I have a smart baby

The more time I spend around other people the more that I realize that Addy doesn't do things that other babies her age do. She has been sitting confidently for months now and has been pulling up on things for several weeks. She tries to stand without holding anything and can for several seconds now. She walks around the room holding onto different furniture and buckets I have everywhere for this specific purpose. She feeds herself with a spoon. She is only 6 1/2 months old.

I didn't think it was too out of the norm but everywhere we go people say things like "How old is she?" (my response) "That is amazing." "She is a super baby." "My baby didn't do that until x months"

Why am I saying all of this?

My husband, of course, is brilliant. Not just anyone has their MS from a top tier university at the age of 23, not everyone wakes up thinking of neat ways to determine if a number is divisible by 13. A great thing about Mitch is that he knows he is brilliant and has no problem telling people that he is when they ask "So are you like smart or something?" (you would be surprised how often that exact question is asked)

Adelaide (8 weeks) at Mitchell's Carnegie Mellon graduation with his professor

I also have accomplished a lot academically. I started college at 16 and graduate a month and a half after I turned 20 with my BS in Mathematics with a 4.0 and highest honors for my thesis on the Fibonacci Numbers. I, on the other hand, have a lot of trouble saying "yes" to the above stated question. I tend to say things like "I suppose so," or something along those lines. Not that I don't realize I am bright but I guess I don't really know what to do with that information.

For much of Mitchell's early education he was heavily challenged and encouraged due in large part to his mother's great advocacy for him. Teachers recognized his great potential and found ways to encourage him, like a field trip in kindergarten to dissect a sheep's eye and a middle school teacher having him memorize 50+ digits of pi.

My parents both worked in public education and trusted the system that, for the most part, worked very well (my sister and I were at a wonderful elementary school.) When I got bored in class, though, I tended to act out by talking, being loud, or goofy. My teachers must not have found that very endearing. I didn't receive much of the same encouragement that Mitchell did. I, instead, got a lot of "sit still and be quiet" or "your card is on yellow for the third time this week" or "don't correct me during the lesson, come see me after class." I rebelled against almost every teacher that I ever had (including writing up a petition against the art teacher for her unfair grading rubric and wearing my hair in crazy ways to perturb her on purpose) My grades never suffered but even during our Gifted and Talented class time I was always bored.

It wasn't until 8th grade that I even realized that I was bright and not just a little bright but actually pretty darn bright. I had two teachers that year call me out and challenge me to greatness beyond the goals that I had set for myself and what other teachers had expected of me.

        *my sister was much cuter and sweeter and didn't have any of the same goofing off issues; our school and teachers were great for her!*

All this to say that I don't want Adelaide to go through what I did and with more and more schools getting away from what the individual students need and heading towards teaching "the tests" (I am not blaming teachers I am blaming the system that is put in place by the government officials and interns that have no idea what the classrooms really look like) I know that I am going to have to be her biggest, first, and loudest advocate.

Adelaide's 1st Library book "Black on White" by Tara Hoban

I have already started compiling all kinds of things to challenge my little smartie pants, now and into the future. We go to the library every Monday and are excited that our new house is within walking distance. I started a bookmark tab on my computer of fun, age-appropriate kids games (mensaforkids.org and pbskids.org) I am making plans for the room that will be our "homeschool/enrichment" room. I am reading books on raising high IQ kids. I am researching different homeschool curriculum because even if we decide to put her in a public school she will need a lot of enrichment.

The 4th bedroom in our new home that will be the office/homeschool/enrichment room

Adelaide exploring her world by playing on a pot with one of her favorite toys, a flashlight

The biggest thing that I am learning is that gifted kids aren't just faster normal kids. Gifted kids are fundamentally different from the way they think and process to the way they develop and interact with others.

Cultural enrichment: Adelaide's 1st Pow Wow. Cherokee princess

I have a really hard time saying, "Yes I am smart," "Yes, my daughter is quite advanced." I don't know if it is all those Bible lessons on humility or what. I need to remember that this is not an issue of pride but rather one of speaking the truth to myself and to Adelaide.

 I hope this didn't come across as pompous. It is so important for parents to be their children's education advocate whether their child is profoundly advanced, advanced, average, below average, special needs, learning disabled or any combination of the above.