![]() Accepting this reality may help with the guilt and sense of isolation that accompanies some of these feelings. It is understandable to feel angry, alone, resentful and sad about these challenges. ![]() If you haven't already realized it, please know that EVERY emotion listed on the above checklist is normal, understandable, and widespread among parents of gifted children. Your child also will benefit from you as a calm, happy parent.Ĥ. Learn stress management techniques for when you need them, and make time for friends, your partner or spouse, and enriching, meaningful activities. This goes for every parent, of course, but don't forget to find time for enjoyable activities, relaxation, and fun and silliness with your child. If this is not possible, at least consider joining an online parent forum, such as Davidson's, where you can find support.ģ. They provide a venue for shared information about what works and what doesn't within the schools, and a powerful tool for advocacy. These provide support, mutual understanding, and validation rarely found elsewhere. Find or start your own gifted parenting support group. A few of the great online information sites include NAGC, SENG, Hoagie's Gifted, and Davidson's. A few of the well-known publishers of books about giftedness include Prufrock Press, Gifted Unlimited Press, GHF Press, and Free SpiritPublishing. It will normalize, validate and provide much needed information. The more you know, the more you will understand about what you and your child are experiencing. Read as much as you can about gifted children, gifted education and parenting. You're in it for the long haul, so get the support you need. Parents of gifted children benefit from accepting the challenges of the road ahead their attention to their child's needs is critical, and can be exhausting. And although intelligence certainly offers many advantages, it is no guarantee of success, joy, or even college admission. Constantly advocating for academic needs is demanding and overwhelming. Parenting an intense, curious, and reactive child, who may be asynchronous, highly sensitive, and out of sync with peers, is not easy. Right? Well, not exactly! Such myths and stereotypes only compound the stress involved with raising a gifted child. After all, high IQ should be a ticket to happiness, Harvard and any job he wants. This is heightened when others imply that they should feel grateful about their child's abilities. Parents of gifted children often struggle in silence with emotions that evoke guilt and shame. ![]() _ I worry that she never will be happy - that she always will feel so different from others and have trouble finding friends, a spouse or partner, and a job that is truly meaningfulĭo some of these sound familiar? Okay. _ I wish I could just relax and trust the schools to do their job _ I feel heartbroken when my child is excluded from social events because he is so "different" from his peers _ I also worry that I am pushing her too much and it will backfire _ I worry that I am not doing enough to push her to succeed _ I feel in awe of my child sometimes I can't believe he can accomplish some of the amazing things he does. _ I feel guilty that I don't want to do all of this advocacy work in the schools. _ I feel angry toward relatives who don't get it and minimize her abilities and my concerns about her _ I resent that I have to do all of the work sorting out college options - and the school offers little guidance _ I worry that my child will never reach his potential because of the schooling we have chosen for him _ I resent it when others think my child's abilities result from me pushing and prepping her _ I wish I could show my enthusiasm and pride over my child's accomplishments and not worry that others might think I'm bragging _ I am frustrated that my child exerts little effort and is coasting through school he seems to be wasting his potential and the school overlooks this _ I envy other families whose kids seem so "normal" ![]() _ I am tired of being treated like a pushy parent just because I ask for more challenging work for my child _ I feel embarrassed when my gifted child is so immature sometimes she acts like she's five years younger than her actual age _ I am angry that the school offers few (or any) gifted services _ I resent the amount of extra energy I have to expend to engage my child's academic needs _ I worry about my child's ability to fit in with other kids Which of the following seem familiar to you? ![]() The first step toward coping with the emotions that catch most gifted parents by surprise is to identify them. ![]()
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