The other day I read an article in which psychologist John Rosemond discussed choice and responsibility of gifted children. He was answering a question about whether a 9-year child should be able to decide whether to participate in the gifted and talented program in her school. She qualified for it, but didn't want to be in it because none of her friends are in it.

Rosemond says that we should give gifted kids the gift of choice, by which he means that we should let the child make that academic decision. In response to the question "But what if she later regrets it?" Rosemond says that that would be a good thing. It would be a lesson in personal responsibility and an exercise in decision making. A child can learn from the mistake if she later decides she made the wrong decision.

But is a 9-year-old really prepared to make this kind of a decision? What kind of life experience does a child in third grader have that would allow her to evaluate the potential outcomes of such a decision?  Rosemond offers an anecdote about his daughter, who was given the option of making the same kind of decision, chose to stay with her friends and then went out to be an honors student in college.

But is this typical for all gifted children? What if a child makes the wrong decision and her life is negatively impacted by it? We can certainly find many examples of children who were not placed in an appropriate academic setting and were therefore not as successful as they might have been otherwise. Our child might learn a lesson about decision making, but don't we also want our children to have the opportunity to do their best?

What do you think?

If you think reading a book is the only way to enjoy them, then spend some time this month exploring the world of audio books.  It is, after all, Audio Book Month.  A good audiobook can add another dimension of "reading."  Sure, it's not really *reading* but there are many advantages. For one, the whole family can listen to an audiobook at the same time. It's fun to set some special time aside for listening to great audiobooks together at home, but the family can also listen in the car.

If you are ready to take the plunge and try some audiobooks, or if you have already taken the plunge and found how enjoyable they can be and are ready for more, consider getting one of the audiobooks on this list: Great Audiobooks for Gifted Children.

If your child is like mine, he or she can't get enough information about favorite topics and enjoys learning about new ones. We would often go to libraries to browse around the different sections and look for books on his favorite subjects, like the universe, and explore other interesting topics.

Another way to look for new topics is to consider the different holidays, observances and commemorations each month has. Some are for single days, some last a whole week, and some are for the entire month. What topics can you explore with your child in June? What can you learn about? Just check out the list of of all the Special Days and Observances in June.