15 Signs Your Child Is Gifted

Nov 28, 2018

Intelligence is such a subjective thing. We all measure it in different ways. For example, Thomas Edison's teacher called him "addled" or "dumb." Yet Edison would go on to invent the light bulb, among other advances. Meanwhile, Albert Einstein, an undisputed genius, was described as "mentally slow."

The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) says that children may be gifted in several different areas. These can include artistic/creative fields, traditional academics, or even leadership. According to NAGC, a gifted child "already knows" almost all kindergarten material before they've even set foot in a classroom.

Harvard Professor Dr. Howard Gartner researched eight different intelligence markers. Some of them might surprise you:

• Kinesthetic: This is a fancy word that basically means how well you're able to manipulate objects. It can also refer to your hand-eye coordination skills.
• Intrapersonal: This measures your self-confidence - how well-established your belief system is, and how you've defined your goals.
• Interpersonal: How well you relate to others. This includes your empathy and ability to "read" other peoples' emotions and actions.
• Logical-mathematical: Your understanding of abstract concepts; how well you work with numbers.
• Musical-rhythmic: Understanding pitch, tone, and other aspects of music. The ability to recognize and reproduce musical sound. (It also covers your ability to keep time and rhythm to a beat.)
• Naturalistic: Basically, how much of a tree-hugger are you? Naturalistic intelligence relates to your connection to the earth. It covers your interest in growing and harvesting food, too.
• Verbal-linguistic: Your command of the written and spoken word. (Intriguingly enough, this kind of intelligence also measures your ability to memorize faces and small details.)
• Visual-spatial: This one is essentially the way you understand images and pictures.

Christopher Taibbi, M.A.T., who works in the field of gifted education, has defined the difference between "gifted" children and "bright" children:

Smart kids are always the teacher's pet. They keep attention to deadlines and turn in homework that goes above and beyond. In contrast, gifted kids already know the answer. They feel like they don't have to work as hard.

So even though they're really smart, gifted children can come across as lazy. They need external motivation, as well as internal rewards, in order to succeed. Otherwise they'll just retreat to their rich inner lives.

It seems like smart kids always put their hand up first. Like Hermione in the "Harry Potter" series, smart kids have basically swallowed the textbook. Gifted kids go deeper. They aren't satisfied with those textbook answers. They'll spend hours researching the subjects they're passionate about. So when class time arrives, a gifted kid could be the teacher, not just a student!

The classroom is the perfect setting for a smart kid. It's regimented and organized. Unfortunately, that's why it also drives gifted kids nuts! Gifted children are self-directed learners. They can't be contained by class schedules. This produces a sometimes-toxic mix of curiosity and boredom. That's why gifted kids are often homeschooled.

Smart children say exactly what they know you want to hear. By contrast, a gifted child will show you their intelligence instead of just talking about it. They want to prove their worth. The only way they can do this is demonstrating knowledge. That's why someone like Einstein might've been deemed "slow" in the classroom.

Here are some possible signs:

Gifted kids might sound "old" for their age. They have a large vocabulary and love to use it.

A gifted child is good at memorizing schedules or solving puzzles.

That big vocabulary has to come from somewhere! Gifted children always seem to have their nose in a book.

Significant skill just seems to come naturally to them. It can be anything from athletics to cooking.

Gifted kids can get bored with their peers. They'd rather hang out with people who seem to be their "equal" intellectually.

...but only on the things they care about!

Gifted children have higher emotional intelligence than others. This means they tend to be pretty well-behaved.

A gifted child is a great problem-solver. They aren't content with the status quo - they want to change it!

Gifted children will head to the front of the pack. Everyone looks up to them for their originality and confidence.

This is because directions tend to bug them! Gifted children run on their own steam.

Gifted children have enthusiasm for what they love. They can go a mile a minute, but that's just because their brains run too fast for their mouths!

Alone time allows gifted children to refine their ideas.

Communing with the environment gives artistically-gifted children lots of inspiration.

Say what?! A gifted child might excel at one subject and "fail" in others just because they want to spend time with their passions. Anything else is boring to them.

Learning is a hobby for gifted kids. That can make it hard for them to make and keep friends, since they might not share the same interests.

With so many concepts of intelligence, where to begin? The most important thing is to make gifted children feel heard. Give them an environment to explore their interests. That way these children can flourish properly. After all, they have so much to contribute. A gifted child will become an excellent leader - but only if you support them.

Do you have a gifted child? What were the early signs that you recognized? Let us know in the comments and send this article to other parents you know - they may have a gifted child, too!