Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe - a moment that never was and will never be again.
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Does your child see the world through a different lens than most children his or her age? Are you or your child sometimes overwhelmed with these emotions? Click on the heart buried within the flower to see how your child fits into Dabrwoski's Overexcitable Theory or read more about this on the link to the Davidson Institute below. Davidson Institute addresses the question: Emotionally immature or emotionally intense? As a parent of gifted children, we are faced with these meltdowns regularly. I can't say that they are ever any more pleasant, but they do become more manageable as we teach our children how to deal with their overwhelming emotions and respect them ourselves. At the 2012 annual SENG conference held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this year, a powerful statment reached out and embraced me: "Never punish a meltdown." This phrase has helped me put perspective on the emotional intensity in our household. I feel more in control and able to guide my kids rather than be the bitter enforcer. The difference between a tantrum and a meltdown is that in a tantrum the child is actually in control and trying to manipulate to get something he wants, but in a meltdown, the child is overwhelmed with emotions and is not able to navigate himself out of the storm. A big moment for me as a parent was the day that my son told his pre-school class that he lived on a dandelion farm. He didn't, of course. Truth be told, he lived in an old city farmhouse on a quarter acre weedy lot full of dandelions. I was beside myself that summer. The weeds in the yard took on a life of their own. I mowed nearly everyday to keep the neighbors from complaining, but my son saw the dandelions as a beautiful farm. He nurtured his dandelions and blew seeds all over to keep them coming back. He carried pride in his bouquets of dandelions. Now, as he grows older, I believe that his interests and passions may take him in a direction that I have not yet known and I have to trust and believe that he has the vision to create the unimaginable. As parents and teachers, we help children best when we listen. I would love to hear your feedback on times someone has listened to your call or times when you've noticed your own child's call. |
AuthorI am a gifted advocate and private consultant for individual gifted children and families. Archives
November 2012
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