother is very bright, (I never saw it). It turns out he is, just that it is masked by behavior issues, and by his lack of education. For myself school was too easy, so I did not particpate, only on things that interested me did I do well. You know you may be a geek when you get the frineds of the library award in MS (I think they made that one up for me).Because of my past I think I am a stronger advocate for my DS5. On ADD, one of my clients a Phycologist mentioned that if my brother was ADHD, that I may be ADD. I have never thought so. I took on online test though last year, it says I was and that I should seek help immeadatly, (I think its a marketing ploy). My wifes family all seem very bright, they learn quickly, thier children seem quick, but it is thier norm. GT issues never came up for any of them, but in looking at the criterior many are MG. If you look at our parents, no white coller types, but almost all of them are quick verbally, and also seem somewhat gifted. I know this is an over simlification, I have no real data. But it does seem like there is some past history of giftness, that is there.
