Is school too easy for my child?

If your child is getting excellent grades and quickly mastering new concepts, you may have a little genius on your hands. If you think school is too easy for them, here’s what you can do.

• Talk to them. Gifted children tend to get bored in class because they feel that the standard learning pace is sluggish. This irritates many of them, and they’re likely to let you know if you ask them about it.

• Talk to their teachers. They’ll notice both your child’s academic performance and any signs of boredom they may be exhibiting. Teachers may also be able to provide more difficult assignments to keep your child engaged.

• Talk to a professional. A psychologist or neuropsychologist can help determine just how gifted your child is, notably by measuring their intelligence quotient (IQ). They can also help you come up with a plan of action regarding your child’s education.

Gifted children who aren’t challenged can lose motivation and become uninterested. That’s why acting early and coming up with a schooling strategy that works for them is key.

Keep in mind that not all gifted children are high achievers. Psychologists suspect that many aren’t identified because they go directly to the uninterested phase and sometimes get misdiagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).