5 Frustrating Signs Your Child Is Highly Intelligent, According To A High Intelligence Coach
These traits may annoy you sometimes, but they're indicators of high intelligence.
Alexander Dummer | Pexels Every parent will tell you that there are times when one of their kids gets this gleam in their eye, which means, regardless of the rules and the consequences, they are going to go their own way, so to speak. While frustrating in the moment, these behaviors are not only normal and an important part of development but, in some cases, even a sign that your child is truly gifted.
According to high-intelligence coach Katarina Esko, there are five key signs that super-smart children exhibit that are frustrating to the adults around them. However, knowing these signs will help you look at the bigger picture rather than your immediate irritation.
Here are 5 frustrating signs your child is highly intelligent, according to a high intelligence coach:
1. They have strong emotions
If you notice that your child is much more emotional than their peers, it could be an indicator of high intelligence. According to Psychology Today, gifted children's social-emotional development mirrors their intellectual development, meaning they are as sensitive as they are smart and will have intense feelings.
silvianrivademar | Canva Pro
"Highly intelligent people typically have really strong emotions already in childhood," Esko wrote on TikTok. "These emotions can be so intense that the people surrounding the child, like the parents, might not be able to handle them."
2. They are very strong-willed
These highly intelligent children are very intent on doing things their way. They don't want to engage in activities that go against what they want but will show enthusiasm for participating in things they do want to do. As Esko put it, "They just want to do what they want to do. This might be misinterpreted as defiant or anti-social behavior."
3. They have a strong sense and need for equality
These children do not respond well to being told they can't do things simply because they are kids. They want to be treated as equal to adults, so if they see they are treated differently for no good reason, they're going to be upset. "They do not like being underestimated by adults, and they easily lose respect for adults who do underestimate them," Esko explained.
4. They don't want to follow any unreasonable rules
Intelligent children will likely question authority when they find something unreasonable. This has a tendency to annoy adults since they want children to oblige to their requests without question.
Digitalskillet | Canva Pro
According to the Davidson Institute, gifted children will perceive others' rules as illogical or irrational and believe the world should operate by their own rules, which they believe make much more sense. If you want these children to follow the rules you set, you will have to explain why they need to be followed.
5. They have very specific interests that may change quickly
"Highly intelligent children want to use their intelligence, and one of the ways to do that is to learn new things," Esko wrote. "They usually want to go really deep into some subject, and they don't really care if no one else is learning about it." They will cycle through different subjects and hobbies and will learn as much as they can about them until they become bored and move on to the next thing that interests them.
Clinal Psychologist Dr. Gale Post said, “Gifted children thrive on challenge, the spark of invention, and the joy of progressing quickly — motivating them to persist and delve deeper." They want to be challenged by the activities they are doing to the fullest extent and will move on to the next thing when that desire is not fulfilled.
Sahlah Syeda is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.