Nurturing a gift

I wonder how some of the world’s best known geniuses were when they were children. I also wonder what their parents fed them. Was Goethe, German, who had an IQ of 210, a truant when he was a kid? Or did Newton who had 190, climb guava trees during summer?

Leonardo da Vinci had an IQ of 185; Voltaire, 190; Garry Kasparov, 190; Galileo Galilei, 185; Descartes, 180; Immanuel Kant, 175; Plato, 170; Charles Darwin, 165; Mozart, 165; Albert Einstein, 160; Beethoven, 165 and Handel, 170. They are among the few geniuses of the world.

Every parent, I know, would love to have a bright kid. And every mother would love to provide the best for his child. But having a gifted child can be quite puzzling for parents. While many hope their children would become great artists, musicians, scientists or athletes, knowing just what it takes to raise a gifted child is often a source of confusion and much concern.

According to research from www.teachersandfamilies.com, spotting the gift is often the first challenge among parents. Academic testing usually provides a definite answer, but discovering your child’s gift can begin with simply observing his strengths and abilities in the little comments he makes about things he saw on TV or overheard in a conversation between adults. Giftedness can also be seen in his questions and responses to the thoughts and feelings of others.

When spotting the gift, it helps to look for talent in a wide range of contexts, including the most casual comments or questions. Even a very young person’s simple gesture can speak volumes.

When you see signs of a gift, how do you help nurture it?

Experts points to the 3 Ps as the secret behind giftedness: Parents’ genes, Proper care and Proper nutrition. Genetic traits may provide a starting point for the gift, but it will take much love, patience, support and encouragement as well as a stimulating environment to nurture it to fullness.

Nurturing that seed of greatness and adjusting to your child’s advanced abilities are your next challenges. To help you provide the right care for your gifted little one, here are a few do’s and don’ts:

When reading, do ask your child to compare or contrast characters or themes in the story to encourage critical thinking.

Do choose a common household object and ask, "How do you think this could be improved?" or "What else can this be used for?"

Do try reading part of a story to them and stop before the end. Ask them to create an original ending.

Do ask your child to explain a preference he or she has. For example, "Why do you like peanut butter better than strawberry jam?"

Do involve them in as many hands-on activities as possible. Allow them to experiment. This helps them understand abstract concepts and how they apply in the real world.

Don’t confuse intellectual ability with emotional maturity. The gifted child may have an incredible vocabulary, but he is still a child and should be allowed to behave as one.

Don’t discourage questions. There will be lots of them, so be ready with references by checking the library and online resources.

Don’t expect perfection, but do set high expectations. Gifted children need a good challenge, but they are also particularly disappointed by failure. Allow your child to fail, for much learning can result from this experience. Encourage him to take risks, even if this means a less than ideal outcome. And remember to always be there to congratulate him when he succeeds and comfort him when he doesn’t.

Finally, do remember that a child’s first years of life are essential to developing his gift. Do give him proper nutrition. Without it, brain development and cognitive functioning are impaired. This has an impact on his ability to learn.

When your child turns one year old, he will need proper nutrition found in Promil Kid. It contains LNA and LA, Zinc and five nucleotides that help in brain development and increase learning capacity.

When he turns three, give him Promil Pre-School, a ProGifted formula with energy giving nutrients, Vitamin A and iron to help fuel his busy days of school and play.

Always remember it is your responsibility as parents to spot and nurture your child’s gift. By providing proper care and proper nourishment from Wyeth’s ProGifted Formulas, you can help your little one reach his full potential.