Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Gifted younger siblings?

I have an HG+ child who is Spock in terms of his personality and his approach to learning--very logical and even-keeled--and one who looks to me like an ND child but with the emotional sensitivities of the most PG child in the WORLD!

If it weren't for the sensitivities, I wouldn't think DS4 was GT at all. As it is, I'm suspecting some level of GT with an LD as well. It seems to make the most sense. I plan to have him tested when he's a bit older. Our psych--the one who tested DS7--suggests age 6 so he can take the WISC.

DD (5 next week ) is a smart cookie. Maybe technically GT, maybe not, but people comment that she's super-sharp. I do think school will be easy for her and we're bracing for the possibility of it being underchallenging. (I see PS in general as underchallenging even for high average non GT kids because it's catered to the masses). The reason I don't think she is PG like DS6 is because DH and I have never had that panicky "what are we going to do with her in school " discussions that we had about DS at the age of 3.

Our 1st is classic first born. I will hide and get it more than right before I show you. And it is important to me to do everything really well and show it off. The next one... I'm so glad we knew #1 was pg/hg - in other hands maybe nobody would recognize #2 because she just doesn't care to try. But she's actually brighter than #1... but she lives in la-la land. #3 is too soon to tell. She's more like #1 with more time spent thinking than talking.

Our issue will be getting school to treat #1 and #2 with the same services. #1 makes it know and asks for it. #2 doesn't finish her work. She could do 10xs harder work and leave it unfinished too. It is just her personality. We have one achievement oriented and one who is not. I think early entrance was even more important for #2 because pull-out and independent work will only go so far with her.

I put a brick on #3's head. I'm hoping she'll just be normal. If only she would stop saying things like - 2 more. I want 4 not two I need two more m&ms. Hey, kid you are two go drool on something :-)

So much like us. DS6 is extremely intense, emotional, sensitive, desires praise...and constantly shows us what he can do. DS5 is fun loving, relaxed, agile, and he doesn't care what anyone thinks he can do. It's almost as if he refuses to show off...but he is independent and self-motivated and good at sports, too...maybe he is ND! teehee.

This is an interesting topic. I wonder about this as well. With my DS4.5, it was clear early on that he was gifted (of course I was a little slow to figure it out because he was my first and I wasn't really familiar with the whole term 'gifted') But he was speaking in short sentences at 12 months, knew his abc's, colors, shapes at 15 months and was reading at 19 months. It just progressed from there. He is clearly HG+. I have a DD19mo who is quite different. She barely spoke at 17 months and within the last 2 months she started talking a lot. she just recently started counting to 10, she seems to know some colors, her shapes, and a few letters and numbers. But she is not at all as intense as DS was. DS was very into computers at her age, very into numbers, shapes, colors, and letters. She is quite interesting and funny and has a great personality. She appears advanced to me, but again very different. So while I do think she is advanced, I don't think she is anywhere near as advanced as he is. Although I am aware that it presents differently and only time will tell.

LOL, I am all to familiar with those discussions. DH and I have been having those about our DS4.5. Fun times.

I love it! This is so my family... I have five children. I broached this subject with the psych since my daughter and my nephew are so similar. I'm terrified to think that this might be true with sibling IQ's. I was reading the article from the Center for Talented and Gifted Youth on siblings, scary stuff. I'll just sit here in my own little bubble...