Bossy boots or code cracker? Your child’s future can already be seen – but in their talents, not the tea leaves
It is a universal truth that every parent thinks their child is brilliant. But it is also a universal truth that not all brilliant people become rocket scientists. Brilliance can be expressed in many ways – whether your child becomes a builder, a pilot or an academic. And too often parents miss the signs in childhood that, if encouraged, could help their child make the most of their talents.
International expert on gifted children Bernadette Tynan is perhaps best known for her series Make Your Child Brilliant on TV3. There is a book to go with the series of the same name and these are some of Bernadette’s recommendations for finding your child’s hidden gifts – and remember, they can often have more than one:
The Bossy Boots This child is not afraid to stand up and be counted and they have the ability to lead and facilitate people. In school plays they often feature as the narrator or lead actor or else they will be found backstage, organising the sets and costumes. Their gifts make them great captains of industry as well as great captains of sport.
The Code Cracker This child adores puzzles, riddles and maths problems and is a natural sleuth. oysteries are their ultimate playing field. Code crackers are natural trouble-shooters and make brilliant investigative journalists, archaeologists and scientists.
The Enquirer This child’s bedroom looks like the original “olde Curiosity Shoppe”, filled with all sorts of things, especially from the sea or space. They enjoy adult conversation and are not afraid to ask the “Big Questions” such as, “How big do you think the universe really is?” Enquirers are drawn to any topic that allows them to feel there is a lot to find out, perhaps with a never-ending journey ahead.
The Great Entertainer This child will captivate an audience with their acting, singing or dancing. Everyone loves them and in the future this child is most obviously likely to succeed in the film and music industries but can also make a good scientist.
The Visionary This child is highly imaginative and creative and able to visualise new ideas such as flying cars. They will drive you mad because they will work on an idea almost obsessively, day and night. In the future they will excel in any field where their abilities are respected and valued, such as fashion design, music, architecture or film-making.
The Constructor This child may have constructed something to help them climb out of their cot. If you leave anything around, a constructor finds it and builds something out of it. Sitting still and doing nothing is not an option forthis child. The constructor will succeed in any field – from building rockets to designing computers – as long as they can get to the heart of how something works.
The Fairy-tale Teller This child can be quiet or loud but their creations will have you entranced – one minute they’re Pocahontas and the next they are in Jurassic Park. They can be dreamy but this shouldn’t be misconstrued as vagueness. In the future this child could be the next JK Rowling, so always listen to their special story or poem.
The Turbo-Chatterbox This child never stops talking and is a naturally gifted verbal communicator. They will grow up to do well in areas such as language teaching and law.
The little old person This child seems to have wisdom beyond their years and the gift of commonsense. In the future this child will sort out other people in either a management or counselling role.
The Young Tycoon Aged five, this child has a garage sale and makes a tidy profit. They get jobs in the holidays and will probably make their first million before they’re 20. They are natural entrepreneurs.
The Abstract Thinker This child can make sense of things in visual terms, as opposed to putting their thoughts into words. They will sometimes amaze their teachers with their observations and don’t like to be limited to thinking in just one way about what they are doing. In the future this child can work in areas as diverse as architecture, choreography and science.
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