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Giving gifted children a safe environment to flourish
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Science City- Union Station- Kansas City
For ideas and creativity to flourish, there must be a safe place feel accepted, admired, and adored. Children need a psychologically and emotionally safe environment to grow into their best selves, to feel secure about sharing their thoughts and feelings. What are some elements of a psychologically-safe environment, a safe haven from the world?
Sometimes gifted children can be frustrating, seem hyper-active, and prone to perfectionism. Here are some ideas for keeping perspective.
Keep it to yourself. Don’t call it like it is. Such “honesty” may be based in opinion, not the facts. Other people may see a child or situation in a better light. Give children the benefit of the doubt.
Be patient. Don’t set a child's character in stone. Growth and change is life-long and constant. When it comes to a child's behavior, nothing is permanent. It is not the end of the world. Change is slow, and sometimes children don't "get it" until they move out on their own. So relax. Parenting takes repetition, repetition, repetition.
Stay positive. Don’t criticize or label the child. Such name-calling negativity is demeaning, saps hope, de-motivates people, and sets up a self-fulfilling prophecy in the wrong direction. It rarely changes someone for the better, if ever.
There’s always hope. Don’t act hopeless and disappointed. Often people try all sorts of things to manipulate others into doing what they want. But these often backfire and produce the opposite results. Don’t act like it’s the end of the world when children make mistakes.
Let go of the shame game. Don’t tell a child that she is embarrassing herself. Maybe the parent is the embarrassed one, and maybe that’s because of his biased viewpoint. Give her credit for making the effort and taking the risk to try.
Appreciate the little things. Don’t treat a child like his efforts were a waste of everyone’s time. Notice what’s good and right in a situation instead of what is perceived to be wrong. Accentuate the positive. No one will ever be perfect, and something good can be found in most situations.
Parents can mistakenly focus on negative things with their children. It’s natural to want to correct their wrongs, but this tends to be demotivating, not inspiring, to children. And then parents wonder why they’re not getting results.
The bottom line: it doesn't matter how the child makes the parent feel; it only matters how the parent makes the child feel.
Here's an idea to creatively stimulate a child's mind and imagination this summer:
Science City- One of the best kid attractions in Kansas City that is also educational is Science City in Union Station. Right now Science City is featuring the wonder and science of Narnia!
“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition is at Union Station this summer until August 23rd. Children will be able to step through the wardrobe and into the wintry world of Narnia where in the midst of summer, they’ll feel the snow on their face and experience the chill of the witch’s ice throne first-hand.
Based on the C.S. Lewis classic books and Disney blockbuster movies, the exhibition includes more than 150 original costumes, set dressings and props from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, as well as newly created educational hands-on activities and videos.”
Located inside Union Station at 30 W. Pershing Rd., Kansas City. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Call 816-460-2020 or go to http://www.sciencecity.com/ for ticket packages and pricing.
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