Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion want for learning ceased

We have two gifted children who used to ak heaps of questions about everything, of late their thirst for learning has stopped. Nothing at home has changed that we are aware of and we are curious as to any suggestions why the questions have stopped?

How old are they? Are they in school?

Sometimes a lack of stimulation in school can cause GT kids to shut down. It can actually trigger bouts of clinical depression in the worst cases. Without knowing any pertinent details about your kids whatsoever, my first guess would be lack of learning for too much of their time each day is shutting them down.

But it's just a guess. Nothing more useful than that. It's kind of weird that it's happening to both of them at the same time...

When did you notice the change? What was going on in the kids' lives? How are their friendships? How is their behavior otherwise? Do they seem happy? Are they getting enough sleep?

A lot of factors could go into this!

good questions Kirsten, one is 7 and one is 5,they have both returned from a beach holiday which is when I really noticed the change as I was spending a lot of time with them, they are both at school, the 7 year old was accelerated last year and if I look at it closely I would say the change in him is more dramatic. My 5 year old is in pre-primary doing year 1 work and it probably a little more eager to perfect her work outside school hours (she is the perfectionist). At the moment they both seem happy but full of beans and so preoccupied amongst themselves that parental input is being ignored (not heard????) they are behaving a little silly at the moment. Hope this bit of input helps.

what's 'full of beans'?

Sounds like they have each other in a very nice way- imagine if all that energy was turned on you.

Do they have other friends?

Grinity

Oh, I get the 'full of beans' idea, Grinity! My son is regularly full of beans, although at age 8, he is starting to outgrow it and be more focused and calm. <at least at times I hope he outgrows it!> I would interpret it as when they are just too full of gas/energy. I think it is just one component of the overexcitabilites that gifted kids can have.

Pinklady: Sometimes these kids just need so much stimulation, that if they are not receiving it in some form or another, then they create it themselves! Their minds just need to whirl and dance and play. It is a challenge to get them to do it in appropriate ways (reading exciting books or experimenting with an explosive chemistry set!) verses other rather inappropriate ways. Does that sound like your kids? Maybe not?

<note: Because I have a science background, I see nothing at all wrong with things that go boom!>

G'day pinklady,

I see learning cycles in my girls very clearly. We're going up; we're going down. During the down cycles, the girls don't read much, their curiosity declines, their real thirst for learning seems to stop. There's lots of processing times. Sometimes they even look like they've lost skills that they had previously mastered. DUring the up cycles, you just have to hold on to your hat and enjoy the ride. Their reading, appetites, questions, demands, needs and wants increase exponentially. By the end of the day, it's sweet relief when the questions stop. I see the cycles akin to the developmental bursts they had as babies.I guess what I'm saying is that this could be a perfectly normal phase for your little ones. Have you ever noticed it before?

Just to be on the safe side...As you've recently accelerated with your oldest, I would be looking out for any signs of low level anxiety - sleeping OK? Eating OK? Fidgeting? Are they "allowed" to be curious and ask questions at school? Does your accelerated child feel comfortable in asking lots of questions in the class? Or perhaps s/he doesn't want to stand out?

Sometimes it's all a bloomin' mystery, hey?

jojo

Hi Pinklady. My son, 7, does the same thing. He cycles in and out of "voracious learning" these days. When he was three and four years old it was non-stop. But I'm noticing now that there is a more even keel to his learning curve, more variety in his interests and more focus in areas that interest him. His learning hasn't stopped or slowed down really, he just seems to be savoring the experience versus flitting from one thing to another. I think the change is a natural one that comes from maturation and more life experience. You know, when he was three *everything* was new to him. But now he's an old man and it takes more novelty to get him excited - guess he's right when he tells me "I already know everything."

We also came back from 2.5 months at the beach and 'full of beans' and not wanting to be that little learner she was, took about 3 weeks. The teachers made comments (had same teachers as last year so they knew it was transient).

But she is so much my little learner again.

Ren