Thanks for the book recommendation! I'm hoping to pick it up from my library this week.
I fear I wasn't clear in my original post. We do get out quite often, in fact being in nature and doing lots of hands on activities are a how we spend significant portions of our lives. The frustration I feel is at at watching her latch onto something and enjoy only to squash herself down out of fear that it may not be what *she* perceives to be "normal".
I have acknowledged that she is different and that is great. That just made her more self-conscious, as she associated that with being a target for bullying. I've tried present (to her)that what she does is perfectly fine and not to worry about other kids. I've pointed out that *everyone* is different from each other and that's what makes us unique and wonderful and wouldn't it be a dull world if we were all the same?!
I'm running out of ideas and she isn't even 6, yet! I'm looking forward to reading the book Cricket recommended re: gifted and motivation. Any suggestions to get her over her self-imposed wall re: her desire to fit into a box called "normal" based on what she perceives as normal?
Thanks,
MM
