As a parent, it can be exciting to discover that your child has a unique talent or skill that puts them way ahead of their peers. But it can also be scary.
There’s a fine line between encouraging your child to achieve extraordinary things and pushing them to the extent that they become alienated from their friends or resentful of their abilities.
So what is a prodigy?
The term applies to someone who is extremely gifted, often when it comes to maths, language, art or music. Signs that your child could be a prodigy can emerge as early as two or three years old, and they have usually mastered a particular skill by the time they turn 10. Most prodigies are extremely focused on their field of interest – often to the point of seeming obsessed – and push themselves to succeed.
How do you know your child is one?
Telltale signs include:
• Being able to remember things in clear detail years after the event
• Reading books very early in life
• Indepth knowledge of certain subjects
• Asking questions all the time
• Being aware of what is going on in the world
• Preferring to be in control
• Making up more rules for games
• Ability to sing/play music/solve complicated maths puzzles, etc, which seems to come from nowhere.
How much should I encourage them?
Follow their lead. If they want to play the piano for several hours a day, let them – as long as it doesn’t impact on them having a normal childhood. Don’t push or nag them – that can destroy the enjoyment they get out of their special ability. Make sure you treat them appropriately for their age, even if they are doing things you would expect of someone older.
What are some of the pitfalls of being a prodigy?
Highly gifted children may be prone to suffering from depression and anxiety. They set themselves very high standards and can have problems coping if they don’t achieve what they expect to. Point out that their talent is not the be-all and end-all. Also, make sure your child knows that the love you give them has nothing to do with their ability and that you support them unconditionally.
While being talented at something is a great boost to confidence, it can also leave them feeling like they are not “normal”. Prodigies can end up becoming isolated from their peers because other children their age might feel overshadowed by their gift or think it is “weird”. Because they are so advanced in certain areas, gifted kids can often miss out on experiences and activities that are a normal part of childhood.
It is important to make sure they are well-rounded. Don’t forget other aspects of their life, such as social skills – encourage them to work on these. Remember it doesn’t matter how far their skills take them, they still need to know how to deal with what life throws at them. Being a prodigy is not going to protect them from the real world.
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