| Gifted and talented education for young children is | | | | "silly" or "to be more realistic"; |
| sometimes difficult for parents to source. We may | | | | - Prepare children for new experiences, and help |
| have tendencies as parents to believe our children are | | | | develop creative ways of dealing with them; |
| "extremely clever", but what if we get the feeling they | | | | - Avoid making comparisons with other children. This |
| may be "gifted"? | | | | can add pressure on a child to conform in a particular |
| Parents can start gifted and talented education at | | | | way. Foster creativity by encouraging individuality and |
| home today. Follow these tips: | | | | self expression. Manners are important however, so |
| - Encourage your child's creativity as much as possible! | | | | these should always be encouraged; |
| It is natural for a young child to want dance, sing, play | | | | - Find ways of changing disruptive behavior into |
| make- believe, tell stories and manipulate objects. While | | | | constructive, productive behavior. This is a much more |
| this can be tiresome at times, try not to squash | | | | efficient method than relying on punitive conformity; |
| enthusiasm too much by restricting noise and | | | | - Draw on what your child's preschool provides |
| adventure. If it is within reason and safe, encourage | | | | imaginatively, and supplement the preschool's efforts; |
| their exploratory instincts; | | | | - Finally - always try to answer those inquiring and |
| - Recognize and praise curiosity, exploration, | | | | sometimes consistent questions your child asks. This is |
| experimentation, fantasy, questioning, testing, and the | | | | how they learn and how they can turn their gained |
| development of creative talents; | | | | knowledge into more creative ideas. Parents often ask |
| - Promote the idea with your children that there are | | | | how they can identify whether their child is really gifted |
| many ways to achieve the same outcome and not | | | | or not. This requires some investigation techniques by |
| always "one right way". Help them to think outside the | | | | parents and educators. Brainy Bambino provides some |
| square and try new ways; | | | | guidelines and checklists to help parents get started |
| - Encourage your child's inventive urges by going along | | | | and offers ideas on how to foster their child's |
| with their flights of fantasy, show that you're amazed | | | | exceptional abilities. |
| and interested by their idea. Never label their ideas as | | | | |