Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment No external indicators of giftedness ...

That was me. I was pretty "meh" about everything, and was just... way smarter and more capable than any other kid my age. I wasn't obsessed or fixated on anything, nor was I driven or passionate (that came later... then fizzled out again). Now I alternate between "meh" and "OMG!!" (lol)

My kids, on the other hand, are obsessive and passionate. It's funny how that's working out. My DD10 reads more than I, a voracious reader, ever did. I can't decide if that's because she has access to more books than I did, or if she is more passionate about it? Not sure.

My DS is 7 and is similar in some ways. He doesn’t like to work or focus on anything (other than Minecraft). In first grade he tested 6th grade reading and spelling level via multiple assessment types; meanwhile, the boy has yet to read a real chapter book…. Unless we want to count the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series which he blew through in K.
He is my second gifty. Unlike my first, he hates watching documentaries and non-fiction animal shows, hates coloring and writing, rolls his eyes when I point out anything scientific or mention anything remotely intellectual, hates reading but will compromise with audiobooks, rarely gives his best effort in school work…you get the picture.

It took me a little while to realize/accept that:

#1 All gifties are not the same. My DS is not going to be like his older “textbook gifty” DD and this is not a bad thing.

#2 Working WITH my DS’ personality at this age is far more important than pushing against it or trying to change it. Once I learned to laugh at his Negative Nancy approach to life, he loosened up a bit.

#3 Regardless of how it seems: my son is not a stubborn grumpy old man. He is only 7 and still has a lot of changing and maturing to do.

#4 It is possible that my son may not ever reach the potential of what I interpret his IQ score to mean for his life. I must always be open to the possibility that it is my interpretation which is flawed and needs changing, not him.

~ just my thoughts for what they are worth

Your DS might be learning more than you realize, too. Both of my kids come up with seemingly out-of-the-blue ideas and explanations, synthesized from bits and pieces they saw in a museum, or read about, or heard somewhere. There's a flash of brilliance, then there's a flashback to toddlerhood a few minutes later. Some of our friends don't believe DS is gifted, because he doesn't fit the "gifted mold" that they expect (intense about a subject, serious, high achieving, etc).

IMO, playing with Legos is a work/learning experience for kids. I'd suggest more free, open-ended down time. Let him get bored. Let him play with Legos or scribble all afternoon.

(And if you do want to start a passion in your son, consider introducing him to Minecraft. On the other hand, be careful what you ask for. And maybe do a little reading about it first. )

Oh yes, minecraft, which I've fondly dubbed The Black Hole.

Both of my kids are Minecraft addicts!

One works with others to build entire cities while the other goes around stealing stuff and fighting in wars and such ~sigh

They have become better at typing this summer though

{So glad that after the WebKinz and Pokemon RPG debacles, I put my foot down about Minecraft...}

Whew. Feel like I really did the right thing there, with my DD in particular. (Not often that I feel so emphatically that a parenting decision was the absolutely correct one.)

Back in the day I was addicted to playing Sid Mier's Civilisation so I know better than to let DD anywhere near stuff like this LOL.

I have managed to get a Lego Robotics kit so just waiting for the right rainy day to give her that to play with- she loves regular Lego and puts wheels on just about everything. I cannot wait to see what she makes of this.

DD8 managed to find Minecraft without any parental involvement. A friend showed it to her. Next thing you know, she'd downloaded the free version to her iPod.

Yeah, she spends way too much time with it, but it does appear to have some benefits:

- She's already starting to type like a pro. Plus, the cheat codes are giving her first-hand experience with command-line interfacing.
- It gives her something in common with other kids.
- It's something I can spend time doing with her that isn't dolls.

OMG, I've turned into my son! I can turn any conversation into one about Minecraft! Ha!! (I mean, how annoying!)

This year, DS11 was the last to get a wii game (for social purposes only) and when he did, he lamented he was afraid his brain would turn to mush, so thorough was our disdain for electronics communicated to him. It remains discarded and forgotten.

But minecraft! I was on the fence for a while. I researched it and in the end, I do see inherent value in it--much more so than in other online games. The typing skills have vastly improved which will be helpful in 7th, and he's learned some real-world problem-solving and social strategies.
There's one side of me that is alarmed by the amount of time he would be willing to spend at it if allowed and then there's the other side that appreciates the creativity and vision in say, his recreation of the Parisian metro. That said, I keep waiting for the shine to wear off. Still waiting...

You did good, HK, by bypassing the whole issue.