Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Any non-gifted parents?

Sometimes I wonder if I am the only parent that has a HG+ child, and is not a gifted parent. I have some gifted relatives, and DH is MG. Being non-gifted and having a child like mine has it's own set of issues/challenges. I am by no means unintelligent, but not "gifted." I very well may be the one giving blank stares during intellectual conversations. But I am social, just typically not around intellectual topics. I rarely read books other than for work and children's books, I am not very aware of policies, etc. Just curious...anyone else? (I can forsee this being a little awkward if no one responds, LOL)

Okay, I have entered the acceptance stage. I am the only one, LOL.

Raising my hand! I'm as ND as they get. DH (in my opinion) is GT in math and science, but was never tested. My kids amaze me everyday

I'm not gifted by sense of the word. I am on this site everyday, but I don't participate b/c I don't feel qualified. Most, if not all of the people on the forum are way smarter than me.

I hope you don't let that hold you back. Just like gifted kids don't have all the answers, neither do their parents (gifted or not). Things that work for one child may not work for another, so the more creative options we can come up with together, the better.

Well I suppose I can't say for sure as I have not taken an IQ test, but I really don't believe I am. I would guess I am a little above avg, and I am very okay with that. And I would also say I am pretty good at self-assessments. My friends and family would agree I am sure. When people hear what my son is doing they are often very confused as to how this even happened, as am I. Some distant gene I suppose. I do feel I am intelligent enough to keep up with everyone, and still don't feel unqualified to be here or anything. No worries, I have a healthy self esteem despite being NG, LOL. I was just curious if there are others out there in my situation and what it is like for them. I do think there is an interesting dynamic with me as a parent of a child like mine. I love him to pieces, but we are very different. He is very academically driven, and I am much more socially driven. I am a social worker and for me it is all about instilling values, good social skills etc., for him it is all about learning and academics. We strike a good balance, but I still see it as a challenge.

I hope you will still participate, I never at all saw this as a site for gifted adults, but for adults that have children that are gifted. Maybe that is because I am NG and couldn't figure it out, LOL. Seriously though, everyone is different and IQ is just one element of how are different. It shouldn't define you at all or make you feel like you don't belong here. Thankfully there is no criteria and/or application process to be on this board.

And I am also happy you are participating because you helped me realize I am not the only one. ; )

It's funny, I didn't even think of this until Grinity invented the word Gwishy and shared the backpack story which was a funny visual image to me. It reminded me of how my son will be in about a year, but I realized that I couldn't relate to that. It's still funny to me though because I can relate through him because that's just how he is.

Welcome RJH! I think the wow factor is bigger for us possibly with our children. My DH is Gifted, but not like our DS. DH read at 4, DS read before he was 2. That's just an example, there are many other areas he excels in.

Oh yeah my hand is way up!! My kids are way smarter than me. My DH on the other hand....totally different story. I'm just the agitator :-)

My husband will tell you he is not gifted. He might even tell you he isn't all that smart. He will study constantly for something he really knows inside and out and will sell himself short at every corner. I know he was tested as a child and his IQ is above 140, he is actually gifted in that regard, but he doesn't see himself that way and never will.

I completely agree with the above statement Dottie made. I welcome you and tall boys and hope that you will participate. Yes, you are qualified. You are the parent of a gifted child just like the rest of us.

I also find that any child today, gifted or not is way beyond what we as nation were when we were children. I was just talking to my MIL today about what we learned in K compared to what the "average" child learns in K today. You can't compare just in the technology and discoveries that we have made in the last ten years alone. I also repeat what many of us have said, my children amaze me every day, and in that too we are all the same.