do gifted children get bored to the point of simple misbehavior????

Darleen - posted on 01/27/2012

Act out they will, when they do repetitive things they find easy and can do they don't want to do it any longer. I raised four gifted children my first was three when her preschool teacher said please don't bring her back next year but go take her to get IQ tested and put her in school. She tested genius. So at four she started school and finished at 17 just like all the others did and will. If you do not keep there minds constively active with new and exciting activitys they will become bored and act out. School work that is easy becomes not worth doing because it's beneath them and sometimes they can actually fall behind if you don't stay on top of it. My last child was in grade school and already testing reading and math scores at 11th grade level. She just took her first ACT'S in 7'th grade and scored higher than most seniors in all areas. Yet she can be a problem because she gets bored easily!

Lauren - posted on 12/21/2011

Some gifted children act out b/c of a condition that makes their brains work faster than their nerve endings. It can actually cause physical pain for some. Since children do not always comprehend what their bodies are doing they tend to act out in frustration. The best thing to do is to consistently keep them engaged. Not always needing entertainment, but being engaged in any action can relieve some of their frustration. Sometimes a simple conversation can help subdue their behavior for a moment. Or a simple game or quest helps as well.

Chris - posted on 12/20/2011

Even if he were in a private school, you still might not want to place him in the next class. Along with harder work comes organizational skills, and social skills that most children don't have even if they're gifted. And giving extra work doesn't work either. Give him challenging reading work, math games or interesting games in whatever subject he has an interest.

Charity - posted on 12/03/2009

I know what you mean. My daughter will be 8 in a couple of weeks. She has tested into the gifted program at school as of this year. We did have behavior issues in school that were due to boredom, I am certain of it because she has yet to get in trouble this year being in a gifted class and is now being more stimulated. However at home does silly things that are attention getters because she is the type that wants/needs to be the center of everyone's attention.

JEWEL - posted on 11/21/2009

MY SON IS 10 YEARS OLD AND BECAUSE HE IS A VERY SMART BOY IM HAVING PROBLEMS OF HIM THINKING HE'S SMARTER THAN ME. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS AND HOW DO YOU HANDLE THIS. I'V TOLD HIM WHEN HE FEELS LIKE HE IS BORED READ A BOOK ARE SOMETHING.
WE ARE ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL XAVION GETS THE INFORMATION THE FIRST TIME AND DOESN'T THINK HE NEEDS TO REVIEW LIKE THE OTHER KIDS DO THEN HE DECIDES TO ACT OUT. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO I GET ON TO HIM AND THEN HE REPLIES MOMMA IM BORED IN THAT CLASS. IM WONDERING SHOULD I HAVE HIM TESTED TO SKIP A COUPLE OF GRADES DO ANYONE HAVE SUGGESTIONS ON WHERE HE SHOULD BE TESTED.

Rebecca - posted on 11/17/2009

i went through that with my 9 year old daughter, since Kindergarten she has had behavior, talking alot, not able to sit still or walking around after work was completed. She had a rough 2nd grade; i would get emails constantly from her teacher that she was talking too much or walking around the class, singing but she would be done with all her work. I found out later that she was not being challenged, I got her tested and she scored high and now is in a GT program, she doesn't get her folder marked as much and seems to be challenged a little more. There are still times she feels that school is too easy and is not being challenged. She is in the math olypiad team and she tells me all the time that she is loving it and is challenged in this team. She also is in karate to balance her out with disipline and structure. She is also in cheerleading to yell and jump around her energy. Her favorite subjects are math and science. She also loves being in her school morning broadcast show. We still have our moments but we learn to work them out. Have your son tested or locate website to keep him busy and challenged. I have learned alot and am still learning; patience, patience. Here is a website that might keep him challenged. http://www.coolmath4kids.com/

Rachel - posted on 11/11/2009

if you're having a hard time finding stuff to entertain him, check out zoodles, a kids website that gives every kid hundreds of FUN, EDUCATIONAL games that they can play on their own for hours. i actually work there so i know that many parents have told us zoodles has helped their kids with adhd learn to focus, and gives them some downtime where the parent can do their own thing for a time. anyways, check us out at http://www.zoodles.com. totally free to play!

