Parenting Strategies for Parents of Gifted Children

It can be difficult to reach goals, but for some gifted kids, it can be nearly impossible. It's not that they are incapable of reaching goals, but the way they go about setting their goals and working to attain them.

Maintaining control at home means that the household runs smoothly and is free of chaos. One factor that can create chaos is the constant arguing that some gifted kids engage in. No matter how clever you may think your little lawyer is with his debating techniques, if you respond to the arguing by arguing back, you end up making matters worse....

Why? Why? Why? Why? Trying to answer the never-ending questions a gifted child asks can be exhausting and frustrating. Fortunately, there are some strategies that can help.

Gifted kids often seem to be in their own little worlds. They can be so engrossed in an activity or thought that they seem to be unaware of the world around them. If this sounds like your child, you are no doubt frequently frustrated. However, there are some tricks you can use to help your child pay attention and keep you from getting frustrated.

A commonly noted characteristic of gifted children is their need for less sleep than other children. What is not so commonly noted, but commonly occurs, is the difficulty many gifted children have getting to sleep.

One very frustrating aspect of parenting a gifted child is their uneven development, known as asynchronous development. It is frustrating and sometimes confusing for parents because these children don't always act their age - their chronological age.

Some gifted children are compared to lawyers: they argue as if they are in court. The case they are usually arguing is their own. They argue about rules, about punishment, discipline, bedtime, dinner. Basically, they'll argue about nearly anything they don't like or they want to avoid. Although they can make excellent arguments, it's...

Elizabeth Scott, guide to stress management, has some great advice on helping children develop an optimistic viewpoint. It's great advice for all parents, but it's especially welcome advice for parents of those emotionally sensitive gifted children.

This article provides some great advice to parents of gifted children.

Sylvia Rimm provides some quick and easy suggestions for reducing sibling rivalry in gifted households.

If you're like most parents of gifted children, you found parenting books far from helpful. They never seemed to be talking about your child. At last, you can get some parenting strategies meant for parents of gifted children.

This article provides a glimpse into the life of the parent of gifted children. While the author describes parenting profoundly gifted children, parents of all gifted children will see much of their lives reflected in her story.