Gifted kids & social skills
Adults know that the development of social skills is crucial for children, but many gifted children struggle to feel a sense of belonging at school or get frustrated and feel alone when other kids their age don’t seem to get them. As a former Seabury student said, “There are more people who get me and who I can be myself with in my class of 10 at Seabury than there were in the 90 kids in my grade level at my previous school.” The things gifted kids need to support their social growth can be counterintuitive, leading well-meaning adults to put them in situations that hinder their growth rather than supporting it.
In the article below, Dr. Linda Silverman, founder of the Gifted Development Center and expert in how gifted children grow and develop, reviews what we know about what they need to develop their social skills and a positive sense of themselves.