Charity - posted on 11/09/2009

it actually is textbook. that is why kids that are smart NEED the extra. if they are in somthing that is not challenging then they start to goof off. the problem then lies in that eventually the goof off so much that they actually miss something and then things are might get hard...and if a gifted child is not challenged they will not ever have to try so when something is hard they do not try because they are used to not having to try or work at things. you need to keep them challenged all the time; if they show interest get them involved. if money is an issue go to the library you would be surprised what they can teach themselves. both my kids are super high so we have had to challenge them since the begginging they just keep sucking it up. a little note on girls who are gifted to: girls do not typically act out but they will dumb down. society teaches girls they are supposed to be a pretty face and when the boys start to realize that the girl is smarter then them the boys will treat them differently and girls adjust by dumbing down. it is a horrible thing but you end up in the same spot as the boys they are not using their talents... you know what spidey mans uncle said" with great power comes great responsiblity" lol well knowledge and the ability for greatness are the same thing !

Cori - posted on 11/05/2009

i have found that changing the actives will keep them going and out of trouble

Cindy - posted on 11/03/2009

I'm not writing this to freak anyone out, I am just sharing our personal experience. **

Our story is that our 6 year old son (who goes to a school for the gifted) was always up and down with his temper and behaviors both at home and at school - we have joked for years that he either acts like he 2 or 12 with no real in between. We had been explained Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities and figured he was the poster child in so many ways.

A few months ago we took away all forms of sugar (fruit and everything for a week) when asked to make a list of what he eats for a holistic doctor (we had to be good of course!) and discovered that his anger went away within 2 days - not perfect by any means, but much much better. We then got a bit lazy over the summer but weren't dealing with the issues at school so weren't as concerned. We figured that sugar and dyes were what was setting him off.

When four days into the new school year he was starting to have problems again we decided to go drastic with his diet in the hopes of getting some answers before his pediatrician appointment in 5 weeks. (We were to the point of having a possible ADHD diagnosis.) We decided to figure out on our own if this was a food allergy since we had noticed such a difference a few months earlier so put him on a gluten free/dairy free/ crappy sugar freet/MSG free diet and holy crap did we see a remarkable difference right away. He started being able to tell us when he felt crappy, started making good food choices and even asked us to send the exact same lunch day after day because what he was eating was making him feel and behave better - the 12 year old in him was around much more often than the 2 year old.

So when we went into the pediatrician we were no longer interested in seeking a psych assessment, we wanted blood work done. Our amazing pediatrician tested him for everything from milk allergy to celiac, iron, glucose, thyroid, etc.

And as it turns out, last Tuesday, Jonah was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. He had been experiencing high and low blood sugars which were affecting his ability to concentrate and was making him very irritable.

Like I said, I'm not writing this to freak you out, I am just sharing my story. We kept on him knowing that there was something up with him and although the diagnosis really really sucks, we have an answer for him and he is already much happier and coping really well with all of the finger pokes. We are currently in the honeymoon phase so his insulin injections aren't here quite yet, but he can see the difference in how he feels with the food adjustments and it is making a world of difference for him already.

Thanks for listening. :)

Cindy

Elizabeth - posted on 10/26/2009

My soon to be three year old must have something new to do everyday or he just goes crazy when it comes to his behavior. I have found that buying him puzzles and things that are for children who are 5 and older helps but we are getting to the point that those bore him because he finishes them so quick. I have resorted to letting him ready my text books for college. I also found that letting him help me with things in the house that he thinks are what big kids do is good. I have let him vacuum, dust, wipe down the tables, help with dishes, feed the dog and bird, and things of that nature to help with the boredom.

