Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy How Would You Handle This?

It's a fine line though, isn't it - obviously we want politeness and respect for elders but we also want our kids to be able to speak up when they're in a situation where things aren't right. It comes down to life experience for them to be able to tell which 'wrong' situations are to be protested and which you just let slide. While DS figures it out himself you're just going to have to keep telling him each time.
Surely if you any confidence in yourself as a professional you can handle the critique of a smartypants 8 year old - I would have been embarrassed too but slightly interested in their reaction as well to be honest

AvoCado, true. It is a fine line. But I think naturally, the ability to speak up will fall into place at an age when the "filters" are a bit more in place. I think we need to teach respect, especially with our very strong minded and a lot of times, "know it all" gifted kids.

Teaching the child right from wrong along with providing the opportunity to express their concerns to us. That way they can feel heard but also letting us use the momen as a teaching opportunity.

I love this line. I can't wait to try it out with my mother-in-law.

DS7 is 2E with Aspergers and completely lacks any registering of social hierarchy. He will correct ANYONE not because he is being mean or disrespectful but because, in his mind, if something is wrong it should be corrected. He will also states things similar to what your son did because he sees them as just a fact. With DS we work on an ongoing basis to explain social hierarchies to him and to explain why some things are best left unsaid or uncorrected.

I don't know what your son's background is but I would see this more as his limited understanding of the world than an outright show of disrespect. If you think about his perspective, it probably seems to him that the baby isn't getting much use out of the speech therapy-if she was then why wasn't she talking yet? And, as for the doctor's visit, I have certainly left doctor's appointments wondering if the visit had truly been worth my time and money so I wouldn't be surprised if my son wondered that at some point as well. The only difference is an understanding of what are largely unspoken rules of social order. These rules don't come naturally for some kids and that's where we have to step in and explain them.