Guest Author - Brandi Brown
Perhaps you just have a feeling that your toddler is gifted. Or you may have some verifiable proof from a developmental pediatrician or other specialist. The knowledge is great, but now what do you do? How do you handle life with a gifted toddler?
Avoid Hot-housing
Hot-housing is a method of drilling facts into children and quizzing on those facts repeatedly. Many parents use this method unconsciously with basic information, such as learning to count to 10. Because gifted toddlers can retain massive amounts of information, some parents try to “pour” as much information as possible into their toddlers’ heads. Memorizing without a conceptual understanding is not useful. Avoid this method of “teaching” your gifted toddler.
Follow Her Lead
Gifted children tend to obsess about one topic or another, and as the parent, your job is to follow your child’s lead. If he wants to learn everything about pirates or she wants to check out tons of books about the knights, help feed that obsession gently. Allowing your child to develop her own interests will be most beneficial.
Find Support
Talking about your gifted toddler is tough because people often perceive this talking as “bragging” and will turn off. Be sure you find people, whether in real life or online, who can speak to you about your child’s development.
Encourage Social Development
Many gifted people can be awkward socially. While that’s okay in and of itself, you want to work with your gifted toddler on co-existing with others. Avoid the urge to “force” playing. Instead teach your child to be cordial to others. Some gifted children need to be prompted on things such as learning others’ names or saying “excuse me,” just as all toddlers do. Don’t let your child off because of his giftedness but gently enforce these rules for polite society.
Don’t Stress!
It’s easier said than done, but don’t stress about your child’s development. Some gifted children will seem to stall at certain points and then pick up tremendous speed. While it’s fine to check milestones and make sure your child is on track, don’t worry about your gifted toddler making even progress all the time.
Having a gifted toddler can be trying. These children tend to sleep little and be busy all the time. Make sure you schedule in plenty of downtime and allow for creative play so that all of you can get enough rest.
