Parenting Young Gifted Children

The first step in effective parenting of girted children is the recognition of their special abilities. The article begins by presenting a list of characteristics frequently found in young gifted children. Research is presented which shows that siblings are usually quite close in IQ, although second children may be difficult to identify since they tend to behave quite differently from firstborns. Other issues discussed include the possible depression of IQ scores in children who have suffered recurrent ear infections in the first three years of life, the importance of understanding introversion, the dangers of “normalizing” gifted children, the need for gifted peers, and the difference between “pushy” and responsive parenting. The article concludes with a list of specific guidelines for parents of young gifted children.