Conference moira::parenting_v3

I like to think that at this young age they can remember so much
because there is as yet so little clogging up their brains.  They
actually have room for everything and seem to absorb like sponges.

If what you're really after is the answer to, "is my child gifted?"
well, that's something I can't answer.

    The certainly do blossom at this age.
    
    My daughter was the same way at that age. I never thought of her
    as gifted, just really sharp! She could say 2 words at the age of
    6 months, so I always knew she would be verbally inclined.      
    
    I think the best thing to do is make sure she has enough to stimulate
    her, but never push her (like doing flash cards...I'm not sure it's
    the best method for little ones). Make things fun, and if she balks
    at it at all, back off and wait till she wants to do it. Read to
    her alot, and talk to her alot...show her things, like let her watch
    and help you cook, or clean etc..
    
    If you really think she is gifted, you can always have her evaluated.
    But I hate to see smart little ones pushed at too early an age (I'm
    not saying you would do this...just have seen others do it).
                                                                      
    Dot
                                         

    My son Alexander will be nine months old on August 4th and has been
    holding is own bottle since he was 4 months he can say ma ma, da da and
    ba ba, and also nana.  He is a very birght and alert baby, he has been
    sence the day he was born.  He notices everything and will point to
    thing if you ask him where they are, like the light and he loves our
    celling fan in our bedroom.  He has one of those ball's from tupperware
    that you put the shapes in and is already trying to do so.
    
    His pedi is very impressed with him and so am I.  My husband and I are
    not going to push Alexander into doing anything that he doesn't want to
    when he is ready and shows intrest in in things then we do it with him. 
    I read to him all the time and he loves his books.
    
    
    Don't push them let the kids enjoy life.
    
    
    Liz

    Don't push them, but don't try to hold them back, either. 
    
    Don't try to raise a textbook child -- nurture and love and
    cherish and enjoy the one you've got. Whether bright or average or
    leisurely, each child has his or her own pace that's right for
    that child.  Cherish it, cherish the uniqueness of that child,
    learn the special insights that each will show you.  No child,
    even the most average, is like any other child.  
    
    --bonnie

Matty was able to hum portions of the boys 'tunes' very early on - expecially 
the ones that he could say - For example when La BAMBA came on, he would always
sing the ba ba bamba part - it became a ritual to let him do it.  I really think
they remember songs, etc very early on - like 6 months even.  

My question for everyone, given this topic...
In the car Saturday with the boys and Rick, Rick started to ask Mike subtraction
questions, ie (as we passed the river), if you have three boats, and take away
one, how many would you have?  Mike popped up TWO.  This continued for quite a 
few minutes, with the questions ranging from take a way one, or take a way two
even to "if you have 5 and take away 4."

Mike is only 3 1/2, and while Rick says they have gone over the 3-2 and 3-1 
equations before, it was a long time ago, and he hadn't gone as far as he did
Saturday.  Is this normal?  I know when Mike last saw the doctor he was very 
impressed, and actually said something (very rare for him).  I just am not
sure what is 'age normal' and am curious.  I pretty much expect that our boys
will be above average (we hope), becuase we are trying to create an 
atmosphere that will encourage the growth of their inherited abilities..but 
I can't judge what's normal and what's special.  Maybe he should be able to
do all this by now,  I am just not sure. 

He also knows a lot of his letters.  About 9 months ago, he had me laughing so
hard!  We were driving in some city (Boston, I think), and he kept saying 
Pee.  Or at least I thought he was - in actuallity he saw the Parking Lot
indicator 'P' and was trying to point out the letter to us!

    I think the important thing to remember in all discussions of this
    type where you think a child is making "educational leaps" early is
    that all kids develop at different rates, and just because a child
    grasps a concept such as addition, subtraction, or letters or whatever
    comparatively early, this is not an indication of intelligence.
    
    A child who grasps one thing early may grasp another late, or may
    have had parents who had sufficient time to work more consistently on
    these things than other parents.
    
    Let the child takes things at their own pace and please don't push.  If
    a child is gifted, it will show over time ... give them the time ...
    we don't need children to be educated before their time.  Please let
    them be children.  This from someone who was pushed up until senior
    matriculation and then struggled through university because I'd
    developed a mental block to learning.
    
    Stuart
    

    To the base noter
    
    Your kids are not "out of the range" of behavior with the intellectual 
    ability. I remember Robby blowing everyone away one day at 3.5.  He was
    sitting in the back seat, and were were stopped in traffic on the DW
    Highway in New Hampshire.  He was looking at a traffic sign right next
    to his window, and he started to "read" it, letter by letter.  It took
    us about 10 minutes to figure out what he was doing.
    
    Robby can do simple arithmatic, has been able to for a long time.
    
    But looking at the other kids in his class, he is not particularly
    advanced for his age.  His pediatrician wasn't particularly impressed 
    (except two years ago when he was testing Robby for menengitis, he held
    up a green block.  Asked Robby what it was.  Robby said 'green block'.
    Doc was real impressed until he figured out that *all* colors were
    green to Robby, he didn't know the difference).
    
    Sue

    
    Thanks .6 and .7.
    
    I believe it's only natural for parents to be proud if a child either
    understands somethings early or even does a motor movement early.
    If you have an "early" or "late" developer, chances are either you or
    your spouse was that way.  
    
    I remember my son's pediatrician stating that motor movements such as 
    rolling from front to back, crawling or walking early have no correlation 
    to intelligence.
    
    In regard to children learning early, many times it is just what .6
    stated:  that each child learns at a different rate.  Also just because
    a child may not be exceptional in one area one year, does not mean
    he/she will not excell in that area the next.
    
    Often times, children who are placed in Transition or prefirst classes
    (these are classes where the child has successfully completed
    kindergarten but may not be quite ready for first grade) excell in one
    area such as math or science but do not have the appropriate levels in
    other areas such as motor skills, reading readiness or social skills.  
    Normally in the course of a year, most children grow enough in these 
    areas to be ready for first grade.  What the schools are looking
    for is an appropriate baseline of skills/readiness in several areas.
    
    There are types of learning as well.  Some people learn differently.
    Examples are some people learn through hearing while others maybe more
    visual oriented in learning.  This may account for some kids
    demonstrating certain skills early, but because does not mean those
    kids that do not show those skills are not learning.  Truly they maybe
    internalizing their learning in a differnt manner.
    
    So, for all you parents who DO NOT have precocious children, DO NOT
    WORRY or think less of your child.  As long as the child is in the
    appropriate learning environment, that child will eventually learn
    when he/she is ready.
    
    As an example:
                  
          My almost 7 year old son can play a wicked game in checkers; in
          Stratego; has a heck of an understanding of mathematics; but
          is just becoming ready for reading.  And I started reading to 
    	  him when he was about 6 months old.  Guess he takes after me.
    	  But unlike me, I will not allow him to be "labeled a slow
          reader" and have to deal with a bad self image.  By twelfth grade, 
    	  I was a better than average reader.  He probably will be too!  
      
    Sorry if I'm somewhat off track from the basenoter.  I just would
    hate to see all these "late" developing geniuses, be compared
    with the "early" geniuses, and Mom & Dad and the rest of their
    world to think less of them.
    
    				
    					Darlene
    

    re .8
    Well stated.