优蜜视频

As a mother of two young men, now 18 and 21, much of our family life has been spent in the car traveling to ice hockey games while moving around the world with the U.S. Navy. When my sons were younger, they rode in the passenger seat beside me; in recent years, we鈥檝e traded places as they learned to drive. That shift in perspective has given me time to reflect on what truly matters when parenting intense, intelligent, independent, stubborn, and creative individuals. It was an honor to lead two workshops for gifted/2e parents, summarized below.

In April, we launched a two-part workshop series for gifted/2e families. The first session () focused on the school-related challenges gifted/2e families face and how to advocate without burning bridges.

Outside of school, our children seek challenge, but may shrink back when the going gets tough because they don鈥檛 want to fall short of their own high expectations. Their internal drive for excellence can be highly motivating, but the pressure of seeking perfection can cause them to unravel with performance anxiety. Some parents may also experience shame or stigma around their underachieving children鈥攖he ones who work on their passions with singular focus but absolutely will not do homework or end up with 36 missing assignments in middle or high school.

School systems generally operate from a compliance framework and may use subtle coercion to get children to cooperate, even if the work is not challenging for them (鈥渟how what you know鈥� or 鈥渟how your work鈥�). For sensitive children, navigating this system daily can be very stressful. And even for clever parents, it is very challenging (perhaps impossible) to shift a large system toward a mastery mindset where every child is offered a chance to grow. Thus, parents of gifted/2e children need a framework that will support them in the endurance race of diplomatic advocacy and augmentation each school year.

Here is the framework presented in the first workshop:

1. Authority 鈥� Parents have more authority than they realize; research your federal, state, and local regulations, as well as your school鈥檚 handbook.
2. Approach 鈥� Prepare to collaborate assertively by being conscious of the energy you bring, using open-ended questions, and adopting a 鈥渨e鈥� versus 鈥渕e鈥� approach.
3. Ask 鈥� Ask for data before school meetings so that you can enter with context and align the adults (parents and teachers) toward a shared goal: the child鈥檚 growth.
4. Augment 鈥� Organize experiences that build on your child鈥檚 natural curiosities, extend learning, and connect them with adults living out their own passions.
5. Autonomy 鈥� Recognizing this strong need among many gifted/2e children can help foster internal motivation鈥攖he holy grail of human flourishing鈥攆rom an early age.

Please reach out (alli@trainmyaim.com) with questions or comments after you watch the workshop. I am eager to hear what you found useful and what insights emerged after applying the strategies offered. Your feedback helps me support other parents as effectively as possible. Thank you!