Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion You know you're parenting a gifted child when...

Ah... that reminds me... your six year old is asked if she is praying when mumbling under her breath in her first grade classroom. "Nope," she announces, "I was reciting the Gettysburg Address."

When your seven year old wants to watch the Lord of the Rings movies (PG 13). You think they are probably a little too gory for her in spite of her high tolerance for such things with no nightmares, so tell her she has to read the three Tolkien books in the series before she can watch the movies. Thinking this will buy you a couple of years -- it takes her three months.

When Grandpa refused to play chess with the seven year old any more because she beats him every time.

When you realize that you're having a conversation about the perils of unsecured fissionable materials in the international community, and how political instability impacts foreign policy in that particular domain... with your 14yo, who seems to have a better grasp on the nature of these problems than many world leaders evidently do.

Not to detract from your daughter's political insights in any way but I think my miniature poodle has a better grasp of this than many world leaders LOL

....when your 1st grader gets bored with putting her united states floor puzzle together the right way because it takes her about 15 minutes for all 50 states, so she decides to turn it upside down and try it that way.

...when your 3rd grader can solve word problems that most 6th graders would never figure out, but can't remember 7x6

...when your DD10 is asked what's her favorite song and she answers "well, i like Nick Jonas (ok)... singing 'Empty Chairs and Empty Tables' "

Oh my, I can't believe I didn't put this one...

...when your DD10's class is asked to write about anything they want (intending it to be creative writing) and she writes about the Kurds because that's more interesting than fiction.

When you find DS6 standing naked at the bathroom counter, reading about heat exchange in the Cartoon Guide to Chemistry. Having forgotten to brush his teeth.

When your 3 yo walks into your newly renovated office building and the first question she asks is," mom, does this building have split, window or central air conditioning." When you answer central, she looks up and says," yup, I see the registers."

We've wandered from the parent perspective part. So, I will add some in that direction.

...when you have to engage in continuing education just to keep up with your kids

...when you finally figured out an actual use for those SAT words. They were designed to help parents of gifted kids talk to each other without the kids understanding. (Then, you hear your kids start using those SAT words.)

...you have a regular look that expresses "Yes, I know that answer/interest/whatever is unusual for anyone, and especially for someone her age, but that's just who she is. Gotta love it!"

...when you are always skeptical about other people saying a kid is smart because their definition of smart and your definition of smart are two drastically different things.

...when you think the minimum age on a toy is the maximum age.

...when you have NO IDEA what to buy other kids for their birthdays and you can't let your kid pick either.

...when you have to make back up plans for your daughters slumber party because you don't know how long the other little girls will be entertained by your daughter favorite movie, "Gifted Hands"

. . .When your six year old says this at dinner, "Mr. ____ says that nothing's impossible. But if nothing is impossible, then it has to possible that something's impossible." And you simply. cannot. argue. with. that.

. . .When you ask your seven year old what he wants to be for Halloween and he says "KoKo with the kitten All Ball." Yeah, the socialized gorilla that we once heard about in the 1980's. Sigh.

. . .When you're having lunch with your friend (who also happens to be the coordinator of the after-school program your son attends), and she laments that she's having to work in the kindergarten room. She says it's difficult because she has to read their homework instructions to them. And you stop yourself RIGHT before you say, "Why don't they read them themselves?"