How to I set reasonable expectations for an 8-year-old child when they can read like a college student, argue like an attorney, throw temper tantrums like a 2-year-old, and can’t ever remember where their jacket is?  The development of gifted children is asynchronous – their intellectual, academic, physical, social and emotional development don’t line up with each other and the differences can be frustrating for the child as well as for teachers and family members. Gifted children can think, feel and experience the world with an intensity that can be exhausting. When your mind can conceive of a story that is as long as a novel, but you are still trying to remember how to hold your pencil and write letters, writing can be frustrating. When you can intellectually understand the ramifications of a natural disaster or worry about climate change but emotionally aren’t ready for that burden, it can be challenging. In this session, we will explore the intensities and the asynchronous development of gifted children, and what they mean for the adults who support and love them.   

Speaker:  Sandi Wollum, Seabury head of school