Jennifer - posted on 10/15/2009

Quoting Lisa:

Boredom is something I struggle with every day with my children, because it almost always results in awful behaviour. My children are apparently "angels" at school but after a boring, unstimulating day their behaviour turns to the stuff nightmares are made of once they get home. I have found that I need tot deal with it very quickly to stop it from escalating. If the kids are being silly and ratty then we drop everything if possible and engage in 20 mins or so of ridiculously silly play, even if it means pillow fights or rumbles. It's important for it to end with everyone laughing, so as to reset their moods. Then we move on to normal routine with a much lighter tone in the house. If the mood has become cranky or nasty then I avoid the silly play and instead call for 20 minutes reading time, alone on beds. All my children are avid readers and know that if I call for reading time then it is not a punishment but rather an opportunity to reset their moods before starting a new activity in a more appropriate way.

i have the same problem with my 7 year old son he doesnt show neg behavior at school but withdraws himself from people instead, he suffers from emotional behaviour problems so when something affects him emotionaly he cant deal with it it builds up & then when in the safty of home or in my care he will release his frustration in a very aggressive & offen violent way, i use the bedroom trick with him to calm him down its sounds like i just isolate him but it doesnt work like that thats his haven its full of all his text books & computor games & it takes the stress of dealing with other people away from him he goes there for as long as he feels he needs to & always comes back calm & much happier its nice to here of other kids that enjoy that time out people i know just see it as isolation or a punishment

Mechell - posted on 10/06/2009

YES,YES, YES they sure do...If they get bored easily then they certainly will act out. Is he in any kind of classes or are you talking about acting out at home? At school the teacher can help (or they should!) If he's finished his work, he may be inticed(sp?) into behaving by being able to do something else while he waits for the others to finish up. Maybe having a special book, coloring book, or a special area he can go to while he waits. I know that it doesn't sound like much but sometimes little things /changes can make a big difference in how they react or respond. my son was allowed to go to a specific place in the class room to wait for the others to finish. He liked that . As he got older we had to change that, he then had to fullfill a requirement (like not having to pull a bad behavior card all week) before he was able to get a reward at home (maybe gummi bears) . It took a bit figuring out what worked for him, what made him respond more positively. AND it took a lot of talking with his teachers to get the ball rolling. A lot of teachers don't want to daeal with "misbehaviors", whether they are silly little things due to being bored or not, they just want the day to run smooth and get the trouble makers out unfortunately. Hopefullyyou'll have someone willing to talk withyou and figure out what's best for your son. I truely hope it works out for him. How he is treated, especially at school, can make or break how he thinks about school.

Vicky - posted on 10/05/2009

yes. my son was diagnosed as ADHD becasue he was always in trouble at school and no matter waht i said to the teacher about him being bored they did not listen. I got so frustrated with it. Now he is at high school he still gets into trouble (not as bad) the only thing to do is to try to get the school to give extra work to them or even harder work

Rochelle - posted on 09/29/2009

How do you go about suggesting that to the school? My 8 year old is clearly bored, errgoe my frustration with him...he totally gets the the hard stuff..like math and reading, it's the easy things he has a hard time with, like following the rules and staying in his seat. He could read chapter books before he started kindergarten....

Shirley - posted on 09/29/2009

I have been called in countless times for my sons(13yrs & ADD) bad behaviour and disruptions in the classroom and he can be a royal pain in the a*se at home at the best of times...however, can boredom really be used as an excuse for bad behaviour?? Where do we draw the line?? I dont want my boy to think he can act like he wants just because he is bored....Its really so hard with teens because they have raging hormones compounded with their other issues..its really hard to know what kinds of behaviours are punishable and what is not...kwim?

Kerry - posted on 09/29/2009

Cheron, that is actually common among gifted students, especially those with add/adhd as well. My kids never got good grades, when they were in school, because reading a book from home was always more fun or the work bored them to tears. My now 20 year old never did his work at home and always did well on tests, unfortunately the teachers do their grades off homework.



