To be fair, it really isn’t the character herself that I find dangerous, but rather, how the general public has interpreted the characters and their strengths.

Gifted kids perceive and think about the world in unique, complex ways.  They are designed to question, probe, understand, explore, and think outside of the box.  They want to know the reasons why something works the way it works and are there other ways to make it work.  They are curious, inquisitive, problem solvers.  And we love this about them.  Except when it interferes with our own plans.

While it sounds dramatic – I’m here to demand that we talk about giftedness, because it truly is a matter of life and death.

“Should we get her tested for autism?” I anxiously asked the occupational therapist.  I had been pondering it for months.  Does my daughter have autism?  Doesn’t she?  What explains her behaviors?  Or thinking?  Or who she is?

KBear’s OT answered like a seasoned therapist.  She answered my question with a question.  “What would be your goal in getting the assessments done?”

Perfectionism really can be boiled down to this . . . anxiously caring more than is necessary for something of relatively little consequence.

Accurate self-evaluation is a necessary life skill.  And clearly, it’s a skill that needs to be taught. 

overwhelming sad and heavy came to me through a seemingly simple story.  A version of a story that happens thousands of times a day. A teen girl was sitting at lunch . . .

THE number one question I am asked by parents and teachers is "How do I help my child with his/her perfectionism?" If this is something you want to know to, read on for a great resource.

Some days I’m ready to go.  Some days I fantasize about going.  But, I can’t.  I love my abuser too much.  I see the good.  I see the love.  I see the attempts to do it better.  I see the pain behind the rage.

We hear a lot about the socially awkward gifted kids.  The ones who try to talk astrophysics with their fellow first graders and receive blank expressions in return.  Or the ones who are too shy to order their own food at a takeout joint.  Or the ones who can’t bear to let others be wrong and keep the argument going far longer than anyone else is interested in it.  But, what about the socially advanced kid?