Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Quirkiness

I read and hear a lot about quirkiness both in gifted and 2e children. A friend of mine has 2e DS's and we were discussing how they are quirky. She asked if I felt DD7 was. My first thought when I sum DD7 personality as a whole is not quirkiness but would be intense. She is intense in just about everything she does.

How would you describe quirkiness? I wonder if DD7 is all we really know and don't see it.

I think of a quirk as an unusual and unexpected character trait that someone holds firmly onto. Quirkiness to me is having a noticeable number of quirks.

Quirks as seen by muggles:
Carrying a pencil tucked above the ear
Ending most sentences with "haha"
Echolalia
Insisting on wearing purple and orange every day
Sticking tongue out while concentrating
Humming
Rocking in chair while reading
Using large words in uncommon places of conversation
Reading off time down to the second
Talking very fast
Quickly glancing of into the distance while talking

One or maybe two of those (or similar) is character flavor, more than say three or four is quirkiness.

I'm laughing because ZS used the word "muggles." I have a friend who said about someone she knew, "I'm not sure...but I think she isn't a Muggle," and I laughed, because DD9 also isn't a Muggle. I swear, if a Hogwarts letter COULD come, one would come for her. DS5, OTOH, is equally bright if not more so, but I think he is a Muggle. He lives more on earth with humans.

Anyway, DD is also passionate/negative, sees all kinds of unusual connections, is extremely philsophical about all kinds of odd and interesting things, and is highly creative in every realm possible. Also, anxious, emotional, intense, and...fast. And she has believed herself to be a grown-up since about age 18 months, which is a...problem. She can also be verrrrrry silly, though. Hypersilly, verging on hysteria. This looks ADHD at times, but I think it is what is left of SPD. Then it can switch RIGHT off and she will ask you an impossible question about death and the universe.

I define "quirky" as a kid who says, "Yay!" because you got her another copy of her school science textbook that she can write on, then takes it with her to the toilet.

Half an hour later, she presents a cup of pencil shavings, and announces her plan to turn it into paint, as a science experiment, saying, "I'm a scientist."

And less than half an hour after that, says, "I don't even like science."

Quirkiness in my DS6:

1. Funny/intense interests- for instance, last night he made up of a multiplication game and became so wired by it that he had trouble falling asleep
2. Big words and interesting/hilarious/sad observations about the world around him.
3. Intensity- becoming over the top upset by small set backs and disappointments.
4. A big disparity between emotional maturity and intellectual maturity. He can be impulsive and can have occasional difficulty relating to other children (although he is very interested in having friends)
5. Mild social anxiety

As far as we know, he's not 2e. He falls into the HG range.

For us "quirky" means having to pick up anything that is interesting, shiny, or just "ohh neato" no matter how disgusting it is or if it is in the middle of a toxic puddle of parking lot ooze. When not allowed to pick said object up, DD then gets upset like you didn't allow her to pick up Willy Wonka's golden ticket or the one thing that would cure all diseases and save humankind. All these things come home and are absolutely treasured objects that can never be thrown away.

How about naming every stuffed animal, Lego creation, McDonald's toy, etc. in her room with tiny pieces of paper taped to them so everything has a proper name. Even if the name is Targuz or Speril or who knows what. And...remembering what everything's name is.

Keep in mind these are just two examples. LOL!

My DD hoards brochures, flyers, business cards, and anything else that's set out for the public to take one. These are her "important papers," and she keeps them in a manila folder in the car for review. DW secretly trashes some when it gets out of hand.

A typical hotel lobby brochure display is like Disneyland for her.

This weekend I had to stop her from collecting one each of the gift cards at Starbucks.

Dude!
You made me laugh so hard.

My DS9 LOVES those Apartment Finder Guides (despite living in a quite spacious house), the Real Estate circulars, and the like and hoards those like they are gold. The funny thing is that he has hooked his sister, DD6. They both sit there in the car comparing features of the dream apartments they want to live in when they are grown up. "Hey this one has built in lofts" "This one is conveniently located near all the major freeways!" "Mom, when [DD6's name] is President, can she still live in an apartment near me?" "Mom, when [DS9's name] goes to [fill in name of X college or university], can I live in this apartment with him because it has a coffee bar!!"

There are stacks of them in his room and in the car that I have to throw out when they aren't looking.

[quote=Dude][quote=1frugalmom]
My DD hoards brochures, flyers, business cards, and anything else that's set out for the public to take one./quote]

Oh gosh, this is soooo my 9 year old dd. Not just flyers and brochures, but she insists on washing out and saving the containers from food stuff. I can only imagine the therapy sessions we'll be funding when she's in existential teen crisis: "My mom ruined my life! She recycled all my treasures!!! She didn't understand!!!!"

I suppose I must be a bit quirky myself, because I never thought of all her hoarding as quirky, just a bit obsessive and annoying

polarbear

The collecting... oh my yes! "But Mom this is USEFUL! I need to keep it. Please don't throw it away. It's very special to me." I have to hide our recycling and take out garbage when he isn't looking.

The business card collecting particularly amuses me... Why DOES my 6yr old need to take EVERY business card he can find (and even ask for one everywhere they aren't displayed) and keep them forever?

I once took him to a lecture series at 4 and we had to visit EVERY booth in the display area and get one of every free thing offered EVERY day!! I'm still throwing out things from that trip...