A gifted child is a blessing. Giftedness is not limited to academic excellence, your child might display creative, artistic, musical, or even leadership skills.
Exploring the gift as early as possible gives the child a better chance to develop and excel in it.
Definition of a gifted child
Many definitions are formed to describe a gifted child. In simple words, a gifted child is one who displays a consistent display of excellence in a useful aspect of life.
Gifted children are the wealth of nations and they should be taken care of by both parents and schools.
This collaboration is essential to get the best results.
How to discover your child’s gift?
Your kid is a potential genius. There are signs that are apparent in both his character and skills.
You need to watch closely and communicate wisely.
Talking and listening to your child is the first step to explore his talents.
Gifted children are able to use advanced vocabulary confidently. Watch the child closely while talking with strangers and family members
His speech is eloquent and ahead of his age.
Play with him more often. Use puzzles, game boards, and quizzes, you should see that he is thinking differently
And surprise everybody with his mental skills.
The response of the kid to the physical activities is also a sign of his giftedness.
You might notice an unusual speed in the response to a play with a ball, or with a racket.
Keep in contact with the teachers at the kindergarten, they will give you insight into the daily routine of the child.
His social communication skills with the teachers and colleagues should echo his behavior at home. He is ahead of his peers.
The gifted child sleeps less and is active, is an introvert by nature, and shows no interest in the common activities of other children.
Sometimes, the gifted child is also social and shows great leadership talent among peers.
More evidence
The studies show that the gifted child is 2% more intelligent than his peers.
Expect a flood of questions coming out of the gifted child’s mind and not all the answers will be taken for granted.
Be patient, especially when you discover that he/she will do the research or even ask you for help.
The urge for knowing is another sign of a gifted child.
A tendency to communicate with elder people is one of the most apparent signs of a talented child.
Listen to the advanced level of the conversation that the potential genius will show.
The talents’ types
The talents are not limited to academic excellence. The gifted child may be talented in doing complicated math calculations
But unpreceded dribbling skills in Football is also a divine bless-watch Lionel Messi.
The talents can be physical, mental or artistic, or a mix of them all.
A unique singing voice or taste for music notes and memorizing poetry/lyrics are all included in the talent list.
Reading and writing stories or drawing and coloring are among the gifts that the genius child will display at an early age.
IQ tests help to determine the mental abilities of the kid by giving true indicators to the type of talent possessed.
Other studies, however, prove that the gifted child may display low IQ results while his genius is also there.
Surprisingly, some gifted children had learning difficulties while still, the genius gift is intacted- like the case with Lionel Messi the child.
Supporting a gifted child
Words of praise are the best support for a gifted child.
Additionally, indulge your genius in any venue where the talents might shine and develop.
Drawing classes, a sport, or even a book club for children. Buy a notebook and ask your child to write down his diaries and thoughts.
Book a musical class to display his musical talents. Visit the local sports club and talk to the coach about the magic you see sometimes at home.
Good nutrition and healthy life habits are crucial to young genius growth. Consult a doctor- if applicable.
The school’s role
The child spends a very long time at school compared to his home and deals with teachers even for longer times and in different situations.
Due to this, the daily routine at school and the activities performed there are of utmost importance to the discovery of the talent and developing it.
An open channel of communication should be always open between teachers and parents.
The child should feel that both sides are working towards the progression of his talent.
Teachers are qualified to deal with talents more than parents, while later is closer to the gifted child and their emotional support is crucial.
At school, the teachers have access to see the talented child with his peers.
His interaction with the different school subjects is also an indicator that should be reported back to parents for proper mutual planning.
Some schools prepare special classes for gifted children and this is extremely helpful to their growth.
You may need to check Rowad AlKhaleej International Schools‘ efforts.