All of my kids, at some point, acted out because of boredom. They also liked, and still like, to see how things work or do things to get reactions, regardless of the consequence. My now 15 yr old, at the age of 7, had the most awesome sailor mouth. She could string together a whole line of cuss words that were never used in the house. Everyone wanted me to smack her/wash her mouth out/punish her for it and I was at my wits end until i went looking for why a child would do this at such a young age and the advice was to ignore it and it would go away. This actually did work but was hard to get everyone to go along with it because she loved to do it at my mom's house just to see how they would all react. Once i got everyone to ignore her when she did this it stopped within days. Even now at 15 she loves to embarrass me, do outrageous things and just stand out to see how other react to her.



As long as its not something that will harm him/her then you might want to decide if the behavior is something you can ignore. Gifted kids love to get reactions from others and its not always in a positive light.

Susan - posted on 09/28/2009

my son was getting bored at school and started to act out. We worked with teachers and were able to introduce extra work load and he started to behave like a normal child. Quite often, these kids need to be stimulated all their waking hours. We also found sports to be a good outlet. They can't study all the time.

Marie - posted on 09/27/2009

Absolutely they can, especially boys. He needs to be challenged in some way, have him redirect the energy and he'll be getting the attention he desires.

Mandy - posted on 09/24/2009

I put mine into music lessons. I have two very talented pianists and a violinist

Marian - posted on 09/23/2009

My son is almost five and he can act out with the best of them when he's bored! His favorite gimmick is pretending he can't hear me. Here's a tip: teach him how to cook simple things, such as muffins and banana bread, that require hand stirring, or even a sandwich. I've found it keeps him entertained for a while and he likes it so much that just the promise of baking something can keep him on his best behavior.
Also, carefully watch his sugar intake; gifted children are very easily bored and, if you add that to an excess of energy, you will have a five-year-old atomic bomb in your house!
Finally, you might consider trying some sort of kiddie yoga or martial arts. These disciplines teach children to contain themselves at the same time that they help them use up all that energy.
Good luck!

Mandy - posted on 09/23/2009

Great to hear such a lot of replies. I used to question my children constantly. Read to them as often as possible and use the English School TV programmes to keep them occupied. I also let them move one grade ahead at school. My eldest now is leaving school, having finished at 16 (not 18 as in the normal UK system). She is beautiful, mature and level headed and the world is open for her. The constant questions and need to keep her occupied as a youngster will never leave me. A local doctor who heard me talking to her at the medical centre said to me " If she doesn't grow up to be like Einstein then there is no hope for anyone"

Keep answering those questions and posing your own. It is worth it. :-)

Mandi - posted on 09/22/2009

yes, but i learned to just keep my 2 year old challenged even though i thought it would be too advanced. he learned his abc's and got to where he didn't want to sing them anymore...even pretend like he didn't know them. so i moved on and taught him the spanish alphabet. he's also gotten to the point where he will be mean to people ask him simple "run of the mill questions." he will lie to them, or simply tell them to go away. i heard him tell someone the other day he was 7 and his name was george. it seems as though he gets annoyed because they're asking remedial questions. his pedatrician told me to just pack him full of information and encourage people to have more advanced conversations with him.

Lisa - posted on 09/20/2009

Most gifted children are highly creative-maybe just being creative in his sillyness or maybe a s a child of 4 bros and sis he's workin the creative side of attention getting!. One very wonderful teacher once told me "A truely gifted child is never bored"!

Fatima - posted on 09/16/2009

my daughter is 4 and I agree as soon as you feed the need to learn she settles down

Sara - posted on 09/15/2009

Yes,it is boredom...2 stop it at school have he teacher give him some x-tra work to keep him busy,that's how I solved the same problem with my son and at home have him doing something that he likes,something constructive,good luck!

