My Child Is Not Weird

My Child is Not Weird – She Is Gifted!

Jessica Murrell

As a parent of a child who is gifted in many things, I often wonder where the off switch is. I want to just have a child who wants to do average things. Nevertheless, as a teacher I know that a child who is not challenged is not happy. I remember being a child like this. My parents made sure I was involved in everything from drama to sports, in and out of school hours. Within the class, teachers would always make special time for me where I could complete projects that went beyond the curriculum. I had many other gifted friends who needed attention. They usually were being fulfilled at school, but home was a different story. 

Gifted friends of mine usually were only getting their needs met if parents were aware and could afford the outside activities. Not only is this an issue, but as parents we also may wonder what is wrong with our kid? Why don’t they want to play with the neighbor? What do they like about crosswords? How does reading interest them so much? Then, we wonder again, why is my child so weird?

 This Caption was borrowed from Common Sense Media

The answer is they aren’t. They are gifted. They see things differently. They look at the world through different lenses. When we think things are cut and dry, they wonder why.

So, in turn, open your ears and your hearts. Your child has lots of room to grow. You may not always have the answer to their questions. You may not always want to talk about the advanced topics they do. Be open though, and do what you can!