[ddhuab]

I am interested in articles about early identification of gifted children, and if there are any differences in parenting them. I mean, I don't want to put added pressure on my daughter, but on the other hand, I want to expose her to experiences that will let her develop any talents she might have.

Our daycare moved dd into 3-year-old pre-K a few months ago, and I am a little concerned that this might be putting too much pressure on her. While she can identify letters (capitals anyway, not sure about lowercase) and can make all their sounds (thank you Letter Factory), I don't know that she is "gifted" so much as that she has an excellent memory -- or is that part of being gifted? On the other hand, she is not doing so great at WRITING -- I think her little hands just haven't developed the correct coordination yet. I was trying to be laid back about it, but then the teacher pulled me aside one day and told me I should be practicing with her at home! I was thinking the next step in her "writing ability" would be to have her try to improve coloring in the lines!

Or do gifted kids just start doing advanced things with little parental involvement (you know, in spite of their environment?). I work outside the home, dd is in daycare, we read alot and watch musicals and educational videos together, and play, all the same things I would do whether dd proved to be gifted, average, or below average. I recently put fun labels around some things in the house 1) because I am a scrapbooker and love to stamp things and 2) because I had heard about the practice of making a "language rich environment". She loves seeing the words and has started putting her clothes away because of these labels, I think. For instance, this morning she took off her gown and said, "I put it in the pajama drawer."

My best friend, on the other hand, has a two year old and four year old, and she seems to think my dd is very advanced. I don't want to be a "bad mother" if I am not doing anything special. on one hand I don't want to seem like a doting, bragging mother, and on the other hand I don't want to cheat her out of anything by ignoring things.

-confused