What is the dark side of giftedness?

Some gifted children may struggle with being perfectionistic; some are empaths in such a way that the current sufferings of the world will keep them up at night; they have a deep sense of solidarity with those who suffer; some gifted children look down upon those who “don't get what is so easy to get.”

What are the negatives of giftedness?

Many gifted kids struggle with inattention and disorganization, in part because they're abstract thinkers and in part because they have many diverse interests competing for their attention. It's also very common for a child to be gifted and have ADHD, a state known as being “twice exceptional.”

Do gifted kids struggle later in life?

Gifted children can turn into insecure, anxious and depressed gifted adults when sibling and other family interactions in childhood make them doubt their value and lovability. It doesn't take much emotional abuse (bullying by a family member) for a gifted child to believe something is wrong with them, not the bully.

What is the curse of the gifted and talented child?

These children usually have the innate ability to comprehend lessons and apply themselves in studies, along with being able to get to get away with spending a minimum amount of their time studying. That is where the biggest curse of being gifted comes in – the inability to develop proper study habits.

Is giftedness good or bad?

Gifted kids have massive potential

At its core, giftedness is a brain-based difference that contributes to our vibrant and intellectually diverse world. Exploring it further in your child can give you a better understanding of who they are, and give them advanced resources to reach their full potential.

The Dark Side of Giftedness - Philip Miller

Why are so many gifted kids neurodivergent?

Essentially, giftedness is a neurodiversity with a social-emotional and learning difference. It is highly genetic, meaning that while early experiences are influential, gifted people are essentially just born the way they are. They didn't ask to be born this way.

Are gifted kids just Neurodivergent?

Gifted children may display neurodivergent traits without being neurodivergent, but because missing a diagnosis carries risks, parents and educators should err on the side of caution and be willing to assess gifted children.

Are gifted kids angry?

Gifted children often set very high standards for themselves and get frustrated when they can't meet them. This can sometimes result in tantrums and other difficult behaviour. It's great for your child to work towards high standards. But your child needs to understand that they can't have high standards for everything.

What is the trauma of the gifted child about?

This “rare and compelling” (New York Magazine) bestseller examines childhood trauma and the enduring effects it has on an individual's management of repressed anger and pain.

Do gifted kids have a high IQ?

Although IQ represents only a partial expression of giftedness, according to a purely psychometric view, giftedness is defined by an IQ of 130 or higher, placing gifted individuals at least two standard deviations above the population mean.

Are gifted kids more likely to be autistic?

About 70% of autistic people have an intellectual disability, which means they have an IQ lower than 70. The remaining 30% have intelligence that ranges from average to gifted. Autism and intelligence are two separate characteristics. A person can be autistic with any level of intelligence.

How rare is a gifted child?

In the United States, more than 3.2 million children – roughly 6 percent of the kindergarten and grade-school population – are estimated to have at least one strong talent, meeting the federal government's criterion for giftedness.

How do you discipline a gifted child?

What are the disorders of gifted children?

Are gifted children socially awkward?

Social shyness and awkwardness in new situations are very common with gifted children. Parents need to handle their child's difficulty in new situations by setting up interactions that will not be threatening and giving help when help is needed.

Do gifted kids end up depressed?

Gifted children appear to be especially susceptible to a type of depression called “existential.” Existential depression occurs when a child (or adult, for that matter) confronts the big issues of life like death, freedom, isolation and the meaning of life. It is sometimes called “what's the point” depression.

Do gifted kids have mental disorders?

While gifted children may not be any more susceptible to mental health issues as other adolescents, there are certain aspects of giftedness that may influence or amplify a gifted child's experience of mental health issues.

Is The Drama of the Gifted Child about narcissism?

Alice Miller, the eminent Swiss psychoanalyst, wrote a bestselling book decades ago, “The Drama of the Gifted Child,” which addressed how parental narcissism holds children back from exploring their own creativity and potential.

Are gifted children harder to parent?

Gifted children are challenging to parent in many ways. The more gifted the child, the more often it seems the more the parent is frustrated with the discrepancy of someone able to do school several levels above age level but unable to remember to take their finished work to school.

Are gifted children lonely?

Gifted adolescents feel at times that they are lonely and isolated from the world in which they live. This feeling can contribute to emotional and educational problems.

Do gifted kids cry a lot?

A key sign of possible giftedness in infants is the need for mental stimulation. In fact, it is not unusual for gifted babies to get fussy and even start to cry if they aren't provided constant stimulus.

Can giftedness mask autism?

The brains of intelligent children may function similarly to those of autistic children. But the difference may be that there are more connections in distant regions of their brains, thus masking potential disability. There is less overloading for them and less chance of being dysfunctional.

Is gifted on the autism spectrum?

Both giftedness and autism fall on a spectrum, so while there may be individuals who clearly fit into one box or another, some behaviors might be more ambiguous and require additional information, context, or professional opinions.

How can you tell if someone is gifted?