Do spoiled brats act like spoiled brats all the time or just around their parents? I'm trying to figure out Pud's behavior. He is perfectly well behaved around others (they never believe me when I tell them he's having a temper tantrum!) but seems to be out of control at home sometimes.
He seems unaffected by consequences or punishments or rewards. His tantrums tend to come with no warning. I found this quote from Lisa Rivero: "They [parents of gifted children] can also realize that the gifted child will challenge authority, may have little concern for the opinions of adults, and may be unaffected by the use of rewards and punishments. Knowing how to use these characteristics as strengths rather than weaknesses then becomes a large part of the unschooling challenge." The essay is at
http://www.unschooling.com/library/essays/giftedchild.shtml. (Not that I agree with the unschooling, but I did like the essay.)
So, is this normal behavior? Is it a negative part of giftedness? Or, is my child just a spoiled brat?