Are You Nurturing Your Gifted Child?

This may sound like a simple question and most parents would respond with a resounding, “YES!” Of course, you feed and protect your child. However, nurturing also means to support, to encourage, to bring up, to train, and to educate. Do you do this or do you allow others to do it for you?

This isn’t a nature vs. nurture debate. If your child has been identified as gifted, do you nurture them. Believe it or not, I have worked with many parents over the years who take it for granted that their gifted child/children have needs beyond food, clothing and shelter. They lead busy lives and too often overlook the fact that parenting gifted kids is an {awesome} responsibility.

Let me ask the question in a different way. Do you spend quality time with your children? Do you talk to your children about their feelings, their dreams, the things they are anxious about? Do you read to your children even when they can read themselves? Do you model the behaviors you hope to see in them? Do you support your child while encouraging independence in tough situations? Do you listen to your children; really listen? Really?

Many of the world’s problems could be solved if we as parents spent more time nurturing our children ~ our ‘gifts’ ~ guiding them into adulthood and beyond. Parenthood is truly a never ending story. From toddler to teen to young adults … they need you to be there for them.

Recent research tells us that peer relationships have a much greater influence in the lives of our children than do parents. That doesn’t mean that we stop trying; it means we must work even harder at being a part of their lives.

Don’t know how to do this? Network with other parents of gifted children. Educate yourself about the meaning of giftedness {{self-discovery may come into play}}. Plan family activities that encourage creativity and critical thinking whenever possible. Believe in your child even when they doubt themselves.

It’s not an easy job ‘to bring up’ a gifted child, but it certainly is rewarding! Don’t sweat the small stuff; it’s not worth it. Find joy in every moment you spend together and then you can, indeed, say that you do nurture your gifted child!