Raising gifted children can be a major challenge for parents. It helps to keep things in perspective if the parent can remember that life can be very difficult at times for this special, intelligent child. Learning about the challenges and developing a sensitivity to commonalities can assist concerned parents in helping to minimize some of the stresses and obstacles faced on a day-to-day basis by the gifted child. This article was created by the author subsequent to a personal interview with the child.
Portrait of a Gifted Child: Age Ten
My name is Jonathan and I turned ten in June. My best friend Jake goes to school with me and is in some of my classes. He is 12 and lives down the street. I have been told that I am gifted and that is why I skipped two grades in elementary school and now I am in the eighth grade. My math teacher tells me I am at the 11th grade level in math.
People make a big fuss out of my giftedness. Jake says he wishes he was gifted, too. I told him that I would not wish that on him or anybody, since I feel like a specimen or a freak much of the time. Some bad kids make fun of me and throw my books around, but I think they are just jealous because they are so stupid.
Gifted Children and Testing
When I was in the third grade, they had me do special testing and then I had to do more tests with a psychologist. The tests were very easy up until the very last couple of questions. That is when they decided to skip me up to the fifth grade. That is also when the name-calling started. I read some articles in psychology journals and found that I was best to ignore them. Eventually, they got tired of bothering me, for the most part. Some kids are just bullies. Others go along with them so they don't get bullied too. Most of the kids in fifth grade were nice enough.
I do have a couple of special teachers and classes. My math teacher runs a special class of four kids who are all advanced but at different levels. They do testing every couple of months in math, algebra and geometry. I have started calculus just this month. Math is my favorite subject.
I am also taking advanced language classes and have to meet with the French/Latin teacher once per week. It is fun to learn languages and I am hoping to take Chinese when I go up to the high school next year. I love martial arts and the Chinese culture. Someday, I hope to go there and see the Great Wall. My mom says I could work for the United Nations and be an ambassador. I am not sure what an ambassador does or if I would like it. We'll see.
Social Relationships and Gifted Children
I do know a bunch of gifted kids from a club I belong to and attend some of their meetings. I have lots of fun with them and my friend, Kevin lives in the same town as me. He goes to a Montessori private school and loves it, but my parents said it is too expensive for us to send me there.
Sometimes my parents try to push me into things they think I should do or should like. I joined the Boy Scouts for a while but really didn't want to waste the time going to the meetings. I would rather stay home and read or play computer games.
Sometimes, I just want to be by myself and they don't seem to like that. I tell my dad that I don't need to be busy every minute and why can't I just do what I want? I still like to play outside and ride my bike and my skateboard. I am, after all, still a kid.
I read a lot. I don't really care for fiction, but love history books, World War II stuff, tanks, ships and submarines. I could look at a map for hours and seem to remember most of what I read. It sounds funny but, sometimes when I am remembering things, I can actually see the page number I read it on in my mind.
I guess being gifted is not all that bad. Now that the kids know me in my classes, most of them treat me like any other kid. I sometimes wish I could be a normal kid who gets to hang out with his friends and do nothing. It seems like everyone wants me to put on some sort of "gifted show" all the time, asking me questions to see how much I know. I guess I would rather be gifted and know the answers than be stupid like those mean kids who tease me.
Is this article helpful? Read about Fun Summer Activities for Gifted Kids. Also, see Emotions and Characteristics of the Gifted.
Therese Haberman - With a MS degree and 25 years in HR mgmt, in 2005, Ms.Therese began a writing career specializing in children and HR.
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