It has become unfashionable to admit to having gifted children.  Elitist, even. Instead we hear, “All children are gifted.” And, “It all evens out by third grade.” However, some children grasp new things more quickly, read earlier, learn immense qualities of information on their own and come into the school setting with a thoroughly inappropriate background.  There are children who ruminate on the world’s problems long before they have the skills to cope with their resulting feelings.  There are children who feel things more deeply than others or who feel the emotions of others as though they were their own.  Parents of these children often do not realize how different their children are from their peers and how difficult it can be for them to cope in a society that not only does not cater to their needs, but does not acknowledge their needs.  What is a parent to do?  Come join the discussion! (And learn what buffalo have to do with raising gifted children!)

Newenka DuMont is the parent of two highly gifted teens, with more needs than your average buffalo.  These needs led her to creating a parent advocacy group in her community, to working with the advocacy and parenting affiliate groups of IAGC, organizing several “Take Your Gifted Kids to Springfield Days,” leading guided reading groups using the SENG model, taking on the role as Illinois SENG Liaison and speaking at both the IAGC annual convention and various gifted parent groups in northern Illinois.