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

DS7 achieved Woodcock-Johnson scores for reading and math subtests in the 97th-99th percentile. While climbing onto the neuropsych's desk and leaping onto her sofa; surfing on her office chair; licking various things in her office; and generally testing the tester in every appalling way he could imagine. She brought him out after 45 minutes and I reset his behavior for the second half of the session. I really wish she'd brought him out sooner so we could see what he's actually capable of.

(Yes, I'm frustrated. We did a full assessment, just had the followup meeting where I learned what really happened last month, and while there are some useful insights and I am sure there will be more in the final report, most of her recommendations are behavioral. I feel like we just paid a whole lot of money to find out we have a very smart, very stubborn, very complicated kid. That, we knew.)

Oh, yes! My D careened from side to side, throwing herself against the walls of the room (literally) while taking the Woodcock-Johnson at that age as well! Good times. And yes, our results were the same as what you are expecting.

Your child's kindergarten curriculum is JUST RIGHT.....for her 2 year old sibling!

...You finally realize that you can do anything your child hates (tooth brushing, nail clipping) peaceably as long as you're reading a book at the same time.

Or as long as the child is using the iPad? I can't count the number of times I have uttered the words, "no iPad in the bathroom" lately! Usually in connection with the need to brush teeth or take a shower.

When your 5 year old, lying on the couch with fevers due to tonsillitis, decides to learn all the African countries and where they are (Country Stack). Then proceeds to do so in under 15 minutes. And still remembers them weeks later in other contexts.

Ooh, thank you -- just looked up Country Stack and must get this for DD7!

When your DD9 is folding cheese slices and trying to figure out what state shape it looks like. We got Missouri, Montana, and Louisiana.

... when your fourteen year old gets off the phone, looks you in the eye and says; "WOW. Some people are really nosy and rude."

(Because the person at the college admissions office was so obnoxious about hunting down her SAT/application file and wanted to chat about her BIRTHDATE instead.)
Her: I need to find out if College Board has sent you my SAT scores, as I'll need to take care of that before the ED deadline otherwise.

Him: What's your student ID?

Her: I'm APPLYING for admission. I don't have a student ID since I'm not an enrolled student.

Him: Oh. Last name?

Firstname? Can you spell that?
Birthdate?

{lonnnnnnnnnnnng pause}

You're really young.


So are you graduating early? or-- something?

DD told me she was thinking (but did not say);

"OBVIOUSLY, genius. Thus, my polite query about my darned SAT SCORES... and whether or not College Board has sent them to you... which you have taken the liberty of IGNORING while we sit here and discuss my chronological age instead. Do you ask someone born in 1993 if they are "graduating late?" What else would you like to talk about, my race? Gender? Maybe disability or religion?"

She just got a teeeeeeensy bit more "crisp" and professional with him. She was sure steamed, though.

It's kind of sad that my 14yo knew better than a professional at the admissions office of a major university what should and should not be a topic for conversation with an applicant-- under the law.

When your almost 3 year old is playing with blocks and starts making sets made of three blocks that he tells you are carbon dioxide molecules. One large block with two smaller blocks in each set.

...or when he asks what a spiral staircase is and after you try to explain it as simply as possible as stairs that are shaped as if they have been twisted into a spiral, he responds, "Oh, like DNA. Okay."

Thanks They Might Be Giants...