Of course, I am very new to blogging and my intention isn't to gain a million readers and become a famous Mommy Blogger or to quit my full time job. I just want to share my experiences in raising an exceptional child with any of you who may be in the same boat and are wondering what this all means for you and your family.  Gifted identification is a double edged sword, on one hand it means that your child may learn at an accelerated rate and test higher than others of his/her age group but it also comes with a series of behavioral issues that aren't always easily handled with a simple "Because I am the Mom and I said so" response.
When I began thinking that testing for gifted was needed I went to the interweb to see what was out there as far a resources for parents like myself.  I found some Yahoo Groups, studies from various psychologists and a lot of sites trying to sell products to ensure my child would pass the tests and qualify.  The best sites I have found are:

Hoagies' Gifted Education

National Association for Gifted Children

Davidson Institute



A smart child isn't necessarily a gifted child, some characteristics of a gifted child are:

• Reasons well (good thinker)
• Learns rapidly
• Has extensive vocabulary
• Has an excellent memory
• Has a long attention span (if interested)
• Sensitive (feelings hurt easily)
• Shows compassion
• Perfectionistic
• Intense
• Morally sensitive
• Has strong curiosity
• Perseverant in their interests
• Has high degree of energy
• Prefers older companions or adults
• Has a wide range of interests
• Has a great sense of humor
• Early or avid reader (if too young to read, loves being read to)
• Concerned with justice, fairness
• Judgment mature for age at times
• Is a keen observer
• Has a vivid imagination
• Is highly creative
• Tends to question authority
• Has facility with numbers
• Good at jigsaw puzzles

The Process

I started noticing my son wasn't like other kids shortly after his birth.  When he was only days old he would try to sit up on his own.  We would joke that he was working on his "six pack" because he would do what looked liked crunches over and over while I changed him.
Once he was a toddler the changes were almost daily in his development.  He walked young (9 months), he was potty trained by his 2nd birthday.  It was one milestone after another.
My main concern was his speech.  At 2, he wasn't saying much.  I spoke to a child psychologist who gave me some pointers (make him ask me before I give him anything). As a new mom I was self employed and able to spend a lot of time with him during the day.  I knew when he wanted juice and not milk or a particular snack and therefore he rarely needed to talk because his needs were being met.  Within a few months his vocabulary had quadrupled.
I am not saying any of this to brag, if you have a gifted child you know that is a difficult road.
During the toddler years he would become interested in a certain topic and become so obsessed with it he would want to know every single thing he could find out.  It started with the normal boy stuff dinosaurs, zoo animals, etc.  Anything science related still interests him.
By the time we were thinking about Pre-K, I was well aware Bug was far beyond other 4 year old children in his interests and abilities.
I immediately began looking into early enrollment into Kindergarten.  He past the testing for early enrollment and before I knew it my lil 4 year guy was a Kindergartner.
I will always remember his first day of school.  I didn't want to leave the classroom.  I knew of course that he would be fine but it just seemed like yesterday that I was bringing him home from the hospital in his little yellow ducky outfit and here he was all dressed up for his first day of school.
As I picked him up that afternoon,  the first thing out of his mouth was that he would not be returning the next day.  I asked why and he looked me directly in the eye and said it was pointless for him to go because he is smarter than his teacher and it isn't his job to teach her things she should already know.  I knew that day that the road ahead for us was going to be an interesting one and I knew for certain I didn't have an average kid.