1. If your child has not been tested for Gifted classes, consider getting them tested to see if they qualify for a Gifted program at their school. An IQ score of 130 at the majority of schools in Hillsborough County is considered the entrance score for a Gifted program.
2. If you already know your child’s IQ score, do not spend enormous amounts of time focusing on their IQ score. For some children, learning they have a higher IQ score than most of their peers can be very anxiety-provoking. So, be careful not to focus often on their IQ.
3. Remind your child of their other strengths. A child with a higher IQ score may do exceptionally well in school, but they may also be really good at other things, like music, art, sports, etc. Discussing other strengths allows your child to be mindful about the range of their abilities.
4. Utilize resources to help you and your child. A great book is ” Raising a Gifted Child: A Parenting Success Handbook” by Carol Fertig or check out the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) website at http://www.nagc.org/
5. In Florida, there is a handbook for parents of children who are gifted at: http://www.fldoe.org/ESE/pdf/p-gifted.pdf
For further questions, be sure to contact your child’s school to see what they may offer. Schools begin Gifted education at different grades (for instance, some schools at 1st grade and other schools at 3rd grade).
Good luck!