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~ B R A I N Y - Z I N E ~
" Learn How to Nurture A Smarter Kid "
Volume #6 Issue #15
ISSN: 0219-7642 Mar 30, 2008
Andrew Loh, Publisher
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Hi,
Recognizing and identifying giftedness in kids is witnessing a phenomenal activity
in recent times. Right from the Baby Sign Language sessions to Toddler IQ testing
classes, the current craze to nurture giftedness kids and child prodigies has reached
all time high. Seeking to find giftedness in your child means to study his or her behavior,
skills, mannerisms, academic performance, sundry activities and more importantly his or her
attitude. Do you have an action plan that teaches you how you can identify giftedness in
your kid? Every child is gifted and talented, though some of them are really gifted and
endowed with abnormally high talent and intelligence.
All of us recognize and acknowledge that we should help our kids develop their innate and
hidden talent, intelligence and skills. Unfortunately, we simply fail because of a lack of
knowledge on our part that helps us to nurture talent in our kids. Truthfully speaking, enormous
peer pressure, a tendency to achieve perfectionism, and performance anxiety on part of our lovely
kids are leading both parents and kids towards extreme and negative consequences. The most well-known
antidote to tackle these scenarios is to know the actual limitations and performance boundaries
of our kids, and act on those limitations to nurture their talent and intelligence.
Recently, I found this wonderful and highly beneficial audio stream that seems to really help parents
to know how they can manage their gifted kids. GATE (gifted and talented) herself,
Alyssa Quart
offers an insightful critique on this professionalization of child's play while supporting expert
studies on the vital role of unstructured playtime in child's development. Have a great week ahead!
Thought for today:
"There is nothing that can help you understand your beliefs more than trying to explain
them to an inquisitive child " - Frank A. Clark
Best Regards,
Andrew Loh
Andrew Loh
Publisher & Editor, BrainyZine
andrew @ brainy-child.com
Please visit our sponsor ad web site below. Thanks to our sponsor for keeping this a free newsletter.
Goal Setting With Children
Goal setting for children is best done with the child. No
different than you and I, we like things done with us not to us and
the same goes for our children. Their age will determine their level
of participation. Goal setting is a wonderful skill for children to
learn at an early age, so here are some pointers to get you started.
Leisure Time Goal Setting for Your Kids
Kids, by their nature and kind, cannot concentrate and focus on a particular task. They tend to get
distracted very quickly and this distraction actually deters and prevents them from achieving long term goals.
A year or more could be very long time for your kid.
Q1: My wife and I have a son who turned 2 in May and I have a
couple of questions regarding his development. My wife and I were both pretty gifted academically - I have
two degrees in theoretical physics from Cambridge and she
topped her university in Medicine and is a clinical
researcher at Imperial. Partly due to the fact that my son
attends a nursery whilst we are at work, I am a little
concerned about his development. His social skills are
advanced and, similar to my wife, he seems to have a
phenomenal memory - he seems to remember things the first
time he encounters them. His reasoning skills seem pretty good as well.
However, he is physically and mentally hyperactive, as
indeed I was, and he seems unable to focus on anything....
A: Your boy obviously has his parents'
genes, as studies revealed that over 60% of IQ is said to be
contributed by genetic factors. So, yes, he is above average and
what you are experiencing is quite common amongst parents of gifted
children. Their attention span is usually limited to areas of
interests, and once they indulge in activities that they find
meaningful to them, they tend to be so engrossed in the activity and
sometimes forget everything around them.... Continue to read Dr. Sandhu's answer on
Dealing with High Levels of Energy of Gifted Children here.
Q2: We have 3.5 year old son, and we
see him is different than his peers. We would like to know whether
he is gifted or not? Here is something about our son. He is a late
talker, he started babbling when he was around 1 year old and really
talked (we understand) when he was 2 year and 3 months. Since then,
his speech improves gradually but if I compare with his peers he is
behind them. He has a really good memory, and has a great ability in
numbers....
A: It is hard to tell definitely if he
is gifted but has above average characteristics based on his age.
