Take heart, LoT5! We're all muddling through as best we can here.
I was identified as gifted. I hated brushing my teeth too. So do my kids.
As for reading, everyone is different. Some of the kids described here devour books, but others don't. I can eat a book for lunch if I really like it, but I don't find very many that I like quite that much. My kids are the same. I especially find that a lot of the mainstream books for kids can be formulaic and very same-y with one another. It doesn't surprise me that my kids don't like all of them, especially if the formula of a series doesn't resonate with them.
Giftedness doesn't mean constantly wanting to read or do math or whatever. It's just a way to say that someone learns a lot faster than other people. That said, everyone is different and some gifted people may want to do academic stuff constantly (though most of the ones I've met like to go to the movies or cook a meal or go the beach sometimes...
).
From what I've learned and observed, some (many?) gifted kids have trouble in the school system because the rote aspects of it don't stimulate them (math facts are a good example here).
I let my eldest learn his multiplication math facts by applying multiplication in other areas (division, etc). I made sure that he knew a small nucleus of them, and then figured he'd memorize the rest over time (he has).
As for squirting glue inside the desk, here are some of the things my son got into trouble for when he was younger:
* Tearing up a piece of paper he lifted from the teacher's desk.
* Squirming too much during circle time in kindergarten
* Playing
The Haunted Bathroom with a group of other boys. This was a major scandal, and none of the parents ever really understood why, given that no one got hurt and nothing got flushed.
None of my kids has ever squirted glue inside their desks, but I'll be sure I don't tell them about this idea --- I don't want to inspire anyone.
Okay, I hope that helps. Welcome to the group!
Val
