Customer Reviews

Keys to Parenting the Gifted Child (Barron's Parenting Keys)

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This book focuses more on extremely gifted children. It did a good job of covering the many different aspects of giftedness but didn't get very deep into any of them. I don't think it's a bad book but it didn't really help me much with raising my gifted son.

I checked this book out from the library, and am very glad I did not invest. I am searching for help in raising two twice-exceptional kids. For that purpose, this book is useless. However, I doubt this book would be all that helpful to those without learning disabilities.

The chapter devoted to disability spends two pages differentiating between "dependence" and "disability," then tosses out a couple paragraphs about dealing with dependence, but nothing on dealing with disabilities. The author devotes no more than a sentence in which to name several types of disbilities, but doesn't even bother to define the terms. She then spends the rest of the chapter trying to convince me not to medicate for ADHD -- which my kids don't have.

I jumped around a little trying to find something of value, but was continually disappointed. The chapter on two parent families describes the situation as an affliction to be overcome (she contends that the adults naturally compete to appear as the "better parent.")

Her chapter about social skills opens by saying that first you must stop using the word "shy" when describing the child. She then proceeds to use the term "shy child" throughout the rest of the chapter.

This book is going back to the library!

"Keys to Parenting the Gifted Child" (3rd ed., 2007) is a very comprehensive guide for families with gifted children. Author Sylvia Rimm, Ph.D., explains how to have your child evaluated, select a school (whether it's preschool or elementary), encourage a love of reading, teach good homework habits, communicate with your child's teacher, and more. She also answers questions such as: Should my child be allowed to skip a grade? Should I homeschool my child? How do I encourage my gifted child if he or she has a disability? Rimm also addresses family issues related to having a gifted child, such as parenting with a united front, sibling rivalry and single parenting. This book answers the questions that parents have so they can "unlock the potential" of their very bright children.