How Should I Treat A Gifted Child?

Is your child open to doing things that he or she is not too comfortable doing?

Can you provide your child with the things necessary to pursue their passion?

Do you have a decent support system?

Have you reached out to a teacher or a guide?

Have you identified the area of giftedness?

Are you often faced with comparisons?

This may sound counterintuitive for the most part, but it is important to encourage your child to do something that he or she is not comfortable with. For example, if your son is not too comfortable with the idea of drawing, gently encourage him to try drawing. If you're wondering why, this is important to help them learn life skills, the distinction between success and failure, and more. This is also the hardest to do simply because as a society we're encouraged to do only what we're good at. But for gifted children, learning the whole gamut plays a significant difference in their abilities.

Gifted children tend to be extremely good at what they do and for the most part, they are highly motivated as well. All that you have to do as a parent is to provide them with the necessary tools to encourage their interest. For many parents, this can be easier said than done because they need to be challenged at all times, so be ready to continue providing them with what they need to pursue their passion in their respective gifted areas.

While encouraging your child, make sure you build a good support system on the side to provide you with the necessary help. This is particularly true if you have more than one child, and the others are not gifted. You may have to balance your time between the two sets of children and this can be physically and emotionally draining. This is where babysitters and teachers can come in handy for you.

As a parent, there is only so much you can do to encourage your child's giftedness. This is why you must reach out to a guide or a teacher who in turn, has access to more resources and infrastructure. The good news is many public schools have a gifted teacher or even an entire department to encourage such children. So, keep in touch with the school authorities and teachers to move ahead on the chosen path.

Identifying the area of giftedness is not easy, especially when your child is young. If you have the slightest inclination, talk to your doctor, and maybe even to a child psychologist. This is important because when you identify early, the chances for encouraging your child in that area may be easy.

Steer away from such conversations as this can put more pressure on your child. Also, never compare a gifted child with a normal one as it can be detrimental to both.

Great! Avoid them if at all it comes up in the future.