Hello board. I am a new member and posted in another thread and a member suggested I start a new post.

I have just recently come across the gifted toddler information and really appreciate this site. We always knew the our 2 year old was special but I did not know there was a term to describe her until this past week. She was a C-section baby and our doctor was blown away by her entrance into the world. She lifted her own head to come out and he had been in the busy for a long time but never saw that before. She always had strong neck muscles and eye contact and never wanted to be treated like a baby. Always wanted to sit up in your arms. We noticed at an early age that she is a perfectionist. She could take steps before she was 12 months old but would not do it until she was sure she could walk on her own without falling. She used a spoon and scribbled around 6 months and was able to write circles and lines before she was 1. She now (at 26 months) draws voluminous creatures and is adding facial features.

Her first word was 5 days shy of her 3 month birthday and it was Elephant. She was talking in complete sentences by 6 months and used proper grammar since the start. Before her 2nd b-day she knew all her colors and even understood primary and secondary colors and how they mixed. She knew all her ABCs and the sounds they make. And has talked in complicated 10+ sentences forever.

She knows her shapes and understands her left from her right. She can recite books back to you and sings complete songs. She was able to count at a very early age (before she was 1) She knows her opposites and even understands the concept of gravity. She is also an extremely bossy kiddo. I am sure I am leaving something out but this is off the top of my head. And 2 weeks before her 2nd birthday she started reading. She is now 26 months and taught herself addition and subtraction the other day.


So that is a little background... now for the questions. How do you deal with the friends? As a parent it is only natural to want to brag about your children, but I have a friend that has a child 2 1/2 months younger than mine and I am so oversensitive to her needs that I find myself not sharing anything with her and even explaining things away when she witnesses it first hand. In fact her child has been behind in fine, gross and verbal skills and I still suspect a form of autism so we are dealing with the spectrum here. So I understand not wanting to be reminded of some other child's advancements but she always downplays any information. In conversation one day I mentioned that the DD was reading and she informed me that was the simple things and fairly normal. Sure but before 2? I just get so frustrated. Why do we feel like we have to hid it and I am getting to the point that I find myself angry with her because it isn't 'normal'.

Then we start hitting the internet trying to find some term to qualify what we see in our children. So last week I came across the gifted toddler and had a huge sigh of relief. I am not alone out here and as I read it, realize my child not only fits in to this but could be the poster child with how well she matches up.

As for testing I just started wrapping my head around the gifted concept and am curious about testing but don't know how to go about it and when one should do it. Any suggestions for newbies and any advise from the experienced? (how you planned etc)