Is my baby gifted?

bigheadgirl

My baby boy is now 20 month and today is the 1st time he goes to playgroup.
When we arrived the playgroup centre, there were a lot of babies playing toys.  My boy chose one and played himself (he always likes to play by himself).  Then the time was up and the teacher asked to tidy up and took my boy's toy.  My boy then cried and wanted the toy back.  I told him it's time to play other things and he just didn't listen and then he wanted to leave.  He took me to the exit and told me he wanted his shoes.  I did not pay attention to him and he tried to put on his shoes by himself and wanted to go (he could choose correctly his shoes among more than 50 shoes).  During the one and a half hour, he did not join any function and did not look at the teacher nor other babies but just wanted to leave.  When it's time for snack, he sat properly and ate.  But after the snack, he stood up immediatey and took me to the exit again.  Then it's time for 'making little stuff' by babies themselves.  He just stood up and did not sit with others.  The teacher then took him to a corner and let him do the job himself.  He was OK then.  The teacher then told me that she suspected him a gifted child but she had to observe for some more time (she studied child psychology).
I have read some of bk's mum's messages.  They said their babies are very smart. A 2 year old kid can read A-Z or count 1-100.  My baby is not that smart but he's very very energetic.  He'll never stop when he's awake, not even when he's sick.  He doesn't know to speak a lot of words but he seems understand everything we said.  He'll automatically turn the TV off everytime when we are going out.  He doesn't like to watch cartoon or child rythems but the news report and the financial news.  He especially likes the financial news.  This is the only thing can make him sit still.  He has an extremely good sense of direction.  He shows all this even when he's six month old.  He doesn't like to play 'normal' toys but likes the door locks, cans and tins etc.   He doesn't like to play with peers but likes adults or older children.  When he cannot get the thing he wants, he will just leave and does not want that anymore (just like this morning, he insisted to leave since he could not get the toy).  This actually happened when he's about 1 year old.  I remembered he could not get his toy and wanted to leave the play area and did not ask to go there for more than 2 weeks!  
So what can I do now?  Any suggestions?  Thanks a  lot.

淋雨

係唔係資優,都當佢係資優咁教。
但要注意的是,ｉｑ高的小朋友也同時有機會有自閉症、過度活躍症或讀寫障礙等，當然也有許多資優孩子是十分正常的。到五歲時,做測試咪知囉!但如果孩子的情況令你十分苦惱，請教專家給予意見也是恰當的。

bigheadgirl

淋雨, thanks very much for your opinion.
'係唔係資優,都當佢係資優咁教。'  You are right.  No matter he's gifted or not, he's still my beloved baby.

Anyway, thanks.

BBparade

我睇完你既故仔﹐就覺得好似睇緊自己個仔既野。佢今年兩歲﹐A-Z 佢基本上己經識晒。又係一去到PLAYGROUND 只會走﹐唔會玩﹐又唔係咁鍾意睇卡通片。日日常生活既野﹐佢都﹐﹐如出街著鞋﹐入屋除鞋﹐讀書自己開燈﹐瞓覺自己燈燈等。佢好活潑﹐基本上係唔停個隻。佢又係唔講太多野 。但係我又唔覺得佢GIFTED ﹐可能我眼見或聽到既所謂GIFTED CHILDREN﹐係有特大分別和出色。

bigheadgirl

Thanks for your sharing, BBparade.  

Actually, I have never thought of gifted child at all.  I just thought my boy is very active and maybe a bit smart.  Sometimes, I am so frustated with his behaviour.  And I thought he's just naughty.  But after the teacher of the playgroup said she suspected him a gifted child, I searched on the internet and found that my boy possesses many of the characteristics.  I did not mean that he's confirmed gifted and actually I don't want that at all.  I was a teacher and I know there might be 'problematic behaviours' associated with gifted child.  I'd rather my boy be a healthy and normal boy.

Anyway, it'll be too early to say whether he's gifted or not.  He's just my beloved baby.

Sindy

佢地有無話有d course啱你仔仔上?跟進下佢?

bigheadgirl 寫道:
Thanks for your sharing, BBparade.  

