Parenting tips: is your child really smart?
Parents are often confident their children are very smart. Children are sponges, eager to absorb as much knowledge as they can, and their mental development is very exciting to the adults around th...

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Parenting tips: is your child really smart?

Parents are often confident their children are very smart. Children are sponges, eager to absorb as much knowledge as they can, and their mental development is very exciting to the adults around them. So, how can you tell if your bright child is within normal ranges or if you have an extremely smart child?

Developmental charts and milestones are useful for a ballpark assessment of your child’s skills. However, keep in mind that these charts are created from averages. So, there is a large range that represents normal development. In the toddler years, being even a year ahead with some skills is probably well within the norm.

Children often develop in spurts. A child who suddenly gains a new skill may slow down for a while in other developmental areas. So, consider the overall level of your child and do not just focus on a single area when you do your assessment.

Looking for the following factors may help you determine if your child is extremely smart:

- Is your child more than a couple years ahead of the developmental charts in some areas?

- Does your child learn new things very quickly?

- Does your child display extreme motivation, determination and commitment to a certain discipline?

- Is your child exceptional in a particular creative area, for example as a musician or artist?

- Are your child’s reasoning and problem-solving skills exceptional?

- Is your child’s vocabulary far beyond that of his peers?

- Does your child a natural organizer?

- Are your child’s spatial skills exceptional? For example, can she solve “tangram” type puzzles quickly and easily?

- Think about the kinds of questions your child asks; is he seeking depth of meaning or just explanations?

- Does your child display a vivid imagination and extensive creativity?

- Does your child have a high emotional intelligence? Is she empathic and aware of other’s feelings?

In addition, some extremely bright children may show some of the following signs:

- An extremely sensitive and emotional nature

- Frustration and boredom with school

- Difficulty relating to peers

The presence of several of these indicative factors might indicate your child is gifted. If your child is school-aged, consider consulting with your educators to ensure school is properly challenging. For children of any age, foster their interests with enrichment activities as well as your time and attention.

Once your child is school-aged, IQ tests can be administered to help indicate mental potential. While IQ tests are not infallible, they can help indicate areas in which your child may have exceptional skills that can be nurtured. Keep in mind however, IQ tests are developed to test the average population; they are not as useful at determining how far above average someone may be. IQ tests should be one tool in the big picture of assessing children.

Realistically, your child is probably not a genius. However, just by recognizing the areas where you children individually excel and giving them opportunities to enhance those skills, you give them tremendous advantages as they develop.

Parenting tips: is your child really smart?
Parents are often confident their children are very smart. Children are sponges, eager to absorb as much knowledge as they can, and their mental development is very exciting to the adults around th...