Is my child gifted?
Parents are often hesitant to label their children, and rightly so. "So what if my child is gifted? They need to know how to get along with all types of people." While this is true, it is helpful to understand what the label means. When appropriate, labels can offer relief, comfort, and a roadmap for support.
If children grow up in a learning environment (school or home) that doesn't understand their particular needs and potential, they can suffer from mental, emotional, and intellectual difficulties that can cause great suffering and challenges in childhood and beyond.
Gifted children are often highly sensitive and can feel different from their peers. It can be a huge relief for the child and parents to have someone they can turn to for academic and social- emotional guidance and support. This is where Whole Child Education can help.
"Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching, and counseling in order for them to develop optimally." (The Columbus Group,1991)