Melissa Hasan believes that Conceptual Physics saved her sanity. A seemingly unimportant metallurgical fact she learned in high school has made parenting her toddler possible on most days. The most important thing she learned in High School from Conceptual Physics, and Interpersonal Relationships was that what is rigid breaks. In high school, she…

Many parents are in search of ways to best encourage their gifted children in the arts. As arts programs receive less financial and administrative support from the public school systems, parents are seeking additional resources. This article will provide a beginning point for parents to support artistic development for gifted children, based upon…

Giftedness can generate speculation, misconceptions, expectations, pride, innuendo, apprehension, puzzlement--and the list goes on. What does it mean to be a gifted learner? In this installment of the series "ABCs of Being Smart," the author grapples with the term gifted, giving a glimpse into giftedness, along with some general guidelines for…

Even very young children can show an interest in the humanities. Although they may not be pursuing degrees in the arts or languages, they often pursue answers to profound questions about human existence in casual conversation. Supporting a young child in his or her quest to discover more about these questions may lead to new insights for parents,…

It may sound trite but it is nevertheless true that a person needs "health" and "happiness" in order to thrive. In this article, the author looks at what contributes to children's well-being (of body and mind), so as to enable them to flourish. She encourages readers to think about what they can do to encourage kids to be health-conscious and to…

In this article, the author shares the story about her son who has advanced intellectual ability and how she used science to motivate him. She says for advanced learners, the study of science encourages them to ask those deep questions without feeling as though they are out of step with their peers. Parents can support their children's natural…

Many intellectually gifted children have equally compassionately gifted hearts. They care deeply about the well-being of others around them and throughout the world. These caring children innately live the guiding principle of brotherhood and interdependence among all life. They worry for themselves, and they worry for others. Some days they…

In this, and in upcoming issues of "Parenting for High Potential," the author will take a creative approach as she focuses on ways to encourage and support gifted-level development. One letter at a time, she will share understandings and ideas for parents and teachers. In this article, she presents an A list to help parents become more…

Raising gifted children is a challenge, a big challenge. Often a dichotomy of emotions, gifted children can shift from happy and engaging, to angry and explosive, to sullen and withdrawn--all in a matter of minutes. Their behavioral extremes can often cause frustration and confusion in the strongest of parents. But why are these seemingly adept…

In this article, the author describes her experience with her daughter, Grace, who always had an interest in art. She states that being the parent of a child who has talent in an area that is not one's own can be daunting. Here, she stresses the importance of understanding the unique developmental path of each child. Some students show their…