According to my IQ tests, I am just above normal. My son who is nine and 32 years younger than I, has recently tested way above normal. It’s evident that he is smarter than myself. No matter what he touches he excels at, (i.e. music, writing, academics, even cooking). I guess my question is simple, any suggestions how to deal with this? I am by no means jealous of my son, but fear for when he needs assistance in homework (if he ever needs it that is), if he is further along than me, then I wont be able to help him. I guess I want to know: How do you raise a genius in a house of "normal" intelligence?
2007-01-25 05:36:48 · 27 answers · asked by LoverOfQT 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
Yes I am VERY proud, and very blessed. He has a good head on his shoulder, common sense is not an issue. He is also loving, and very sweet.
2007-01-25 11:37:12 · update #1
He is in the gifted and talented program in school. We have one of the states "smart" schools looking at him.
2007-01-25 11:38:31 · update #2
Test scores are not always all that accurate. I'v e lived through a similar situation. Your child will always love you. Be aware that, gifted or even genius, you still have a child on your hands. You child will not always be right. Your child will do dumb things. Your child will get in trouble. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is a warning - some parenting guidelines and, I might add, a lot of educational policies, incorporate the idea that you can 'outsmart' the child - distracting or talking around etc. If you have a gifted child these will not help, and when your child catches on will breed distrust. You have Life experience over your child. You have emotional maturity. Just don’t try to outsmart them or trick them. The problem is that this often happens in school, and your child may develop distrust or contempt for certain teachers or other adults he comes in contact with. Make sure he is around other gifted children and that you go to stimulating environments such as museums, parks, plays. Be aware that his interests may be different from yours.
In a nutshell? A gifted child can probably attend a lecture at a college and enjoy it. You cannot let a 10 yr old child walk around campus (or anywhere else really) by himself. So you will always do fine mom, because a mom is exactly what he needs.
2007-01-25 19:05:58 · answer #1 · answered by kazak 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
My DH and I are considered bright/gifted-but I have two gifted/talented children and one who is off the charts(WAYYY above g/t norms). The best things you can teach your son are 1. How to research things of interest-in a library, safely on the Internet and 2. How to ask for assistance from you, teaching professionals, etc. You're never going to have all the answers-we don't- even with 3 degrees between us.
You need to make certain that he has a Gifted Education Plan in place if he is in a public school setting-geared to his specific interests and talents. You may also want to look into local gifted student Yahoo groups and my favorite website: www.hoagiesgifted.org. There are many, many sites linked there that may be of interest to you. Hang on-and enjoy the ride!!!
2007-01-25 11:12:12 · answer #2 · answered by momofhaybear 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is a lot more to being a well-developed person than being intelligent. Certainly, this is a trait that should offer your son clear advantages academically, but high intelligence can also cause a serious imbalance in other aspects of child development, particularly emotionally.
You should nurture his "common sense" alongside his academics. Also, never let his intelligence become a "crutch" that he uses to avoid natural and normal activities.
There will always be other intelligent children and adults with whom your son can relate to on a higher academic level, but the whole person into which he develops will depend greatly on the emotional stability and life lessons he experiences with his mother.
2007-01-25 05:48:28 · answer #3 · answered by Dendryte88 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He is not just a genius, the genius part is only part of your child's history, and is a number on a piece of paper provided after he passes certain tests. He is a child with the normal needs of a child in his age group. His teachers have the main job to provide educational challenges, along with giving him the advanced classes in gifted programs.
You may be able to contact online
Mensa - the group of people who are established as being considered "genius" . They have advice that you could use.
http://www.mensa.org/
Mensa International web site...Mensa "provides a forum for intellectual exchange among members. Its activities include the exchange of ideas by lectures, discussions, journals, special-interest groups, and local, regional, national, and international gatherings; the investigations of members' opinions and attitudes; and assistance to researchers, inside and outside Mensa, in projects dealing with intelligence or Mensa
He is a child. I suggest you start to treat him as a child. You may need extra challenges (computers - but still needs parental supervision, and to make sure he is in the gifted program at his school).
