Does anyone really need to be reminded that goals count? I doubt it. So, I’m going to speak specifically to gifted kids and goal setting. Gifted people like to stand out. We like to be praised for the “above-and-beyond” nature of our work. The problem is that we genuinely think we can accomplish at that level in all of our endeavors. You see the problem, right? I work a thousand hours a week, but I actually used to be worse! When I first started teaching, I wanted to show that I was the best teacher anyone anywhere had ever seen. I organized district-wide bike races, wrote and produced dinner theaters, at which my kids also cooked and served dinners, and made sure I was the most requested teacher at my school. It wasn’t till my pregnancy with Bria, when I had to back off for her and my health, that I realized that it takes very little to stand out as impressive! 

   The key is to know how much is enough. You as the parent need to be the voice of experience for your child. You need to remind him/her to “live.” They have all their lives to be busy all the time. They should enjoy the freedom of being young and not responsible for so much.

   If your child believes that he/she must be the most impressive student any college has ever seen, please correct him/her now. It doesn’t work that way. It is smarter to concentrate on what your child already does that is impressive, as opposed to trying to be impressive in every single area of life. 

   By definition, your gifted child is impressive. Polish his/her speaking, writing, leadership, and community service areas, and colleges will notice.

                         -Michelle