Raising Your Child to be Gifted: The Early Years



by Chelsea Allan

One common definition of giftedness reads, “A gifted child has a natural or special facility or capableness to learn and implement knowledge in a creative yet appropriate manner.” A careful look at this definition might lead one to conclude that nearly all children have a capacity for giftedness. However, most experts maintain that at most, only 10% of children are in fact gifted. While there are some factors over which we seem to have no control that can and do affect a child’s ability to learn and implement knowledge, for the most part, we as parents are able to influence our child’s giftedness.

In the short space here I will mention and briefly explain three different factors of an environment which fosters giftedness in our children. Consider expanding on them yourself, with your spouse, and in your homeschool support group.

The first factor is nutrition. In order for the brain to grow and function properly, the body needs to be properly nourished. It seems obvious, right? So obvious you might wonder why we even bother to mention it. The reason nutrition is mentioned here is because unfortunately most American children are not properly nourished to meet even average standards, much less in such a way as to promote giftedness. Here are some ideas to get you started. Pay attention to what your child eats over a several day period–not what your child is offered but what your child actually ingests. You will notice that by eliminating “empty calories” your child will automatically take in more nutritionally valuable foods. Nutritionally valuable foods include whole grains, natural meats, eggs, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc.

Go through your cupboards and ask yourself why you feed your children the things you feed them. Any doctor will tell you that children under age 5 should not ingest MSG or a number of other laboratory-produced chemicals. Chances are you’ll find these ingredients on labels in your pantry. Try this test. Take all the foods with MSG, partially hydrogenated oil, or enriched flour (as opposed to the whole grain) in the ingredients list and set them aside. See what you have left. You might be surprised. Find out what your fellow homeschoolers are doing to provide for the nutritional needs of their children.

The second factor to an environment of giftedness concerns the social and emotional development of the child. This comes primarily by way of the wisdom and grace imparted on parents in the sacrament of matrimony as well as an openness to truth and the gift of discernment. Providing an environment of beauty, goodness, truth, peace, respect and virtue will go a long way in promoting giftedness. Holiness should take precedence over all else in the home, including extracurricular activities. Time is a gift from God. Consider carefully how your family manages time and pray for discernment. If Dad can’t seem to find time to bring beauty and truth into the souls of each of his children on a daily basis, then the professional sports or other distracting activities should be eliminated. Remember, as only 10% of American children are gifted, it is the things that make you different that will promote giftedness in your children.

The third factor and the one in which I am most interested is the educational environment of the child. Why are only 10% of America’s children gifted? Perhaps it is because most parents rely on institutions to educate their children. Perhaps it is because most parents wait until age 5 to begin the educational process. Those in the know will tell you the most important years in promoting giftedness are between 0 and 5.

A child who is educated at home from infancy in the proper environment will almost certainly achieve giftedness, in many cases even in spite of learning differences. Here are some ideas of things you can do to enrich your child’s educational environment.



Infancy (ages 0 – 18 months)

Infancy sets the groundwork for your child’s ability to communicate with words. What can you do to help? When the infant first begins to make intentional vocal sounds, imitate them. When baby says “ba” Mom says “ba.” When baby says “da” Mom says “da.” Teach the other children in the household to do the same. Sing to your baby. Just about anything meaningful can be put to music. When rocking my youngest I recall often singing, among other songs, the ABCs, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary. By 18 months my baby was singing with me. (Warning, when your baby hears you singing at Mass he/she might decide to chirp in with the ABCs at the top of his lungs. We have no solution to this yet).

One more thought for the infancy stage. Teach all family members and friends to respect Baby’s space. A baby who has not been “desensitized” will laugh hysterically at a gentle spider finger motion up the tummy, a goofy face or a gentle kissy toes. There is no reason to disrupt your baby’s serenity and space by vigorous tickling, grabbing and sharp movement. Experts have indicated such actions might actually stunt a baby’s ability to communicate eventually with words.

Toddlers (age 18 months – 2 1/2 years)

This is the time to build a foundation for your future relationship with your child. You are the teacher and your child the student. Think about what that means for you and what you would like it to mean. It can’t be stressed enough the importance of connecting with your child at this stage. So many parents look through their 2 year-old instead of looking at him. Talk to your toddler, not at her. Get down to the child’s level, talk and listen. Make eye contact and wait for and encourage a response before speaking again. Make it your goal to develop a relationship with your toddler with which you are comfortable and that brings you joy. Out of this newly established relationship, train your toddler to be obedient. The time goes by fast so now is the time to start.

Preschool (age 2 1/2 years – 5 years)

This is the perfect time to jump start your child’s education. What you can teach your child now will give your child a headstart that will stay with him/her throughout the entire educational process. While ultra fine motor skills are out of the question at this stage, there are so many other things to learn. Use your own creativity. A little bit of thought and a few art supplies will go a long way. Does your child recognize the letters of the alphabet, the colors and shapes? Can your child count? If yes to all, does your child know that letters talk and what the letters say? Get your child his/her own desk and ask what he/she would like to learn today. Stop teaching before your preschooler gets tired of learning. This way you will help foster a love of learning instead of a dislike for learning which can be difficult to overcome.

Chelsea Allan is owner of By Way of the Family, a discount supplier of homeschool curricula and Catholic children's books. To place an order visit the website at www.bywayofthefamily.com. To receive a catalog send an email to chelsea@bywayofthefamily.com or call 1-800-588-2589. By Way of the Family has walk-in store hours Monday- Saturday 9 – 5 and is located at 1090 Payne Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55101.

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