Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Anyone else have a child with a mind for dates?

Hi Chris 1234! When I get a few more minutes, I promise to respond to your testing question

DS16 is very similar. He has been through calendar dates & geography. Sport has always been his biggest interest and he still memorises stats/facts for soccer, rugby league, cricket, tennis and the list goes on........LOL.


Same here, took me a loooooong time to realise that the things he did and knew weren't "normal" for kids his age.

I think DD2.5 might have my memory as she remembers things better than DH. She talks abut things which happened over a year ago and knows what will happen each day. If asked she can tell you what happens each day of the week.

I struggled with my memory at work as I got so frustrated when others never remembered anything. Dh and you all here have made me understand that it is not them having a bad memory, it is me having a great memory. Still my colleagues are bit afraid of me as I can tell them what they were doing and when, often even the date at least the month and year. I remember also things that were told to me and the person who told it already forgot. I remember more about their projects than them even if I was not involved. My boss feels miserable and is afraid she is getting old when she can not remember what I'm talking about, she writes lots of notes so I can prove easily I'm right as I can tell her to check her notes from certain date. I never write notes.

Weird thing is I can never remember birthdays, not even my own and we have never celebrated our anniversary as we always forget it.

I always wondered if it was a numbers thing for my dd5. I've mentioned in previous posts that she was quite obsessed with numbers -- to the point where she refused to wear a shirt unless it had a number on it for the entire year she was two (bless my mother's heart, she sewed numbers on them all). She has always noticed numbers, like addresses, where ever we go. That's not that odd in itself. The strange thing to me is that she retains these numbers for many months or years and then recalls them effortlessly.

It's almost as if her memories have a date stamp. Except it's not just the numbered date, she often remembers the day of the week as well. But I don't think she could compute a day of the week simply by knowing the year. I think her date recall has to do more with her own memories.

I've grown quite accustomed to her quirky ways. But this may be the one thing she does that always catches me off-guard and makes me think, "That's not normal, is it?"

I wanted to update this old thread with another one from dd tonight while brushing teeth. Just when I think this dates thing is gone...

dd (just turned 6): I always do a good job brushing my teeth because I don't want to get any more cavities. Remember when I had to get that one filling? On September 9, 2008. (pause) Or maybe September 19th. I just remember there was a 9 in the ones column.

So, of course, I drag out the old calendars. September 9, 2008. dd Dentist appointment - cavity filled - 12pm.

I did think the "9 in the ones column" statement was interesting. This whole thing must have to do with numbers for her...

Very funny, Irisheyes. So funny to see this thread today. In the car yesterday, DS6 and I are talking about school. He tells me that school starts on Aug. 31.

Me: Did I tell you that?
Him: No
Me: Did someone else tell you that at camp?
Him: No
Me: How do you know that?
Him: That's when we started school last year.

Who knew? Yes, yes, I know...apparently he did.

Yep, mine does that. Both historical dates and dates in his lifetime, as well as atomic numbers of elements and that sort of thing. Numbers just stick in place for him.

DeeDee