According to scientific evidence1, the term “No Child is Born Gifted” is now debunked and a myth.
A child may be as gifted if they demonstrate, or has the potential for, unusually high talent in academic subjects, leadership, or creative pursuits. Most often, these gifted kids develop at a greater speed than their peers. But, this does not mean that gifted children always do well in school.
The development and growth2 in the child play a crucial role in nurturing giftedness in children, as it does in developing the abilities of children with lower capabilities. A child could be born with the potential for extraordinary ability, but that talent remains untapped if unrecognised.
How Do You Know If Your Child Is Talented?
Children start exhibiting a variety of behaviours from a young age3. During this period, they also need the most attention from parents so that their full potential can be discovered and further developed into real skill sets – which will benefit them later in life.
A research brief titled “The importance of communication skills in young children”4 by the University of Kentucky stated that appropriate development stimulation helps all areas of children’s development. In contrast, limited stimulation can hinder a child’s development. So, whether your child grows up to be “gifted” may also be determined by your encouraging interactions with them during their early years. Undergoing a DNA test will help pave a better future for the child.
Here Are Some Tell-Tale Signs That Your Child Is Gifted:
Learning Abilities:
Children learn5 by observing, listening and touching the environment around them. Although all curious children have an innate desire to learn about the world, gifted children can do this with exceptional ease.
Gifted kids have brains like mental sponges and can quickly understand concepts without much explanation. They can memorise new information rapidly and accurately and are notable for their impressive IQ.
The Inborn Talent Gene Test can detect learning abilities such as Memory and Mouldability abilities.
Academic Abilities:
Complicated analytical thinking6 is defined as complex skills such as planning, monitoring, task switching and controlling attention.
Gifted children demonstrate consistently good grades across different subjects and can understand all lessons learnt in school and complete assignments without much guidance.
Children usually have a clear understanding of their learning processes and may resist methods introduced by their teachers or parents, preferring their ways of learning. Gifted kids typically can tell just how much and what kind of studying they need to master a topic.
The Inborn Talent Gene Test can detect academic abilities like Attentiveness, Intelligence and Analytical skills.
Communication and Language Abilities:
The first three years7 of a child’s life are the best time to develop their language abilities while their brain matures. During the first few years, new nerve cells grow and connect8 in the brain, enabling the child to use languages to express themselves.
Gifted kids often reach these milestones earlier and possess an extensive vocabulary compared to other children. Words that gifted children use are more sophisticated than those of other children their age. They can express themselves clearly and argue their points eloquently using extended and more complex sentences.
Many gifted children will have already acquired reading skills before entering school.
The Inborn Talent Gene Test can detect communicative abilities such as Linguistic and Reading Abilities.
Curiosity:
Gifted children display a great curiosity about objects, situations, and events and ask provocative questions.
Gifted kids tend to become highly focused on specific areas of interest and are avid self learners. When asked questions, they often provide very alert and rapid answers. They have a deep well of knowledge and seem to know more about the world around them than expected. You can nurture your child’s curiosity9 by teaching them to explore their natural environment around them to stimulate their IQ.
The Inborn Talent Gene Test can detect curiosity traits such as Imagination, Hyper-Activeness and Passion.
Other Characteristics:
Gifted children also demonstrate high ability in divergent thinking10 and are independent and anti-authoritarian. They need time to think, are highly sensitive, and thrive in a supportive environment.
The Inborn Talent Gene Test can detect other traits like Affection, Endurance, Consciousness, Self-Reflection, and Self-Control.
Challenges faced by gifted kids:
Gifted children have a relatively low tolerance for boredom11, and may struggle in school if not mentally stimulated. Restlessness often leads to behavioural problems, and these children are often labelled as underachievers or incorrectly diagnosed as “hyperactive”.
Another problem gifted children face is that because they often have different interests12 from their peers, they may often feel alienated in school. Gifted children may also face emotional stress and anxiety as they may have higher expectations13 and push themselves to attain unrealistic goals, especially in highly competitive environments in Singapore.
Is My Child Exhibiting Gifted Behaviour?
At times, it may be unclear if a particular exhibited behaviour is a genuine genetic trait of a gifted child. In addition, problems your child might be facing in their learning process must be identified and recognised by parents early so that the issues can be resolved with early interventions before they become irreversible.
Given that every child is unique and special in their way, it is not easy to distinguish a fundamental talent trait and potential learning problem of a child by simply observing and guessing. Guessing is gambling. We can’t afford to gamble away our child’s future.
Although it may seem a shame to let your child’s natural talents go to waste, care needs to be taken to develop your child as a whole person, with consideration for their wellbeing. Nurturing right means ensuring your little ones grow into outstanding and successful individuals in all areas of their lives.
How Can I Find Out About My Child’s Talents?
A practical way would be to go for the Inborn Talent Genetic Test. This DNA test can help parents identify their children’s hidden talents – talents that may not be obvious at a young age. It also reveals some personality traits that the child may possess, judging from their genetic make-up, and help parents adopt the right and effective child discipline accordingly. The genetic test is a monumental way to start planning your child’s future in Singapore.
Citations:
1,2Simonton, D. K. (n.d.). Giftedness and GENETICS: The Emergenic-epigenetic model and its implications – Dean Keith simonton, 2005. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ746056.pdf
4Allen, L. R. (2015, July 23). Child development and early learning. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310550/
4Gooden, C. K. (2012, November 30). The importance of communication skills in young Children. research Brief. summer 2013. Human Development Institute.
5Read “How People Learn: Brain, Mind, experience, and school: Expanded Edition” at NAP.edu. National Academies Press: OpenBook. (n.d.). https://www.nap.edu/read/9853/chapter/7#80
6Harms, W. (n.d.). Children’s complex thinking skills begin forming before they go to school. University of Chicago News. https://news.uchicago.edu/story/childrens-complex-thinking-skills-begin-forming-they-go-school
7U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Speech and language developmental milestones. National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/speech-and-language
8Robertson, S. (2019, February 27). Language development in children. News. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Language-Development-in-Children.aspx
9TodayShow. (2020, February 1). Encouraging curiosity in preschoolers: Here’s what to know. TODAY.com. https://www.today.com/parenting-guides/encouraging-curiosity-early-childhood-t179019
10Bai, H., Mulder, H., Moerbeek, M., Kroesbergen, E. H., & Leseman, P. P. M. (2021, March 17). Divergent thinking in four-year-old CHILDREN: An analysis of thinking processes in performing the alternative USES Task. Thinking Skills and Creativity.
11Post, G. (n.d.). Boredom, school, and the gifted child: Challenging its inevitability. https://giftedchallenges.blogspot.com/2016/10/boredom-and-gifted-child-challenging.html
12,13Characteristics and traits of gifted children. Davidson Institute. (2021, March 30). https://www.davidsongifted.org/prospective-families/gifted-traits-and-characteristics/
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