Kelli - posted on 09/13/2009

My daughter is now nine and last year(third grade) at school advisement she finshed the last 6 weeks in 4 th grade and still made straight A's. She began fifth grade 8 weeks ago and is still making straight a's. They have learned that they need to keep her busy. In kidnergarten when she was finished with her work she would get up and walk around the room, start dancing or just talk to the other kids. When she was told to sit back down she would tell the teacher "I am done with my work and you said we would have free time after we were done" Well, that wasn't working so, they put a computer in the back of the class and when she was done she could go do work on that.We resisted skipping her for awile. But then her third grade teacher said she has got to move up. I have nothing left to teacher her. We had her tested and her reading is at a highschool level. It is hard to find books age appropriate that she doesn't just blow through in a day. My advice is to just ask the teacher to keep books in the back of the class room that he or she can get when they are done with their work. The computer was the best.

Cheryl - posted on 09/07/2009

I am so glad to read all these comments! Makes me feel much less alone with my bored and grumpy seven-yr-old boy. Living in rural France makes things a little more complicated, that's for sure. But I definitely relate to you, Lisa, as far as behavior at home becoming horrible as soon as they are back in school. This is especially true for Eric, who will be tested hopefully soon to see if he can be classified as gifted. I have no idea how they handle gifted children in French schools...

Lisa - posted on 09/01/2009

Boredom is something I struggle with every day with my children, because it almost always results in awful behaviour. My children are apparently "angels" at school but after a boring, unstimulating day their behaviour turns to the stuff nightmares are made of once they get home. I have found that I need tot deal with it very quickly to stop it from escalating. If the kids are being silly and ratty then we drop everything if possible and engage in 20 mins or so of ridiculously silly play, even if it means pillow fights or rumbles. It's important for it to end with everyone laughing, so as to reset their moods. Then we move on to normal routine with a much lighter tone in the house. If the mood has become cranky or nasty then I avoid the silly play and instead call for 20 minutes reading time, alone on beds. All my children are avid readers and know that if I call for reading time then it is not a punishment but rather an opportunity to reset their moods before starting a new activity in a more appropriate way.

Amanda-jane - posted on 09/01/2009

my son has only been clasfided as gifted in the last year he is now 13 and in an class for gifted kids and is achiving A's for the first time.As he was so bord at school he didn't do the work because he already new it. The teachers didn't pick it up even when we said some thing As he is now being chalanged for the first time in his school life. I defenly know when he is bord he drives us koookooo.

Teresa - posted on 08/31/2009

My daughter(9) has had behavior issues at school since kindergarten.Turns out,after testing,she's very intelligent,but easily bored.Her teacher this year,after discussing it with her previous teacher,has devised a new plan to keep her interested by giving her work above her grade level.And doing away with the punishment/reward system...that never worked!But I have noticed,and so have her teachers,that despite her being ahead of her classmates,her maturity level seems to be below them!I feel that she has "grown up" a lot over the summer and is acting more age appropriate.School just started back up,so we shall see how it all goes!Wish us luck!

Kim - posted on 08/31/2009

We are very happy. We also have him in karate, which helps him learn discipline & reinforces listening and paying attention. Also, the physical activity gives him a great release of energy, and gives us something to practice at home when he starts getting too "wound up." I am very glad to have read this forum. It's good to know there are other parents with the same issues, and have a sounding board. Thanks everyone!

Sandra - posted on 08/31/2009

Awesome, Kim!

I wanted to add that I absolutely believe boredom causes behavioral problems. In my case, I used "music lessons" to cut class entirely and wander around town.

I just find myself having to remind myself that silliness and goofiness is also a normal part of childhood.

My son is very, very silly at home-- the trick is teaching him that play and home behavior is not the same as school behavior and he needs to maintain his focus. I don't think anyone (especially gifted kids who may be short on patience and have expectations that the world moves as fast as it does inside their brain) can maintain their focus if they are being asked to repeat things they already know or to wait for people to catch up with them

Kim - posted on 08/31/2009

I can't speak for everyone else, but it was certainly our experience that boredom was the cause of our son's behavioral problems at school. My son is 7 years old, and was finally tested last year, after his kindergarden teacher really pushed for us at the school. His school has a program for gifted kids, where they are pulled from their regular class for about an hour several times each week. He began participating in the program January '09. We were amazed at the difference we saw in his behavior at school once he was in the program. Since Pre-K, we'd been getting notes from his teachers about his disruptive behavior. Now that's he's in this program, and is being challenged and encouraged, his classroom behavior has greatly improved. One month of school completed so far, no notes. YEAH!

