Is Your Kid a Genius?

Creative genius is a form of genius. I know the term does get thrown around pretty readily these days but in its truest form, it really is something special. And we all have moments of creative genius, even if our every day interactions aren't exactly indicative of this. 

 I have often wondered myself about many of the very talented children I have interacted with in my studio for the past 9 years. Are they true geniuses? And how do you really tell? 

I received a message recently about an article that I thought readers might be interested in. So I am re-blogging this interesting article about signs of genius in children. Obviously I am not a child development specialist so if you are really interested in finding out about your child, I definitely recommend visiting someone who is qualified to help assess your little one. 

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POSTED FROM 

http://www.aupair.org/blog/10-ways-to-see-if-your-kid-really-is-a-genius/
 

(Thank you Suzanne Cullen!)

Your child learned to read at an early age, breezed through flash cards and mastered the multiplication tables. You wonder, is she gifted? Possibly even genius level? Well, there are a number of ways to know for certain just how sharp your little whiz-kid really is. We’re going to share some with you – ten ways to see if your kid really is a genius:

1. It’s in the genes. – To an extent at least, you can get a sense of a baby’s intellectual capacity from her parents. Are you and/or your spouse of genius level intelligence? Gifted parents will tend to have gifted children.
2. Verbal benchmarks. – If your child began talking before the age of one year, she is very likely gifted, possibly genius level, which is a score of 140 or more on a standard IQ test, by the way. There is really no more significance to the label than that, something to keep in mind.
3. IQ testing – Results can vary, as do the forms of testing depending on where they are taken and who is administering them. An IQ exam will test a wide range of skills and aptitude. Experts suggest testing a child’s IQ between the ages of 4 and 9 years old.
4. Child Development Specialist – A good place to start if you really wish to rate your child’s level of giftedness is with one of these professionals. They can administer the appropriate tests, and identify indicators that are common among gifted children.
5. Vocabulary – A gifted child will not only learn to read and speak at an early age, but also demonstrate command of an extensive vocabulary for their age. Reading will be a strong habit for a gifted child, and she will be able to incorporate newly learned words into her vocabulary quite readily.
6. At ease with adults. – It is common for gifted children to be able to interact easily with adults. Their interests and conversational skills will be considerably more advanced than those of average child their age.
7. Reasoning/Logic – A highly developed power of abstract thought and reasoning is another common trait among gifted children. They will typically be able to conceptualize subjects and ideas that are too complex for an average child to comprehend.
8. Creativity/Imagination – A creative mind and vivid imagination are two hallmarks of a gifted child’s mind. The ability to “think outside the box” really is a sign of a gifted mind.
9. Memory – An excellent memory, particularly the ability to retain information and learn skills with minimal repetition, is a strong indicator for giftedness. A child with an exceptionally good memory will absorb knowledge much more quickly than a child with average intelligence.
10. Cognitive Skills – Early indicators include being very inquisitive and attentive to one’s environment. Gifted babies will recognize their caregivers, and be very responsive to stimuli like voices, smiles, etc.

If your child exhibits some or most of these attributes described above, then she quite possibly could be a gifted child. Gifts come in all shapes and sizes, however, so do not be disappointed if your child’s IQ is not as high as you would wish. There is more to life than just book-learning, after all.

11 Traits of Highly Creative People

I was reading some creativity blog sites recently and came across this very insightful blog post on www.copyblogger.com written by Dean Rieck who is a highly creative and successful direct marketing copywriter. He basically outlines and describes eleven traits shared by highly creative people. Being not only a creative person but someone who also works with creative people all day every day, I found this information interesting and figured I would share the basic points. As a creative person, or someone who knows a creative person, feel free to fill in your own insights as to examples of how these apply in real life. 
I think if more people had insight into creative people and how a creative brain works, the world would be much more interesting..... Now on to the eleven traits of highly creative people:

1. Have the COURAGE to try new things and risk failure.
2. Use INTUITION as well as logic to make decisions and produce ideas.
3. Like to PLAY, since humor and fun are the ultimate creative act.
4. Are EXPRESSIVE and willing to share what they feel and think, to be themselves.
5. Can FIND ORDER in confusion and discover hidden meaning in information.
6. Are MOTIVATED BY A TASK rather than by external rewards.
7. Have a need to FIND SOLUTIONS to challenging problems.
8. Will CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS and ask hard questions to discover what is real.
9. Can MAKE CONNECTIONS between old ideas to produce new insights.
10. Will PUSH THE ENVELOPE in order to expand the boundaries of what is possible.
11. Are willing to TEST new ideas and compete with others based on results.