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How Do I Know You Are Gifted?
How do I convince you that you are, in fact, gifted? (Yes, today we are using the G word.) Well. I hear giftedness in your voice, as you talk quickly, intensely, and passionately. I see it in your drive for understanding and creativity and in your explorations of the intricacies of, oh, everything. I feel…
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Why Care About Gifted Children?
Talking about giftedness is tricky. It can sound like discrimination or elitism. And it is discrimination when kids of color are ignored and excluded from gifted programs in schools, which, sadly, they still are in many places. In my mind, it is a no-brainer to understand that giftedness comes in all races, religions, cultures, and…
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Parents of Gifted Children — Who Needs the Counseling?
Parents come to me worried about their gifted kids. Anxiety, existential depression, trouble in school, sensitivities, loneliness, empathy, perfectionism, social responsibility. I describe the typical social-emotional traits of gifted children and the challenges they often experience. We strategize. This information is a relief for parents who are overwhelmed by these super intense, extremely curious, highly…
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A Short Guide to the Complicated Life of Gifted Adolescents or Young Adults
Maybe you wonder how you can be so smart and so dumb at the same time. Perhaps you feel like too much and not enough. Maybe you are terrified of both failure and success. Perhaps you love learning but are frustrated with schooling. Maybe you live by the highest standards for excellence but can never…
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What Do Gifted Teens Say About Their Struggles?
The gifted adolescents that I have known grapple with existential depression, anxiety, loneliness, perfectionism, sensitivities, empathy, misdiagnoses, bullying, and serious frustrations with the school system. Here is “one” teen’s voice synthesized from the many that I have met over the years. All people will benefit when we take the time to understand our gifted children.…
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Why Do Gifted Adults Often Deny They Are Gifted?
There are many reasons why you might not believe that you are gifted. Here is what Virginia has to say about it. Does she sound like you? First of all, just so you know, I’m not gifted. I don’t even like the word. What does it mean? Is it fair to say that some people…
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Loving the Wounded Gifted Child Within
When you were a little tyke, you probably had passions, curiosities, quirks, and quests. You may have corrected the adults who didn’t know the difference between crimson and red. You may have wondered why the other kids wanted to be bunny rabbits for Halloween when they could be Richard Feynman. You may have corrected your…