Tips for Parents: Perfectionism and the Profoundly Gifted Child

There is a continuum of definitions and values for being perfectionistic. Some are encouraging and inspire. Some are situation based, meaning that one person places more value on a project than does another. In our discussion, we focus on learning ways to help our children counter the self-defeating aspects of inappropriate, unrealistic high expectations they impose on themselves that often result in refusing to participate and devastation.

As parents, our behavior models are the most potent teaching. What we are speaks so loudly, they can't hear what we say. What we do imprints our children the same way they learn to speak our language. So with any of these ideas, the most viable way to integrate them into your children's practice is to demonstrate the optimum behaviors and attitudes. This means that you say your thought processing out loud. Let them hear you mentally thinking through a project step-by-step.

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Copyright © 2002 by The Davidson Institute for Talent Development.

This article is provided as a service of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a 501(c)3 nonprofit operating foundation, which nurtures and supports profoundly intelligent young people and to provide opportunities for them to develop their talents and to make a positive difference. For more information, please visit http://www.davidson-institute.org, or call (775) 852-3483.