Having lost my high pitches in my voice for over a year, I can tell you that not being able to make the sounds you used to make when you’re doing everything exactly as you have before is extremely distressing! But that’s not the type of voice we’re going to talk about today. Our “voice” is the characteristics usually present when one speaks or writes. If you’ve followed our blog long, you can recognize each of our different “voices.” Kay notes changes in education and children over the years. Bria speaks to the student. And I talk to the parents. Kay’s writing seeks to warn, Bria seeks to educate, and I seek to instruct.  

    Whether you actually write or publically speak or not, you have a “voice.” Even silence is a “voice.”

     Parents, it is important that you help your gifted kid develop a gracious voice. So many gifted kids have been told that people just don’t understand them because they are so smart, and they’ve been giving permission to talk down to people. I guarantee you that it’s not because other people don’t understand your child. People know when they’re being talked down to - even kids know it - and they ostracize kids who do it. They also avoid walking “fountains of knowledge.” No one wants to sit and listen to all your child has learned on Discovery Channel that week. When you allow your child to tell you every detail, you are signaling your child that other children will find this knowledge valuable. Nothing could be further from the truth.

   Teach your child to know his audience. Long discussions of what he finds amazing should be saved for someone who enjoys that topic as much as he. Most people at school and work, though, like small talk. If you teach your gifted child how to make small talk, I guarantee that people will be more open to listening when he/she writes or publicly speaks on a broader topic. The voice behind the writing or speech will be more empathetic to the listeners, and your child will have had practice with keeping audiences engaged. 

        Michelle