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Bored Gifted Child
By Inderbir Kaur Sandhu, Ph.D
Q: My child was tested last school year using RIAS in Kindergarten at age 5 yrs 10 months. Her scores were in the 99.99% with a Composite Intelligence Index of >160. Her school is wonderful but only offer the Gifted program one day a week/per grade level. She is in the 1st grade now but often complains that school is boring and that she "already knows everything". Her teacher mentioned that perhaps I should look into skipping a grade but that is not something I am interested in pursuing at this time. We do her regular home work and I supplement with work from educational websites from higher grade levels. She doesn't like spending all that time doing homework each day and I almost feel like I'm punishing her for being gifted.
Do you have any suggestions for keeping my child interested in going to school? And should I be giving her all this extra work at home? Is it really beneficial? Help!
A: If your child keeps complaining about boredom at school, she is obviously not being stimulated and you are definitely holding her back. Having a gifted programme one day in a week almost sounds like being cruel to a gifted child! Giving her all the extra work at home especially advanced level work and keeping her at grade level work in school is certainly punished this child. Wait for some time and she will burn out from unchallenging and less stimulating work. And then, other problems will arise.
Please allow her for acceleration. A grade higher is not going to damage her; rather keeping her in a dull classroom will damage her in time to come. Speak to the school and express your concerns for acceleration. Support her needs at school and get the school to match her abilities with her learning needs.
Please do not wait much longer. Act as soon as you can. Wishing you all the best in parenting this special child.
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