What are your gifts?

I was at Chick Fil A recently and while eating my food I overheard 2 mothers talking about their children. They were commenting how their children were "gifted" and one made the comment how schools are cutting those programs but they dont cut the "Special Needs" programs and thats not fair. I wanted to jump in and say something but I didnt.

While they have a point, they also dont see the picture. Special Needs children need more help. They need one on one, smaller classrooms, extra materials, etc. Gifted children excel, they dont need the extra help. They need attention but not help. Cutting Gifted may not be fair but it does not deny the child help as it does with Special Needs. SN would possibly have to go to another school if one cut it out or the school might have to leave the child in a normal setting but with a helper.

What exactly makes someone gifted anyway? These mothers said their preschoolers were doing 1st and 2nd grade work. A friend of mine has a grandchild who is in 2nd grade but reading at 6th grade. Myself, I have a 6yr old doing 2nd grade......are any of our children truly gifted then? Are we just on parr and we feel by society they are gifted? Does it even matter in the end?

There was a man in my graduating class. Jared. He has NEVER missed a day of school. He was in Enrichment classes, even in grade school. Everyone wanted to be on his team when we grouped up and everyone wanted to cheat off his homework. He was valedictorian. He went on to the Military. Now where is this gifted man? He is still in the Military. Nope, not a CEO. Not a famous novelist or scientist.

Being SN or Gifted doesnt make you who you are.