How to Discover Your Child’s Unique Gifts

I’m not sure which is harder to believe: The fact that Christmas is right around the corner, or that the school year is nearly half over.

My boys, Trent and Troy, are ready for Christmas break. They’re hanging in there with school, but they’ll need some encouragement to get through the final stretch until summer.

Until then, there’s a lot of studying and homework to do, which can be stressful on students and parents alike. If you’re feeling the mid-year crunch, I think our radio program today and tomorrow will be a big help to you.

We’ll be talking about how to identify and understand how your kids best learn. That one factor can make the difference between a school year filled with conflict and frustration, and one of peace as you work with your children’s learning styles.

You may have already noticed that not every child is good at math or history. Not every child likes to read or has a stellar memory. That’s largely because, like their personality traits, children have unique styles of intelligence.

Our guest over the next couple of programs, Dr. Kathy Koch, will walk us through each intelligence style and explain how knowing these learning strategies will free you and your children from the usual struggles you experience over school.

Word smart refers to children who think with words. They’ll often talk out loud to themselves or write ideas down in order to process and organize information.
People smart are those who think through ideas in the company of other people. They like to talk to others and share what they know. They brainstorm and network.
Logic smart is found in people who love to make sense of the world. They process information by asking questions. They’re usually interested in math and science and love to discover new ideas.
Picture smart is a trait in children who tend to be more imaginative and creative. They’ll gravitate toward art, fiction, or history because things come alive in their mind. They may even need to doodle while listening in order to pay attention.
Music smart is found in those who naturally think with rhythms and melodies. Music is their energy. They’re often tapping their toes or drumming their fingers even though no music is playing.
Body smart people think better when they’re moving and active rather than sitting in one spot for an extended period of time.
Nature smart are the kids who think in terms of patterns. They have the specific ability to see, recognize, and remember patterns. An example is remembering the difference between a bluebird and a blue jay because the blue is either on the bird’s body or wings.
Self-smart people think deeply inside of themselves through reflection. They relish quiet, peace, and privacy.

As you’ll hear from our discussion, every child is smart. It’s just not always recognized or developed in the specific ways schools educate and test.

Kids need to know they’re smart, and in what ways, or they’ll never feel they’re capable of striving for and achieving everything God has planned for them in their lives.

I hope you’ll tune in today and tomorrow for “Intelligence: Discovering Your Child’s Unique Gifts” on your local radio station, anytime online, or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.