National Parenting Gifted Children Week
The unique joys and challenges of nurturing exceptional talents, fostering creativity, and supporting their emotional growth.
Just because a child is smart or even does well in school doesn’t mean that being their parent is a worry-free job! While it might seem that having a child who is gifted or extremely intelligent would be every parent’s dream, it is important to note that there are many challenges and difficulties that families face when they have a gifted child.
National Parenting Gifted Children Week is here to acknowledge and recognize the many challenges that come with raising gifted children, as well as to encourage educators and other community members to provide more support to these families.
History of National Parenting Gifted Children Week
National Parenting Gifted Children week got its start in 2007 when it was founded by the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) and is now sponsored in collaboration with Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG). The event takes place in conjunction with the annual conference put on by SENG, offering an important reminder that parents often need support and help as they advocate on behalf of their gifted children and work hard to help them find their place in the world.
How to Celebrate National Parenting Gifted Children Week
National Parenting Gifted Children Week comes with a number of different ways that people can get involved and informed. Get started with some of these ideas:
Understand Some Challenges of Gifted Children
While raising a gifted child or children can be a joy, it can be helpful when peers, parents and teachers better understand some of the difficulties these families face. In honor of National Parenting Gifted Children Week, consider a few of these factors to gain a better understanding:
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Mismatched Academic Content
Many times the gifted child’s academic needs are far beyond their emotional capabilities, making it hard to find age appropriate books or resources for them
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Peer-Induced Stress
Many gifted children don’t ‘fit in’ well with their peers, getting mocked or made fun of for being special, even if it’s because they are advanced
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Lack of Engagement
When a gifted child doesn’t feel challenged, they often feel bored, unstimulated and disinterested, creating a dislike of or negative emotional response toward academics
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Battle for Control
Many gifted children who know so much are high-spirited and quick-witted, but can also be very demanding, perfectionistic, and avid challengers of authority – meaning they are often the first to argue and the last to submit
Read Books About Parenting Gifted Children
An excellent way to celebrate Parenting Gifted Children Week might be to learn more through reading about it. Whether you are a teacher, the parent of a gifted child, or you know one, take a look at some of these resources that might help:
- Raising a Gifted Child: A Parenting Success Handbook by Carol Fertig
- Parenting Gifted Children 101 by Tracy Ford Inman
- Gifted and Distractible by Julie F. Skolnick
- A Parents’ Guide to Gifted Children by Edward R. Amend
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