Innies and Outies

Before you go checking belly buttons... We're going to talk a little about different personality types in gifted children. If your child is an extrovert, there is no mistaking it. They are the outspoken, busy butterflies, who flutter from topic to topic hardly pausing for a breath. An introvert on the other hand, prefers to sit back and observe it all, quietly drawing conclusions from all that unfolds before them.

Extrovert, gifted children can be exhausting at times. They overflow with worries, ideas, joys, questions, and fears. No thought or feeling is too small that it shouldn't be vocalized and thoroughly explored. As inundating as this bombardment may feel to the parent, I suspect it is equally as overwhelming to a young, gifted extrovert who may not understand how to deal with the variety of emotions that they are feeling.

On the other hand, a gifted introvert may hold much of this information inside. This may alleviate the overwhelmed parent, but likely not the child. Considering the depth of emotions and feelings that gifted children deal with, this may not be the healthiest scenario for an introvert. Take some time to talk with your child about their feelings. Encourage them to share their feelings with you and applaud them as they grow and learn how to work through their emotions successfully.