Understanding Giftedness

The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) believes that fostering gifted children goes beyond providing quality programmes. It involves supporting them in various aspects, which include the provision of emotional counselling, teacher workshops, and parent courses. These initiatives help parents and teachers create favourable learning conditions and facilitate the healthy growth of gifted children, allowing their potential to thrive.

Parents play a crucial role in shaping their gifted children's personality. From daily routines to social activities, parents profoundly influence their development. While encouragement and opportunities to showcase gifted children’s strengths are essential, parents are instrumental in providing them. So, how can parents effectively interact with their gifted child?

Further Reading: Dispelling the 5 Common Myths about Giftedness
Further Reading: Nurturing the Emotional and Social Development of Gifted Students: Affective Education

Parenting Guidelines for Gifted Children (1)：Behaviour and Discipline

• Teach self-discipline.
• Establish well-defined standards of discipline and conduct, do not give in because your children are gifted.
• Follow up with consequences for misbehaviour.

Parenting Guidelines for Gifted Children (2)：Encouragement and Appreciation

• Value gifted children for who they are, not just what they can do.
• Appreciate and accept their non-academic abilities.
• Avoid humiliating or mocking your children.

Further Reading:  Nurturing Gifted Students: How do Parents Get Along with Their Gifted Children?
Related information:  Parent Education Programme／Workshop／Other Support

Parenting Guidelines for Gifted Children (3)： Communication

• Enhance your knowledge in gifted education through books and workshops.
• Find ways to stay calm when angry, and be willing to apologise.
• Understand how your children feel, give them choices, and respect their wishes.
• Stay firm and reject unreasonable requests from children, avoid scolding.
• Value the opinions of your children.

Parenting Guidelines for Gifted Children (4)：Emotional Needs and Support

• Support your children even if the goals and dreams they would like to pursue are different from your expectations.
• Encourage them by telling them that you are proud to be their parents; don’t just show your appreciation because of their academic performance.
• Expect and allow “ups” and “downs”.
• Help your children learn to manage stress or tension.
  • Allow play time.
  • Teach them how to express their emotions using a diverse vocabulary.
  • Provide timely and objective descriptions of your children's facial expressions, behaviours, and actions to enhance their self-awareness of their own state.
  • Reflect your children's feelings in a timely manner to enhance their awareness of their own emotional responses.
  • Rehearse and prepare with them before they have to enter a new situation.
  • Encourage your children to express negative emotions through writing and drawing.
  • Regularly schedule quality time together to share experiences and thoughts with your children, fostering mutual understanding.
• Parents should develop their own interests, do not let family life overly revolve around your gifted children.
• Allow your children to enjoy being alone sometimes.
• Provide opportunities for the gifted to make friends with those who have similar interests and abilities.
• Teach your children to think optimistically: analyse and solve problems from different perspectives.

  
  

Further Reading:  Nurturing the Potential of Gifted Students (Part 1): Academic Potential - Mathematics, Chinese, Science, High-level Intelligence
Further Reading:  Nurturing the Potential of Gifted Students (Part 2): Non-academic Potential - Visual and Performing Arts, Leadership, Physical Fitness

As mentioned earlier, parents should seek different avenues to understand their gifted children better. To address this, the HKAGE offers courses for parents, providing them with systematic information on nurturing their gifted children. We also encourage parents of gifted children to connect with one another, sharing parenting experiences and offering support.

The Academy prioritises the overall well-being of gifted children and acknowledges the challenges parents face in managing their gifted children’s emotional fluctuations. That's why we have set up the Consultation and Assessment Centre with clinical psychologists who provide professional counselling services to gifted students and their parents, promoting their mental and physical health. This allows parents to accompany their gifted children's growth and witness the full expression of their talents.

To join the Training Programme for Parents of Gifted Children, or to learn more about HKAGE and gifted education, please feel free to follow our social media accounts.

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