Sandra - posted on 08/30/2009

I have this issue too-- and I have to keep reminding myself that 5 year olds are silly, regardless of their intelligence, and this is as it should be

Tammy - posted on 08/22/2009

My daughter went through a phase like this in toddlerhood. I had her in daycare because I had to work, and we knew as parents then that there was something out of the ordinary with Trina but doctors told us she was too young for gifted testing at that point. We just worked with her at home by giving her more challenging puzzles, etc...so she wasn't really a behavior issue at home, but at daycare it was a different story. The toddler set up they had there just wasn't enough stimulation for her so, out of boredom, she'd start misbehaving to cause a little excitement. They too realized that she was different that the other kids, and asked the school secretary to come and pull her out of class to work with her one on one and that stopped the misbehavior. Gifted kids need to be stimulated and challenged a lot or they will find ways to entertain themselves, sometimes to a parent's displeasure! Hope this helps.

Susan - posted on 08/22/2009

Don't forget that even though he is extremely intelligent, emotionally he is only 5. Sometimes it is really hard to marry the two together

Cheron - posted on 08/17/2009

I can always tell when my 11 year old is not being challenged enough in school because believe it or not her grades drop. Her philosophy, not mine, is why take time to do the work if she already knows it. I have to constantly stay on her to ensure she takes the same time and dedication with all work not just the work that she considers important.

Tanya - posted on 08/10/2009

When my son Logan started 1rst grade I was getting calls from his teacher weekly about his behaivior! They wanted to have him tested for adhd! I started to do activities with him at home afterschool! and he does much better! But most 1rst graders are learning to add and read while Logan was doing Multiplication and reading at a 4th grade level! I truly wish that the schools weren't so concerned with keeping kids with their own age group! Personally I wish I could put him in a private school where they put them at their level! I quiz Logan constantly, in the car, the supermarket, at the park!

Rosmand - posted on 08/09/2009

Most Definitely! I'm New here, but have seen this in My Kids Classrooms From age 2 -16!

Julie - posted on 08/08/2009

I have a 3 year old who is acting out of boredom. We have a new little one (2 months) so I'm still tired and having to spend most of my time caring for the baby. Both my husband and I are in education and have lots of activities around the house - from a train set requiring no imagination to arts/crafts and puzzles and just plain sand and dirt to dig in outside. We are getting acting out with screaming and mischievous behavior aimed at mommy. Our toddler is happy when 1) she's getting any kind of attention (cuddling, playing, etc) and 2) when she's challenged with a puzzle or something to build (if she'll do it when I need her occupied). Though I am a science teacher with a background in linguistics and child development, I can't seem to muster the energy to keep up with her demands for verbal stimulation. Definitely am wiped out and needing stimulation for me at my level, too.

I got the sense early on that she was gifted. At 10/11 months she was doing multi-step problem solving like it was nothing. Any one have good resources for getting their toddler tested in the south bay (south of SF, CA)?? I want to make sure I know what I'm dealing with.

Tiffany - posted on 08/04/2009

Have him tested. If he is above the curve he might very well be bored. That's the way to know for sure. Otherwise he could jst be acting out.

Caddie - posted on 08/04/2009

Yes they sure do! One great thing is to do activities at home that really interest them. For example, my son is gifted in science and math and truly loves both, so I have him help with the cooking all the time. We might bake a pizza and measure out each ingredient in a measuring cup. We talk about what the measuring cups are for and the fact that those are fractions. Then, while the pizza is baking, I'll write down a couple of fraction problems and he'll work them out then I'll ask him to cut up the pizza into slices: half, quarters, eighths... Other times we'll be driving to daycare and we'll talk about what street I'm driving on and how he can tell what street that is and and what street we'll be turning onto, and which direction we're heading in. Also, I mention why I can't just go when the light turns green if there are cars ahead of me, or if I'm turning left. It keeps his mind busy. I've learned that if I answer his questions and ask him questions in return that it really helps him to feel more grounded, rather than frustrated.

