Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion GT Demographics on this Site

I've been wondering how many people who regularly visit and post on this site have HG+ children?

It's really easy to lose sight of what is and is not normal for a child when you're taking care of gifted children all day as a SAHM. I've ready many posts on this site that have lead me to believe that my DD's 5 and almost-3 are GT, but not super GT. Then I read through the research and have come to the conclusion that DD5 is definitely up there on the GT spectrum (no IQ tests done because there hasn't been a need yet) and DD-almost-3 is a bit of a mystery at this point.

But sometimes I read through these threads and I feel like my kids are just plain stupid! And then I get the feeling that GT kids are EVERYWHERE and my children aren't really that abnormal (it's not that strange to read at a 3rd grade level at 5-years-old or that my almost-3-year-old explained that water drains out the tub, down the pipes, under the house and goes to a tank outside, is it?).

Then I came to the conclusion that this site must have a higher ratio of parents of HG+ children. After all, the need for support rises the more GT (and hence, atypical) your child is, so more parents would be seeking advice and camaraderie on a fabulous site like this.

Sometimes I feel like the mom on here who doesn't quite qualify, and my kids aren't really THAT smart. Then my DB told me his DD5 is still learning her letters (really?? That blows my mind!).

So what's the consensus -- are there a lot of parents of HG+ children banging around this site???

(Guess I'm still in some GT denial, too. And I can't quite get over the fact my children are that atypical.)

Welcome to GT Denial-Land!
My son is PG according to Davidson Young Scholar purposes, but when one takes into account his ADD, which does complicate things, I think of him as HG in most contexts.

This board is organized by Davidsons, which skews it towards PGlets - so yes, I think your feeling that this pond is 'stocked' with some pretty unusually gifted kids is correct. Every LOG of Gifted is welcome to post, but my guess is that most of the majority of gifted folks find the stories 'too unbelievable' to hang around much.

I would go so far as to say that if you mostly enjoy being here - you belong here! (There are plenty of other websites dedicated to parents of gifted kids.))

Love and More Love,
Grinity

I'd define my oldest as HG but not likely PG, but she is unusual enough to appear significantly different than MG kids and high achievers (the GT programs locally seem to be primarily comprised of a mix of those two with a few kids like dd coming along occassionally).

My youngest has been a work in progress in terms of my understanding who she is and where she falls on the gifted spectrum. My current leaning is low-HG and 2e but, again, probably not PG.

Point being, you aren't the only parent here whose kids aren't super PG. Also, I really wouldn't define how gifted the child is by milestones. The areas where my little one has stood out have rarely been in terms of being outrageously ahead in terms of grade level measures. What makes her stand out are her wild creativity, non-stop questioning (and talking in general), and skipping all of the intermediary steps in solving problems and just winding up at the solution.

My DD8's LOG varies depending on what we're talking about, but overall she is unique enough that I find this site helps me figure things out and makes me feel like I'm not really alone out here.

I too have thought "boy my kid really isn't that far out there" at times reading what other posters here are dealing with, but then at other times I'm sitting here thinking - ok, reality check please.

I'd agree with Grinity - if you feel comfortable here then you and your child fit here, regardless of LOG.

I'm new to this forum, and have kids that I think are on the lower/moderate end of the gifted spectrum, although I don't know what the cutoffs are for MG, HG, and PG. Although Davidson is geared toward PG kids, I feel the site is a fantastic resource helping parents do the best we can for our gifted kids, regardless of where they fall on the gifted spectrum (and I feel at home here, as previous posters noted). Even though my kids are not HG+ or PG, we have enough going on that needs addressing that this site has been unbelievably helpful.

Like I said before, we're not sure what LOG DD5 is at. In regards to Ruf's LOG, I think she's a solid Level 4 with some attributes toward a level 5 (DH thinks she's more of a level 5). I guess I find it hard to believe that with PGness being as rare as it's supposed to be, that my child could be PG. Denial? Yeah, I guess so.

And I don't really know what PGness looks like. In my mind, I just think of things I've seen in movies -- kids that are solving quadratic equations by kindergarten, mind-blowing code breaking skills and well... being Doogie Howser! There are a lot of families on here with PG kids, and I suppose the demographic feels flooded to me in a way that makes it even more unbelievable that my child may actually be PG, too. (I could go into a list of stats and personality characteristics if that may help anyone here on determine where she may be, but I suppose short of an IQ test, I will never know.)

I do know I belong here because I cannot talk about my kids to anyone else without feeling uncomfortable or judged. I see friends on Facebook who write great things about their children doing well on a writing project, reading tests that are "off the charts" and whatnot. And I can't say a thing about my DC's. Yeah, I guess I could say something like, "DD-almost-3 explained to me how the batteries inside her sweatshirt make the Dora star light up when she moves." Or "DD5 just tested up another level in reading -- she's at 3rd grade but hasn't maxed out yet."

So I guess I do know we belong... thanks to everyone who just read this crazy rant! Some days I have some serious GT denial and no one in person to talk to who really gets it (except DH).

It can sure be a lonely world out there sometimes, huh?

Remember that the HG/PG line runs right through Ruf level 3. If you accept Davidson YSP cuttoffs as defining PG, which some do not.

Those TV kids do exist, but they aren't the majority of PGs. The majority of PG kids hug that HG/PG line - think of the shape of the tail.

Spend time in a regular classroom of kids the same age as your children. It's an eyeopener.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

DC20 is also a 2e PGlet (mildly PG, not out-there PG), so it can vary by day whether he looks MG or PG or somewhere else entirely, but he probably fits best into HG overall--all of the school problems coupled with rollercoaster achievement/complaince... DC17 is definitely MG, though. In her high school, she probably looks closer to average, but she is noticeably different from the average 17-year-old (not that I'd know one when I saw one--don't they all test out some chemistry or physics experiments after volleyball practice?).

Although this site does seem a bit skewed, I think there can be a lot of overlap with respect to advocacy and limited school options, especially in districts that don't have a high GT population. I doubt that DC17 would have fit so well if she would have been in another school district in the area...

I agree!

I've only had one of my kids tested due to issues that she was having at school. She has Davidson level IQ scores but not Davidson level achievement scores. She also is dyslexic/dysgraphic. This is one of the few places where there are other people who have kids with a similar profile. I would have guessed that my oldest is MG because she does fine in a center program. Her teacher strongly disagrees and guesses that she is at least HG. Don't know about #3 yet though he seems more like my oldest.

FWIW, I haven't found the Ruf levels work very well for my kids. They all started reading around age 5 (ok, the dyslexic one faked us out at that age and didn't really read until 6 but that is another story). All of them have math strengths that are "out there" by all accounts. Also, my oldest is reading at or above the level of kids in her gt class who started reading at much younger ages.

I'm guessing DS10 HG-HG+ based on tests, Ruf's LOG etc. but with ADHD in the mix and my other three falling between ND to HG. I will say that my second oldest is most likely HG but his personality and my youth when he was young ended with me not realizing it until now. Happily he is none the worse for the wear and doing great things in college. It CAN be a bit intimidating on here because of the skewed population but as a teacher I really see what most other kids the same age are doing/how they think etc. and that tells me that DS is beyond a bit different but not PG.