General Tips for Parents of Gifted Children |
SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) has many great resources for families. Here is a video from Dr. James T. Webb from SENG, discussing the importance of parents finding a support network.
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Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (producer). (2014). Parenting a gifted child takes a village. Available from www.youtube.com/watch?v=R91ibiv3iXM
Suzanne Kurth created a Powtoon presentation about the social and emotional needs of gifted students.
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Suzanne Kurth (producer). (2013). Social/emotional issues of the gifted child. Available from www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tsC2xlb3Q0
Being a parent of a gifted child is no easy task. You may feel other parents looking at you as having an easier time with a child who is so academically advanced, but nothing can be further from the truth. Often the lack of other parents who understand your situation will leave you feeling isolated, or lonely. It is important to remember that you are not alone. There are many resources and groups available for understanding and working with gifted children.
What can I do to help my child?
· Model personality dispositions such as risk taking and learning to cope with setbacks (Olszewski-Kubilius, 2002).
· Help your child build social networks with like peers.
· Allow your child to develop their own unique identity (Olszewski-Kubilius, 2002).
· Allow your child to cope with challenges and difficulties, instead of trying to protect them from these situations. This will help them learn at an early age how to navigate through challenging experiences in order to reach their potential.
· Stay involved with your child’s education, support them and advocate for them.
· Help your child to find positive mentors and role models.
References
Love, Jason. Gifted children [cartoon]. Retrieved July 30, 2014 from www.creedses.vbschool.com
Olszewski-Kubilius, P. (2002). Parenting practices that promote talent development, creativity and optimal adjustment. In Neihart, M., Reis, S.M., Robinson, N.M., & Moon, S.M., The social and emotional development of gifted children (pp 205-212). Washington, DC: Prufrock Press, Inc.
Robbins, S.H. (2012). The everything parent’s guide to raising a gifted child. Avon, MA: Adams Media.
Reis, S.M. & Moon, S.M. (2002). Models and strategies for counseling, guidance and social and emotional support of gifted and talented students. In Neihart, M., Reis, S.M., Robinson, N.M., & Moon, S.M., The social and emotional development of gifted children (pp 251-266). Washington, DC: Prufrock Press, Inc.
Walker, S.Y. (2002). The survival for parents of gifted kids. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirt Publishing Inc.