A Usenet persona calling itself BCITORGB wrote:

Scott asserts (likely not based on experience):
===================
The problem with "gifted" children tends to be that their
parents, in their zeal to advance their child's intellect,
unconsciously
isolate their gifted children from their peers, usually by focusing on
academics to the exclusion of socialization.

Kids simply do not grow up to be socially isolated all by themselves,
it
takes parental complicity.
==================

First, I don't think you know the difference between "bright" and
"gifted". I have two daughters: one is bright (very right) and the
other is gifted. There's a *huge* difference. Being gifted is, in a
manner of speaking, a disability.

No, it's a gift and a challenge.


Gifted kids view the world through different lenses and their
classmates' impression of them is very similar to their impression of
the child with other cognitive disabilities. In a small elementary
school, both groups of kids are very much alone.

Then the fault lies with the school and the parents involved.

As KMAN points out, kids need peer groups and friends who will invite
them to birthday parties and the like. I can assure you, the
socialization difficulties my daughter had at elementary school had
nothing to do with her parents.

I would expect you to say so. Realize, however, that it may not be so.

Her difficulties were those of a
disabled child.

Nobody said that growing up was easy. That's no reason to isolate anyone,
however.

Once she was in high school, she found like-minded
students. Now that she's at university, she's got a wide social circle.
It's more about having peers that one can relate to than it is about
anything the parent do or do not do.

It's up to you to find her peers if necessary.


--
Regards,
Scott Weiser

"I love the Internet, I no longer have to depend on
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© 2005 Scott Weiser