This week is a special occasion for all families that include gifted children. Every year, National Parenting Gifted Children Week occurs during the third week of July. While gifted children and their parents deserve support all year long, this gives everyone a chance to highlight the many aspects that go into raising a gifted child. As this week hits full swing, you can use these ideas to celebrate as a family.
Show, Extent Support to Fellow Parents of Gifted Kids
Parents of children who are newly identified as gifted are often surprised at just how much is involved with raising an exceptional child. While parents love that their child excels in certain areas, they may still be struggling with common challenges such as trying to keep their child stimulated or dealing with behavioral issues. Let the new parents of students at your child’s school know that you are always there for support. Whether you enjoy a quick chat over lunch or lend them a copy of your favorite parenting book, supporting other parents helps build your child’s school community.
Explore New Strategies for Parenting Gifted Children
With each new stage of your child’s development, there is always something to learn. For instance, you may find it hard to balance encouraging your child to step out of their comfort zone and trying not to be overly pushy. You may also discover that you need to try new types of discipline strategies as your child gets older and begins to test their boundaries. Parenting any child is a fine art, but raising a gifted learner requires special strategies that you can learn from your child’s teachers, books and online resources such as blogs that focus on giftedness.
Preach Giftedness, Pitch Your Community’s Stories to Local Media
This week is all about raising awareness, and your community needs to know about the importance of supporting gifted learners. Spend some time brainstorming newsworthy events that are happening with gifted learners in your community. For instance, your child’s summer enrichment program may have art or new science discoveries to share. Alternatively, you could pitch a story to the media or local newspaper that highlights what to look for when identifying gifted children. Either way, getting the information into the public eye helps everyone know how to support gifted learners.
“Gift” Yourself a Much-Deserved Break
Parenting is tough work, and you may be exhausted from trying to fulfill your goal of stimulating your child’s learning through the summer. Whether you’ve been hustling to get your child to and from club meetings and school enrichment classes or you just helped them out with an independent research project, you deserve to kick your feet up every once in awhile. Consider planning a date night with your spouse, or arrange for someone to watch your child while you head to the spa or library. Whatever you do, remember that this week is also about you. Coming back to your parenting duties refreshed after a short break gives you the energy you need to keep up with your child when their brain starts running wild.
This Summer, Create Family-Enriching Experiences
A little summer fun is just what your family needs to release the stress and enjoy a little bonding. You can use this week as the perfect excuse to have some fun before the summer is over. Take your kids out to the water park, or plan a camping trip for the weekend. While your kid may not be able to stop themselves from analyzing the plant life in the area or the speed with which they fly into the water, you will all enjoy this chance to step away from your daily routine. Just make sure to bring your camera and snap some photos of your favorite family memories.
Strengthen the (Gifted) Child-Parent Bond, Relationship
In addition to just having fun, you can use this opportunity to help your child delve into one of their special interests. For example, you could pick up some tickets to the local play to encourage your child’s developing interest in drama. Or, you could go to the science museum where summer programs are often available to let kids enjoy hands-on experiences such as fossil digs. Historical sites in your area are also great places to visit that help your child expand their worldview.
Assist, Grow Your Community by Volunteering
Gifted learners tend to be more socially aware at a younger age than their peers. In fact, it is not uncommon for exceptional children to worry about issues such as school violence, homelessness and global warming. Talk to your child about the things that concern them about the world today. Then, brainstorm solutions together that inspire you to make a plan of action. From initiating a school supply drive in the community to making some lunch sacks for the less fortunate, you can work with your child to be the change that they want to see in the world. Depending upon your volunteer plan, this is also a great way to help your child get started on planning their independent research project.
Raise, Spread Awareness Through Social Advocacy
The internet is an asset for families with gifted children, and your child likely already uses their smartphone or computer to research their special interests. Now, you can also use it to get the word out about this week. Many families are unaware that National Parenting Gifted Children Week is even a thing, or they may not know how to show their support. Plan to put out a few updates on your favorite social media platform about this week, or share a link to your favorite parenting resources for your friends to check out.
Parents of gifted children give their all every day to make sure that their children have what they need. While you may not expect to be recognized, your efforts make a big difference in the community. Whether you head to the pool with your kid or send a few shout outs to your child’s school on social media, celebrating this week helps every child and parent understand the importance of supporting gifted learners.
