How do I know if my child is gifted?
I have a question about my 6 year old Son. We have been thinking he is gifted for about a year or so. His preschool teacher last year had some concerns about him being a perfectionist and how he wouldn't try to sound out and spell words himself, but would help other children sound them out and spell them. He also, would draw pictures and keep erasing them over and over and say how "bad" they look..
Also, he has major obsessions that worry me.
He is obsessed with freshwater fish and Baseball. They are not "normal" obsessions. He will be out by the pond the ENTIRE day fishing, talking about fish, drawing pictures of fish, writing down their weights and how long they are etc. He gets VERY frustrated and upset if he wants to talk to us about fish and we aren't as excited as HE thinks we should be. Honestly, I'm not sure I could ever be excited enough to make him happy. It's very exhausting. If he catches a fish he is very concerned with it's well being. He also says to me often that he doesn't think I'm as excited as I should be about the fish he caught... He stays up most of the night talking to me about his obsessions, about fish he caught when he was 4 etc..
Also, he is super sensitive, bursting in to tears at the smallest things. If he and his sister get in to a fight about something small he automatically acts as if the world is ending and he cries. He always seems frustrated with things especially if he is trying to get us to understand something he is saying... He is very compassionate toward animals and bugs. If there is a fly in the house he won't let anyone hurt it he catches it and takes it outside.
That's really just the beginning.
He is very critical of people who don't do things the way he thinks they should. He criticizes his friends when they play baseball and he is also very critical of me when I play catch with him... He is very hard on himself as well saying things like "I'm the worst kid in the world"
He is very in to number and math, but doesn't have much of an interest in reading yet..
If I ask him to practice writing his name he tells me that he "already knows how and doesn't want to" but if I get the math flash cards out he is so excited to do them. He is getting ready to start Kindergarten this month and I'm worried about how this year will go and if in fact he is gifted how will he do...
Giftedness runs in my family. My Dad and my Niece are both gifted. I guess my main question is if he sounds gifted or if there is something else going on.
Thank you for your time.:confused: