I once suggested it to a mother who had actually asked my DH (science teacher) for advice, because the kid was treading water in elementary and complaining about it, and the teacher had suggested having him tested. The mother quite liked the idea of having a gifted kid, and did understand the sports analogies I presented (like making a gifted athlete play beginners all the time and never be challenged by a true opponent) until I suggested she might look into the congregated gifted program on the other side of town for middle school, because otherwise he might just continue coasting and being bored.
The shock that having a gifted kid might actually involve some effort on her part to have the child challenged and might mean that she could not continue involving him in her sport the way she was doing now (as in hang out there daily and playing herself) nixed the whole idea for her.
I remember suggesting earlier that the kid should be in gymnastics because he seemed incredibly gifted at that, even at a very young age (even more so than he seemed academically gifted, honestly, I think he might have gone far in that sport) and I was sure she'd be receptive to that, sports being the be all and end all for her after all. She conceded he might be, but that driving him there was just too much work and again, it was so much easier to just have him involved in her sport (where I am sure he is doing very well because he'd do well in any sport but simply does not have the build to go far).
It is odd how someone who is presumably gifted herself, at least in part (one of have few people I've met who could beat me at SET) has such a hard time of letting go of preconceived notions and plans for her life.
Last edited by Tigerle; 05/24/15 09:47 AM.