Actually, I have never thought of gifted child at all.  I just thought my boy is very active and maybe a bit smart.  Sometimes, I am so frustated with his behaviour.  And I thought he's just naughty.  But after the teacher of the playgroup said she suspected him a gifted child, I searched on the internet and found that my boy possesses many of the characteristics.  I did not mean that he's confirmed gifted and actually I don't want that at all.  I was a teacher and I know there might be 'problematic behaviours' associated with gifted child.  I'd rather my boy be a healthy and normal boy.

Anyway, it'll be too early to say whether he's gifted or not.  He's just my beloved baby.

bigheadgirl

Because it's just the first lesson, the teacher said it'd be better to see what happens after a few more lessons.  If he's highly suspected gifted, some assessments have to be done.   Actually, the teacher suspected him because of his behaviour.  He doesn't like to play with peer group but with adults or older children.   He's absolutely fine when he's only with me in the corner.  Besides, he's vulnerable to social rejection.  When the teacher took the toys, he did not want to stay there anymore and asked to leave.  He insisted that for the whole lesson (more than 1 and a half hour).  So let's see what happens in next lesson.

BBparade

my son was not willing to stay longer than 10 mins in the plyagroup when he's 20 months old , if I insisted to stay ,he would keep walking around the class or tryin' to reach the switch. That's why I didn't take him there anymore (too much hassels).  Even now , he doesn't play with other kids very often and will get tired of staying in the playground very fast ( He will go to the front gate and open it himself or just go back to his stroller).
There's nothing wrong with he wants to stay away from other kids, because he's still very young , doesn't know how to socialize with other kids and feels safe with parents,according to the ped.
In my case, my son is totally fine with stangers even if I'm not being around him since he's born. just doesn't want to socialize with them and plays on his own.

To be honest, in my opinion, it's too early to tell if he has a behavior problems at his age. Anyway, I don't think my son is anti-social. he is just not ready to do it ...

Well, there is nothing to worry about as long as he's healthy and happy.

Good Luck !!!

Sindy

其實可以返去健康院問下d姑娘.....佢地見既細路仔多...所以好有經驗架啦...............

ERICHAU

'Intelligence is a skill that must be taught since children discover by experience not only what to think but how to think. It is the parents who have to do most of that essential teaching.', by David Lewis.
'There is no way this process can be switched off or responsibility for providing the vital lessons avoided. Your child's busy brain acquires knowledge, and the ability to make use of that knowledge, during every walking moment and probably during sleep as well. He learns not only from what adults say and do but from all those things they refrain from saying and doing; from attitudes they keep to themselves just as much as from those openly expressed. The infant learns from indifference as well as affection. He learns when rejected as well as when deeply loved. He learns from neglect and he learns from devotion.'

bigheadgirl

Thanks for all the opinions and sharings.

My baby will go to the playgroup lesson tomorrow morning.  Just see what happens.  But I don't think he'd like it since these few days (after the 1st playgroup lesson), everyday when we pass by the clubhouse (the venue of the playgroup), he'd 'pull' me and walked very fast and not willing to go there anymore.  Anyway, just see what happens tomorrow.

bigheadgirl

This morning was the 2nd lesson.  Same as last lesson, he insisted to leave from the beginning till the end.  Even when I entered the clubhouse, he pulled me out and wanted to go.  No playing with other kids but played the door, opening and closing many times.  When he's bored with the door he's playing, he just went to other rooms outside the venue.  The teacher then told me that some of the gifted children like a certain kind of thing and this is just controlled by his brain.  He's to satisfy this 'want'.  And the teacher said as long as he's safe, let him do it.  Actually I found my boy likes all those 'mechanic' things.  When he goes to a new place, he'll find those things to play, such as the door, the lock, the escalator, the lift etc.  He's not tired of playing all these.  Sometimes it's so annoying.  When we go out for dinner, he will just cry not entering the restaurant as he wants to take the lift near the restaurant.  Even when he's only been to a place once, he'll know exactly when the lift or the escalator is.

Well, the teacher said maybe I can read some books about gifted children which may give me some hints how to teach my boy.  Any good suggestion?