Rather than debate the usefulness and /or appropriateness of labeling kids as gifted in a school system (I think oftentimes the only beneficiary of the term is the parent's ego), I will tell you not to worry that your child is not in gifted classes. She seems, by your description, to be like most of us -better at some things than others. Encourage her, as I'm sure you do, to be as curious and confident of her own intelligence as she can be. Intelligence comes in many forms; in this country we tend only to measure it by grades on a report card. And we wonder why we don't "produce" or graduate more "stars" from our schools. Could it be we don't want to deal with talented kids who are bored and unchallenged in school and subsequently branded with a negative label? What do you think, Debbie?
How Do You Know If Your Child Is Gifted?
Carleton Kendrick has been in private practice as a family therapist and has worked as a consultant for more than 20 years. He has conducted parenting seminars on topics ranging from how to discipline toddlers to how to stay connected with teenagers. Kendrick has appeared as an expert on national broadcast media such as CBS, Fox Television Network, Cable News Network, CNBC, PBS, and National Public Radio. In addition, he's been quoted in the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, USA Today, Reader's Digest, BusinessWeek, Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and many other publications.
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