This week -- May 12 through May 18 -- is Children's Book Week. It's a great time to pay a visit to the library and to local bookstores since they both generally have special activities for children to celebrate the occasion and to encourage children to read.

It's true that many gifted children don't need much encouragement to read because they are already avid readers. However, the fact that a child already loves to read shouldn't keep us from celebrating books. If your child already loves to read, use Children's Book Week as a time encourage other kinds of reading. For example, if your child loves to read non-fiction, encourage him or her to read fiction. If your child enjoys fiction, encourage him or her to read non-fiction or a different type of fiction.

Gifted kids tend to love mysteries, high fantasy, Chronicles of Narnia, for example, and biographies. Young gifted children also tend to love learning about subjects such as dinosaurs, presidents, and space. To give children more options for reading, parents can expose children to other topics and additional genres.

If you're plan to buy some books as part of your celebration of Children's Book Week, you might first want to check out the article on what to consider before you buy a book. You might also check out the excellent list of recommended books from GT-World.

My son is home now after his first year of college. It's wonderful having him home and seeing how he is turning into a fine young man. For all you mothers out there who worry that your child is not living up to his potential, that he is not being challenged in school, that he doesn't seem to be motivated to do anything, I'm here to tell you that there is hope!

My son was once that very child: underachieving, unchallenged, and unmotivated. However, he has found something he loves -- music -- and he is making himself known at school. He is clearly motivated, no longer underachieving, and hopefully, challenged.

I've often stressed the importance of nurturing a gifted child's abilities, but I want to point out that those abilities may not always be those that are valued in school. We were lucky to have a middle and high school with an exceptional music program, but I got my son involved in music years before that.

The other thing parents need to remember is that not all gifted kids belong in Ivy League college. If we help our children make the right college choice, they have a better chance of succeeding in life.

So Happy Mother's Day to all mothers. And to mothers of gifted children, don't give up hope. Encourage your child's interests, support his efforts whatever they may be, and chances are good that your child will do better than you may have expected.

I have a suggestion for the perfect Mother's Day gift for gifted children to give their moms. It's cheap, free actually, and will be treasured by mom. It's a gift certificate. A gift certificate, you say? What's so special about a gift certificate?

These gift certificates are blank so can fill them out herself. So what can mom write on those certificates? Have you ever been ready to climb the walls after three hours of trying to answer your child's non-stop questions? One item, then to write on the certificate is "One afternoon free of questions." Or what about that terribly disorganized bedroom? Another item might be "Pledge to clean my room without complaining." (Be sure to add the "without complaining.")

And what about that constant arguing? If everything you ask your child to do turns into a legal debate, you might want to have a certificate that says "No arguing over requests made on Mother's Day." Or how about "No disturbing mom for one hour while she is reading." You get the idea. If you think about those moments when you feel most exasperated and exhausted, you can probably think of some additional gifts you can write on the certificates.

Keep the gifts realistic and specific, though. You're not likely to get a gift of "Improved grades in school" or "Doing all my homework." You might, however, get a gift of "Turn in my next three homework assignments." Also, give your child several gift certificates, each with a different "gift" written on it. You want your child to have a choice in what to give you. Depending on your child's age, you might also provide some blanks so your child can write something on his or her own.

So where do you get these blank certificates? Check out the sites below:

• Mother's Day Gift Coupons & Gift Tag
• Free Printable Certificates

Parents of gifted children know that it's all right to be bright, but the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) in Great Britain wants to get others to see that it's all right as well. They are sponsoring a national "It's Alright to Be Bright" campaign on May 9. Schools have been asked to participate in the campaign designed to raise money and awareness.

Children are asked to wear bright clothes to school and NAGC has suggested a number of activities, all involving something bright of course, for children to engage in during the day. These activities include studying the stars and exploring electricity. NAGC has published an "It's Alright to Be Bright Information and Resource Pack that is available online as a pdf file.

I think this campaign is a wonderful idea. It would be even more wonderful if it moved beyond the shores of Great Britain and took place across the world. Even if it doesn't manage to gain international attention, the ideas in the NAGC Information and Resource Pack can be used by individual schools anywhere.

