What are your child's emotional and social needs? How do I address them?

Dr. Ruf often tells parent audiences that when her own gifted children started school, she couldn’t even understand why people kept making comments like, “But what about his social (or emotional) needs?” Eventually she realized that although appropriate pacing and depth of curriculum is very important to how well bright children do in school, it is being a part of a true peer group—not just children the same age—but people who can truly understand you and enjoy you the way you are.

The feedback from her Ruf Estimates™ of Levels of Gifted Online Assessment includes explanations and facts about social and emotional development among the gifted. Numerous resources—books, websites, professionals and organizations for more information and help—are listed to help you consider this part of your child’s educational journey. Healthy social development takes place when bright children are learning with others who are equally challenged, stimulated, and capable of learning the material. An IQ estimate based on early behaviors, interests and milestones helps us predict how soon different children will be ‘ready’ for such instruction and pace.