Gifted Children in the Real World

Gifted Behavior Sensitivity; empathy for others; desire to be accepted by others	How Others May See It Too sensitive to criticism or peer rejection Strong need for recognition Different and alienated
Diverse interests and abilities; versatility	Scattered and disorganized Easily frustrated over lack of time May expect competence in all areas
High expectations for self and others	Perfectionistic Rigid Nothing is ever “good enough” Continuously disappointed or discouraged
Thinks critically; is self-critical and evaluates others	Critical or intolerant toward others Easily discouraged or depressed Disappointed in others’ behavior
Enjoys organizing things and people into structure and order; seeks to systematize	Constructs complicated rules or systems Bossy, rude or domineering Rigid
Love of truth, equity and fair play	Difficulty in being practical Excessive worry Humanitarian concerns
Can see cause-effect relations	Refusal to accept feelings, traditions, or matters to be taken on faith Oppositional Questioning of authority
Seems "too serious" for a child of their age	Inappropriately concerned about "adult" issues like morality, ethics, and philosophy
Adapted from Webb, J.T. & DeVries, A.R. (1998). Gifted parent groups: The SENG model. Arizona: Gifted Psychology Press, Inc.

Gifted Behavior