What do you do when . . .

WARNING - POST CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE

What do you do when people, ADULTS, kind of mock your child for their choices? 

Way back in the beginning of the summer, Oldest did a creative writing camp that she loved.  LOVED.  Right up her alley in how it fit her personality. 

At the end of the week, she had sharing day.  Husband attended and was amazed by her diction, projection, creativity and confidence.

That evening we all went to the pool and one of the Moms there said, "Hey, Missy, what kind of camps does Oldest do?  Sports?"

I said, "No, she actually just finished a writing camp.  It was an awesome one." 

"Riding camp?  Like horses?  That's so cool!"

"No, actually, writing camp.  Like creative writing." 

"GET THE FUCK OUT.  You put your child in a writing camp?  In the summer?  What kind of kid is she?"  Laughing. 

"Well, actually, she loved it.  It plays to her strengths.  She's a very creative girl."

"Yeah, but.  We just do sports all summer.  I wouldn't THINK of putting my kids in academic camps.  But whatever works for you!"  Laughing, while walking away.

Is it any wonder kids try to "hide" their giftedness?  Why parents of gifted kids downplay it, hide it themselves and therefore send the message to their own child that their brainpower is something to be embarassed by?

This notion that if your kid's involved with sports it's something to sit around with other parents, talking about it, strategizing about it, lamenting about the "travel schedules" is so tiresome to me.  I sit and listen to parents do this and sometimes they turn to me and say, "What sport is Oldest in?"  As if that's the only thing worth talking about when it has to do with your child.  No wonder I feel isolated.

I think I need to start a Parent Support Group for Gifted Children.  I wish SENG's educational materials  could be had without attending a weekend conference that requires flying halfway across the country. 

Thank goodness for the internet and the "gifted friends" I've made through that.    

Have You Hugged Your Gifted Child this Week?

This week is National Gifted Education Week.  I'm not sure why it's in July, but no matter!  Here are my suggestions for ways to "hug" your gifted children this week:

Get to know the SENG website.  Supporting the Emotional Needs of Gifted Children is oh, sooooo important.  Plus yours truly has an article on the site!  And I didn't even have to pay them to put it there!

Get to know Davidson Institute for the Gifted website.  Lots and lots of resources for parents seeking answers about gifted kids.

Do a #gtchat with Deborah Mersino on Twitter!  Really, what are you waiting for?  If you really, truly want to feel connected to other parents who totally get it, do this.  Find Deborah here.  Do you know how much these have grown since she started them in January?  This is helping the gifted advocacy fight really move forward!

Hoagie's Gifted.

Prufrock Press. 

Ohio Association of Gifted Children.  Parent Day is in October - check the site and go!  What a great way to connect with local gifted parents.  And the guest speaker, while not publicly announced yet, is sooooooooo awesome.  Like I own his books awesome.  Like I am going to trip over myself when I meet him awesome.  Stay tuned, Ohioans. 

This is a brief thumbnail of the resources out there.  I am still partial to that good old-fashioned thing we call reading books on the subject, but my book list is too extensive to reproduce here today. 

And drumroll, please . . .

What's the most important way to hug your gifted child this week? 

Hug your gifted child(ren).

Super Sunday Series - Twitter and Gifted Chats

I've decided to expand on a previous post about Twitter Gifted Chats.  They are wonderful ways to connect with other parents, educators, advocates and organizations about the issues currently facing gifted children and their parents.

Gifted chats happen on Fridays at noon and 7pm EST.  Topics have included asynchronous development, twice exceptional children, homework, finding inspiration, parent advocacy groups, intensity/overexcitability, advocacy and meeting the social and emotional needs of gifted children.

Sadly, I have only made two - and not by choice.  The two I've attended have been bursting with reference materials, webpages to access, tips and ideas about the various topics.  But more importantly, they've been filled with people, all of whom have gifted children in their lives, and the common threads between us have inspired hope in all.

These chats are open to anyone interested in gifted issues facing children today - the only thing you need to do is join Twitter and find Deborah Mersino - who facilitates them.  As a matter of fact, I highly recommend you read through her blog posts from the past few weeks to give yourself an idea of how fortunate we all are to have her spearheading these chats.

Here's a mini step-by-step guide to get yourself to Twitter gifted chats:

Create an account at Twitter.


Find Deborah Mersino and follow her.  @DeborahMersino is her Twitter username.  Here is a link to Deborah's background if you would like to learn a little about her.

Watch her tweets for polls on #gtchat polls early each week, then vote!

Check back on Thursday to see what topics will appear at either noon or 7pm that Friday.

Show up at Twitter on Fridays by typing #gtchats into the search box 1/3 of the way down the right sidebar.


Save that search.

Click on #gtchat at the time of the chats and follow along or provide your own input!  Just make sure to add #gtchat somewhere in each tweet.

It's that easy.  Please contact me at msbede@gmail.com if you need help setting up an account on Twitter - it's pretty easy, but I remember feeling far afield of comprehension when I first created my account.  You can also follow me there! - @gifts2love.

Happy Sunday - and I hope so see you at a Twitter Gifted Chat sometime soon.

**Sponsor note: I have not received compensation or exchanges of any kind for providing this information.**

Gifted Twitter Chat Friday

I'm pleased to announce a Twitter Chat for this Friday at Noon, EST.  I strongly encourage you to "attend."  It's been coordinated by one of my Gifted Advocate Heroines - Deborah Mersino (on Twitter @DeborahMersino, blog Ingeniosus).  The hash tag is #gtchat. 

You can even vote for your topic in advance, and I encourage you to do so. 

Please join Deborah Mersino and many others on Friday at Noon - Twitter - #gtchat.  If you can't make it then, it will be done again on Friday at 7pm.  Her blog will also contain more information this week - check it out at Ingeniosus.  Or drop me a line, I'll keep you posted.  Or follow her on Twitter.  You won't be sorry. 

Let's do everything we can to stop gifted myths and misconceptions.  Let's become stronger gifted advocates in 2010.  Let's help our gifted children receive the best possible chance they can have in life - they are our future. 

Join us.

P.S.  You can also see this post at High Ability, the OAGC blog.