Your school district will be able to address the additional challenges for your son to contiue his advanced skills.
The computer can also provide homework help - that you can access for any help when he needs your assistance.
Perhaps he also needs exercise and FUN.
Your genes and his father's genes produced this child - so part of you is what makes his smart.
You have more experience. You are the adult. You have control so you don't have any of that to prove to anyone. You will lead him by taking him to museums (and can plan a trip if possible to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. - and it takes days to even see a few of the buildings), art classes, landmarks around your state, and even introduce him into our government landmarks to stimulate his interest in geography and adventure.
Don't forget to add happiness and lots of love. That is what will help him to have spiritual growth to "wholeness" and a healthy outlook on life. You are his first and best role model.
Congratulations in recognizing the gifts of your child. It is a challenge, that with technology and an adventurous spirit you can meet and lead.
GOD bless us, always.
CPA-retired
MBA-Boston Univ.
2007-01-25 06:03:13 · answer #4 · answered by May I help You? 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well let me clarify something.
Your kid has a higher IQ; but he may not be smarter than you.
If you're son is 9, then I doubt he's going to be able to compete with your 41 years of living experience, so you are going to know more than him.
It's the age difference that made a dramatic difference - he's a genuis FOR HIS AGE, but not neccesarily a genius in the World (not yet, anyhow).
So, on to the question. I doubt he's going to need help with his homework if he's really good at all subjects. If sometimes you don't understand his homework, you can tell him to go to class and ask the teacher for some help -- or you could go in yourself and ask what he doesn't understand, then after the teacher explains it to you you can go through this at home with your child.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your future Einstein!
MaybeLater_x
2007-01-25 05:44:15 · answer #5 · answered by Deconstitutionalization 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If he's that far advanced, most homework at his level isn't going to be difficult. But he's still only 9, and he'll still probally do 9 year old things, and just take care of a problem the best you can at that point in time. If there's ever a problem with homework or something do your research to try and help. I don't think you have a serious problem here. And as the other person said, Feel Proud!!!
2007-01-25 05:44:00 · answer #6 · answered by painter in ohio 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm 14, in all honors classes, and by my age almost all my friends are smarter than their parents as am I. It's been like that for a while, and it's a normal thing, it happens to everyone with their kids. The best help you can give him is being supportive, don't worry about the schooling part.
2007-01-26 15:40:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You'll be fine. Your child will probably not get over your head as far as school work. The biggest obstacle will be to keep him challenged. Just help direct your child with his homework - ask leading questions to help him focus and he'll figure it out. That's what my dad did with me, especially with trig and cal. He would sit down with me and ask things like "What information do you have?" "Given what you know, what can you solve for?" "Ok, now is there a relationship among any of these?" Before I knew it, I had the formula and the problem solved.
I was left to my own devices with music. I was a gifted child and I have a gifted 4 year old. Her IQ is much higher than my husband's. My husband by no means lacks intelligence. He was really worried, but he'll be just fine as well. You don't have to be "smarter" than your child to help him, you just have to know your child - how to challenge him and how to lead him to solutions.
2007-01-25 05:53:08 · answer #8 · answered by turnerzgirl101 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Get him a tutor, that way if he needs help he will have it. A tutor can also help a child move onto things he will need to know in the future and can be used to simply help him excel and to stay challenged. Study yourself. Take a few courses at your local Community College.
Congratulations on having such a wonderfully gifted child.
2007-01-25 07:32:23 · answer #9 · answered by Rachel T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't ever let him THINK your not as smart as him.
He has to hold you on a pedestal and your intelligence can't come in to it.
Obviously be proud of him and get him all the extra curriculum activities that are available for him but make sure you keep a good balance on who's parent and who's still child.
Even genius need to learn how to be children. Don't let him lose track of this.
2007-01-26 18:51:43 · answer #10 · answered by Venessa M 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