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Toddlers: 24 Months+
Do you think your kid is "gifted"?
So I have a friend whose DD is 2 months older than our DD. My friend is very bright, so much so that she's MENSA. Her husband is also quite intelligent. Our kids are almost 3 and although even she admits that it's too young to really say if their DD is "gifted" she suspects she is, because her DD can do some things that she says indicate gifted-ness. She could really be gifted-I don't doubt that. I just think it might be too soon to say for sure. Anyway, it's kind of funny because my DD can do much of what she mentioned and I don't necessarily think my DD is "gifted", she's just learned a few things that I have specifically taught her. Their DD will be 3 in June and has been in a daycare/preschool setting since age 1.5. Anyway, just curious if you have a 2 1/2 year old, can he/she do these things? I think that many of these are typical of this age group and don't indicate gifted-ness.
- prefers to write with pen/pencil (if my DD sees me write with it, she wants to, too)
-holds crayon/pen/pencil like an adult, not just grabbing with a fist
-knows alphabet, can identify the sound the letter makes or knows a word that begins with the same letter
-can count
-can sight read a few words (I think most kids can do this, right? They can recognize logos, right?)
-traced hand
-can remember what a character on TV was wearing after the scene changed and the character appears on the screen
-only sleeps for 9 hours (my DD does sleep longer than this)
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Re: Do you think your kid is "gifted"?
DS can/does all of these things, and has for quite a while (except for the only sleeping 9 hours - he usually sleeps 10-11). Most of his friends do as well. I do not think DS is "gifted" in that sense of the word at all. Honestly, none of those things would indicate gifted to me, just as a lack of those things in a 2.5/3 year old would not indicate a lack of intelligence at all. There are PLENTY of things that DS cannot do (like getting dressed himself, he is not so hot with puzzles yet, etc)
Harmon is classified as "special needs" b/c of speech delay and more importantly sensory intergration. Becuase of that we never really thought him gifted BUT he actually tested way more advanced than his age group for fine motor skills, problem solving, and gross motor skills. The OT says the way he figures how to break the most expensive child proofing devices in such a short time, or his abilities in the pool and gym, or do things like when he tried to steal my car prove that he has some real gifts.
This made me think. All kids are gifted... just in different ways. Some are early talkers while others potty train like nothing before the age of 2. Everyone's child has their talents it is just about identifying them!
DD has been doing all of the above for a while.
She does sleep longer than 9 hours though. She does 10 or 11 most nights. She dropped her nap as soon as she turned 2.
Most people do want to think their children are geniuses. I think an unbiased 3rd party's opinion is necessary to really assess exceptional intelligence, though. ie, a doctor or teacher.
DD does most of those things, but I have to ask, why does it matter?
My brother is gifted and I had a learning disability. We both struggled through school - me because it was tough for me. My brother because he was bored. Eventually, my brother's boredom lead to a lifestyle that put him in jail for a while. Thankfully, he has pulled himself together since then.
Now that we are adults, we are both functioning members of society. Yeah, my brother has a career that pays far more than I do (nuclear engineer), but it pays the same amount as DH who is not gifted.
If you really care, go get your kid tested. But really, know that if your kid is gifted or not, you will still have challenges. People seem to think it's so awesome that their kid is gifted. I think it's tough either way.
met DH 1995 ~ married DH 2006 ~ completed our family 2008
Life is good!
That is a really random list of skills to then make the leap to "gifted"! Kate can do most of those things (not the pencil holding) and has been able to since before she was 2. There are plenty of other things she can do that her peers don't do yet. And plenty more that she can't do that they have been doing for months. I don't think any of them are gifted, I just think they are kids developing at different rates and interested in different things.
My husband and I are both smart, but I wouldn't call either one of us "gifted." I assume our kids will be smart, too, given the way genetics work, but no, I doubt either one of them will be truly gifted.
I think they will each have special gifts, as every child does. And, really, that's all I want for them. For them to be happy, healthy, functioning members of society. I think it's beyond silly to worry about whether your child is "gifted" at 2.5. How can you tell? And, more importantly, why does it matter?
ETA: Is there some kind of medal for sleeping less that I don't know about? I would be irritated if Kate only slept 9 hours a day! I need the break.
Thank you for this!!! As a teacher, it irks me to no end when people say that their child is 'gifted'. I'm not saying that it isn't possible, but I truly do believe in the idea of multiple intelligences. Just because I am horrible at math, does not mean that I'm not intelligent in some other way. DH was 'gifted' in school, and sure he's totally math/science oriented, he really is not a strong communicator. His brother was also 'gifted', and he has MAJOR social problems, and has had a very hard time holding a job (although I think that also has to do with how we was raised). I have also found that often those kids who have been marked as gifted at a young age in school, really need to work hard at their social skills etc. once they get older (I'm in no way saying that this is what happens to all gifted kids, I just think people forget that math and science aren't the only thing).
My MIL loves to remind me that DH (and his brother) was/is gifted...and always says how she's sure that DD is gifted...and then I give her my speech!
DS can count to 20 and he remembers what characters say and wear.
DS can recognizes logos, but not words, only pictures.
he can trace his hand.
not sure why sleeping only 9 hours has to do with anything. in fact I would be disappointed if my child only slept 9 hours a day.
Now I have a friend who we all think her 2.5 year old is gifted.
she has pinpoint memory. She can recall things from 6-9 months ago she did, like going to story land and describing each ride in detail. she can count to 50 in both english and spanish. knows her alphabet and can write all her letters. she has never been to preschool and is only home with her mom, who does a great job, but this girl is impressive.
Here is a link to a great chart that the G&T teacher at my school hands out to parents to help them differentiate between a bright child and a "gifted" one.
https://pages.framingham.k12.ma.us/sage/brightchild.htm
That said, I agree with francisca- all children are gifted in some way and we, as parents, teachers and a society, should learn to value this more. And I also think 2 is way too young to be labeling a child as "gifted."
Sure, my son can do all of these things.
Nope, I don't think he's any more gifted than the next kid.
Ha, I love this!!