No one ever used the word gifted while I was growing up. No one at my small, private school was identified gifted. The only kids that got any special attention at all were the families that contributed a lot of money or time to the school or affiliated church. In elementary school I always felt like a misfit and underachieved as much as humanly possible to fit into my class. I was miserable. I was quickly in the top 10 in a class of 300+ at high school without really trying. (probably because I found a peer group)
But I still felt like Kriston with my own kids. I didn't even have gifted in my vocab. This was never an issue or a thought before kindergarten. Lots of kids in this area read before kindy (due to hothousing/Montessori). I actually thought my kid was behind. Sure he related to older kids, understood conceptual math beyond his years, and could put together legos sets for 12 year olds, but so what? I'm sure all of us as a family naturally gravitate to GT people and kids. My husband was always the smartest of 3 siblings and even though his own kid is off the charts and we're likely homeschoolers, he still isn't comfortable with GT talk. This research into the world of GT has opened my eyes to my own childhood.
Interestingly, my mother was identified GT in elementary school.
