So, I'm not expert on the matter, but as I have mentioned before, Ryne seems to be a little "advanced" in some areas. He is now completing an entire ABC puzzle (26 pieces, obviously), although he has two pieces that cause him trouble at first so he sometimes saves them for last! I will say that the reasons, I think, he has trouble with those pieces are that they are the same color and shaped similarly to other pieces. Ryne has mastered every toddler puzzle in the house and the ABC puzzle is for 3+ years! I am amazed! I wouldn't have even opened it for him, except he saw it and wanted it opened. I had no idea he'd be able to master in such a short time.
Anywho, I Googled "being good at puzzles" or something similar and several "gifted" websites were listed, so I decided to check them out. One listed early signs of giftedness in children, and my jaw dropped. "Nail on head" were the only words I could say! I felt like I was reading a checklist that very accurately described Ryne, except for a few of the signs for older children and things that he has not really been exposed to.
It was comforting to know that some of the issues we have with Ryne, are early signs of giftedness, and not psychosis! High activity level was one of them. I know I tell people my child is high energy, and most people say that all toddlers are, which is true. Then they meet Ryne, and they are blown away (almost literally because he runs by so quickly!). He's non-stop, which is one thing that surprised me about his puzzle skills. It requires being in one place for a certain amount of time. Even when Ryne is sitting, he is moving - squirming, tapping his foot, shaking a leg, etc.).
Another sign was "seems to require less sleep". If you've read my posts before, you know my child hardly sleeps! Tuesday night, Ryne didn't go to sleep until about 10:30 pm and woke up at 5:30 am Wednesday morning! He took an hour and fifteen minute nap on Wednesday and didn't go to bed until 11pm Wednesday night! I love spending time with my little guy, but whoa, that's too much! That's a lot of time to keep him stimulated/entertained!
Over the past few weeks, I thought Ryne was saying "I want ba ba," but the "I" sounded weak, so I didn't give it much consideration. However, now, the "I" is more pronounced and he uses it in other phrases. He started using two-word phrases at 12 months and now 3-word phrases at 16 1/2 months. That's almost a complete sentence! He seems to have the concept of possession down pretty well. He says and understands "my", "I" and now "mine" or "mine mine mine."
He also has started understanding other concepts. When he wakes up in the morning, he usually walks around looking for Adam, saying "Dadda, Dadda." I tell him that Dadda is at work and Ryne says "bye bye Dadda Dadda." Interestingly, Ryne has hardly ever seen Adam leave for work because Adam leaves at 6:30 am and Ryne is usually not up by then.
He has great problem solving skills. I remember when Ryne was about 6 months old, he was obsessed with his spoon. I set it down on the tray of his highchair at the front edge so he couldn't get it. He grabbed the burpcloth that I had sitting on the tray and held onto one end and threw the other end at the spoon, to drag it towards him. Earlier this summer, while at my parents' house, Ryne wanted a spice out of the pantry, but couldn't reach it so he grabbed the wok lid from a shelf, put it down on the floor and stood on the top, so he could reach the spice jar he wanted. His newest (and dangerous) problem solving (timeout causing) trick is climbing on the tv console. Why is that problem solving? Well, Ryne likes to push the button on the TV to turn it on and off - all day long. So I call him down every time he stands in that corner where the button is. So now, he goes to the other side of the TV console and climbs up onto it and across to try to push the button...although he gets caught and goes to timeout before he can push the button and sometimes before he actually climb up on the console. Find a way or make a way - that's his motto!
There are some other things that Ryne does or has done that were on the checklist, but this would be a lengthy blog! I'm so excited and comforted to know that Ryne's not some wild child, who derives energy from the devil, and might just be a little "gifted". However, we may have new challenges to face and I don't know what to do! Gifted children often have discipline trouble and issues with depression and such, if not handled appropriately. That's the last thing I want! Ryne has his 18 month well check in January, where I will most definitely talk to his pediatrician about his little gift, but in the mean time, I don't know really what to do. I've read that they need to be intellectually stimulated - if they are completing advanced puzzles then give them more advanced puzzles, etc. However, I don't want to rob him of a childhood. I want Ryne to be happy, which he seems to be. I'd rather he continue to have a warm personality than be able to recite the ABCs forwards and backwards by the age of 2. However, with all the little fits he throws and clinginess, I wonder if he isn't bored out of his mind and need more stimulation. I feel like I'm walking a tight rope and waiting a month and a half to talk to Dr. P seems like forever. I mean, the child completed a puzzle for a 3 year old in just a matter of days - a month and a half is a long time to wait if he should be learning more or challenged more!
If any of you have raised a gifted child and have advice, PLEASE let me know. I know our parent's are good sources, but there is so much more known about giftedness in infants and toddlers now than there was twenty and thirty years ago.
