Hi all,
I have a 2 � year old. I know this is early for this discussion, but I�m trying to figure out if he�s just precocious or is gifted, because if he is gifted I know that supporting him as early as possible will help him be happier and contented down the line.
He just turned 2.5 on July 1.
My son is determined to learn. He knows his alphabet, upper/lower/cursive, and can read letters even upside down or backwards (through glass signs) no matter the font. He can list dozens of words starting with each letter. He knows what sound every letter makes and is trying to sound out words on signs, T-shirts, etc. Not able to quite put it together into words yet, but he can sound out each letter in a word and then waits for me to put the sounds together for him. If you say a word to him, he can immediately tell you what letter it starts with.
He can count to twenty by rote, and can count objects (one to one correspondence) to 12, and just yesterday started (on his own) counting backwards from 5 and doing one-to-one correspondence with that (he knows that if he has 5 objects, as he takes away 1 he goes down 1 number). OK, as I was writing that he took 10 slices of orange and did the same thing all the way from 10, although he stopped and re-counted at 7 and 6. No one taught him this or ever worked on something similar with him.
He makes up elaborate stories about his toys, and speaks in full paragraphs. He frequently and properly describes his own feelings and the feelings he sees in others (happy, sad, angry, etc.). If you say a new long word in front of him, he repeats it and repeats it until he has it memorized.
He identifies all colors and shapes, including 3 dimensional shapes-cylinder, cube, pyramid, etc.
He comes up with conclusions we can never expect from a two year old--yesterday my husband said to him, "Daddy and Robbie are boys," and without a beat my son said "and Mommy and Sissy are girls." He is constantly throwing concepts like that at us.
And he does this on his own�of course we help him play once he starts a game, and get him the toys, videos, etc. that teach him, but only because he absolutely demands it and is just so happy learning things.
He�s a total love bug and is very connected emotionally, and very happy most of the time, but he is also explosively temperamental�lots of daily battles. Particularly related to his perfectionism, and an utter inability to share. He is extremely possessive.
Suggestions? Thoughts?
Jennifer