Having said that, from the limited description, he surely shows some
signs of giftedness especially heightened sensitivity and early
reading ability. You may want to do a checklist on his
characteristics to have a better idea... Continue to read Dr. Sandhu's answer on
Characteristics of Gifted Children here.
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Coping for Capable Kids
By Leonora Cohen
From solving social problems, to dealing with perfectionism, and developing time management strategies
to mastering goal setting, this book is the most comprehensive, up to date guide for gifted kids, their
parents and teachers. Based on years of research and experience, this book is actually two books in one
-an exciting and easy to read, high interest book for bright students and a book for
parents and teachers.
The parent and teacher section defines who capable kids are, the problems and needs they face, and in using
strategies needed to cope with them successfully. Topics include the definition of giftedness, emotional
development, social development, moral development, perfectionism, boredom, drug and alcohol abuse, eating
disorders and much more.
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What Do You Really Want? How to Set a Goal and Go For It! A Guide For Teens
By Beverly K. Bachel
Gr. 6-12. Successful business entrepreneur Bachel has compiled her ideas into an approachable volume to
assist teens in defining their real interest, formulating and
systematically pursuing workable goals and
celebrating their achievements. She also includes 19 useful, reproducible forms. Her helpful advice is well
supported by quotations and from teens who have tried some of the techniques, and simple appealing graphics
keep things light.
Perhaps most effective are the chapter-closing "Think It & Ink It" questions intended to help
teens act on Bachel's clear often heartfelt suggestions. Back matter includes goal setting resources and some
helpful organizations and web sites. A thoughtful and practical book, this is a must guide for all teens as well
as their parents.
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Children gain skills during imaginative play
The Observer Mar 22, 2008
My mother was born during the great depression, the eight of 10 children, but when she recounts her childhood
she does not describe the grinding poverty and backbreaking labor that must have consumed her parents. Instead,
she remembers being a quite child who played endless games of "house" by herself, her only props the one she could
make. She especially prized the round tin top from a can of Hershey's powdered cocoa- it served admirably as a pan
for the mud cakes she made for her imaginary family.
Encourage Your Kids to Imagine
Daily Star Mar 15, 2008
We got an amazing new toy last week. It is about 21/2 feet tall and 3 feet deep. It doesn't make noise or require batteries.
It has no microchips or paint or small moving parts. It is not associated with a Disney character. Yet, the box our new washer
came in is one of the most valuable and versatile toys my 4 year old daughter, Allie, has ever had.
Raising Your Gifted Child
St Catherine Standard Mar 24, 2008
Raising a gifted child is a real challenge for parents. If you fail to keep his active mind occupied, he may come up with activities
on his own which you will find neither interesting nor amusing. The goal, then is to keep him busy and
involved on projects and programs
which appeal to his particular areas of interest. With these children idle hands can be really be the workshop of you-know-who.
Whiz Kid
Egypt Today Mar 17, 2008
Meet Moody, Egypt's and possibly the world's youngest mathematical genius! What is '132 times 142?" Can you write down the numbers for me on
the paper? the small boy asked with hesitation. "I won't use a pen. I just have to see the numbers on the papers," he said, hinting at the method
behind his mathematical genius. After reading the numbers on the back of the paper, he began to mutter quick additions in English under his breath.
Pat came the correct answer!
Our kids and their brains: Too young for school, but not for assessment
GreenBay Press Gazette Mar 16, 2008
Early intervention is key because a child's brain goes through a lot
of development before he or she enters kindergarten, said Nan Brien,
a trainer for the Southern Child Welfare Training Partnership at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison. "The first five years are really
essential in terms of laying the foundation vis-a-vis brain
development," said Brien, formerly the associate director of the
Wisconsin Council on Children and Families.
Birth weight may shorten lifespan
Canada.com Mar 27, 2008
How much people weigh when they're born may influence how long they
live, according to new research. Low birth weight may confer an
increased risk of dying early as an adult, but extra-heavy babies
may also face a greater risk, according to the largest study ever to
look at birth weight and mortality.
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