Parents of gifted kids sometimes find themselves feeling as though they are going broke trying to keep their kids supplied with challenging toys. They buy a toy and after playing with it one or two times, their child is already tired of it and ready for the next one. Some people -- particularly those without gifted kids -- might be tempted to tell these parents that they should just insist their kids to just play with the toys they have. However, parents of gifted kids can worry that they aren't providing the challenges that their children need. So what should parents of gifted kids do? This week's FAQ considers how to keep up with a gifted child's thirst for new toys.

Lots of people don't like the term "gifted." Some dislike it because they believe it's an elitist term. To them, all children are gifted. (Michael Thompson has an answer to the "All Children Are Gifted" view.) Others dislike the term because they believe children who are given this label can become conceited. For this reason, many parents are hesitant to tell their children they are gifted. They struggle with the question of whether or not gifted children should be told they are gifted.

Some people dislike the term "gifted" because they don't believe that it is an accurate description of these children and that the term actually can prevent them from getting the kinds of academic services they need. They prefer the term "high ability." This term seems to be gaining ground. It can be seen more and more in schools, in articles about gifted kids, and even in laws.

I'm not happy with the term "high ability" because it puts the focus on what these children can do and not on who they are. Yes, they do have advanced abilities, but what about the emotional sensitivities? What about the other intensities found in so many gifted children? It may be tempting to say that the emotional life of children is not the responsibility of the school. However, that is not true. If it were true, schools would not be so concerned about self-esteem issues of children. What about the other gifted characteristics so many of these children share? I fear that the focus on ability would make the misdiagnosis of gifted children even more common than it already is.

Poll: Which term do you prefer? Gifted or high ability?

• Gifted
• High Ability
• Neither
• Do you have a suggestion for a term to use? Let us know!

View Results

More polls from your guide

That is one of the top questions parents of gifted children ask. They are rightfully concerned about whether or not their children will be appropriately challenged in school. However, many parents seem to believe that a private school is somehow better than a public school. That is true is some instances, but not all. Sometimes the better choice is the public school The latest Gifted Children FAQ answers the question of which school is best for gifted kids.

The summer months were always my favorite months of the year. School was out and the accompanying frustrations were gone. I could plan some wonderful summer vacations. My very favorite vacations were our trips to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, and to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. Both places were ideal places for a gifted kid. Williamsburg brings history to life, making it possible for kids with their vivid imaginations, to put themselves back in time, while Space Camp allows kids to experience a little astronaut training.

As a mom who didn't know much about the kinds of places that would appeal to gifted kids, I relied on tips from other parents. I was grateful for suggestions that led us to some very special vacations. What about you? Do you have a favorite vacation spot that you think is a great place for gifted kids and their families? If so, let us know. Simply click on the comments link below and give us the name and location of the place you'd like to recommend.

Children these days seem to be born knowing how to use technological gadgets, including the greatest technological gadget of all time -- the computer. Whether your child is a young preschooler or a teenager, feel free to encourage his or her interest in the computer. If you worry about a toddler's use of the keyboard, consider getting a one designed just for toddlers like the myPC Stage 1 Toddler Keyboard.

If your child likes to read, you can find books about computers for children of all ages that not only explain how computers work, but also describe computer parts, the history of computers, and even careers for those who love to work with computers. If your child wants to do more than read about computers -- and what child doesn't? -- pick from one of many software favorites of gifted kids. These include games like The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis for kids as young as five to Chessmaster 9000.

The two things to remember about computer programs for gifted kids is that gifted kids love to learn and be challenged and that gifted kids are usually better off with games recommended for older kids. Zoombinis, for example, is a game recommended for nine-year-olds, but most gifted five-year-olds can play it with ease or with just a little help.

If you are the typical parent of a gifted kid, you have lots of questions. It doesn't matter whether you're just beginning to wonder if your youngster is indeed gifted or you have known for years -- parents of gifted kids seem to have a never-ending supply of questions, including how to deal with their children's never-ending supply of questions.

I've been answering questions from parents of gifted children for years and the same questions come up time and again. A new feature on the About.com Gifted Children site is an FAQ. It's in it's early stages, but it will fill up quickly!

The first question in the FAQ is At what age can one determine whether a child is gifted?

Although I provide the answers in the FAQs, other parents of gifted kids are wonderful sources of information and support. Be sure to visit the Gifted Children Forums to chat with other parents of gifted kids.