Alison - posted on 08/03/2009

Hi! I'm a 1st grade teacher and a GT specialist. Most GT kids develop "asynchronously" which means their intelligence develops at a much faster rate than their social, emotional, and physical development. The saddest part of this is that when teachers aren't aware of the characteristics of GT students, they simply see the misbehavior and dismiss any possibility of giftedness. The most important thing you can do is to embrace his boy-ishness and encourage his silly play - at home. Have conversations with him about what behaviors will be expected of him in school. He's probably figured out that he's different so you need to reassure him that ALL kids love to play and playing at school, appropriately, can be a lot of fun and that has nothing to do with being smart! Next, make sure his teacher knows something about teaching GT students. If not, you may need to be the one to guide him/her. If advocating for your child is done in a positive way, it can be a rewarding experience for all of you! Be sure to visit the NAGC website for other resources. Hopefully your area has a local affiliate for parents and teachers (like a support group). If not, you may want to start one if there are other parents in your area! Best wishes as you begin this adventure!

Karen - posted on 08/02/2009

All 3 of my children are gifted (I so look forward to the teen years), and they all get very bored when not kept busy, then they nitpick at each other. When this happens, we love to sit and read. My two older ones (10 and 12) could sit and read for hours. We turn the TV off and it's reading time. They despised it the first couple of times I did this a few summers back....but love it now. It helps them calm down and clear their minds. My youngest is 7, and she was wanting to begin reading the Warriors series, but thought it was too "big" of a book, she's used to reading Junie B Jones. So I read the first two chapters to her (to get her into the storyline and get her curiosity racing), and now she's reading it on her own and loving it. I told her if she finished this book by Aug 17, we'd go to Build a Bear together. Get them reading...I truly believe it's a perfect way for them to spend their extra time...and cuts down on boredom.

April - posted on 08/02/2009

Yes, gifted children can be prone to acting out. They love attention and have a need to be doing something all the time. My son is not only gifted, but ADHD. If the acting out gets too much out of hand, have him tested and rule it out as a cause of the acting out. Most ADHD children are also very gifted. In sixth grade (in the last 9 weeks), when we had the school system reevaluate him for accomodations, one of the tests put his grade levels at over 8 in everything but math which was at 13.

Jenifer - posted on 08/01/2009

My daughter Sophie is 12 . She will be 13 this year and she is entering 9th grade. she has been doing 1 to 2 levels of math ahad of her grade each year. She did kindergarten and 1st grade in the same year and skipped 1st grade on the recommendation of the teachers. But now, I'm worried because she has been acting out. Her attitude gets worse and worse. I don't know whether we did the right thing to skip the grade because she is so much younger than her grade and I feel that she is vulnerable to the peer pressure of kids that are doing things that she is not allowed to do yet. But on the other hand, if I would have held her back, would she have been so bored as to cause even more problems?

Lauryan - posted on 07/31/2009

Flip I see this with my 2 year old already! lol. if he is bored he will easily trash the house, switch to baby talk and even pretend not to understand me. It's extremely frustrating, but I know that I have to enable him to keep himself busy or pay the price...

Nicola - posted on 07/30/2009

Yes....(I am new to this site and wished I had known about it 5 years ago when our son was deemed gifted.) I do believe gifted kids get into trouble simply because they are bored. At age three and my son was in preschool he would get into trouble daily. When I would ask him about it he would tell me he wanted to see the teachers reactions. He would complain about being bored.I guess my answer to you is ask him.

Jennifer - posted on 07/29/2009

mines 7 & can offen act up worse then his 2 year old brother i have found his is defenetly down to bordem & feeding his need to learn all the time stops him doing it.