Gifted or not?

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has an interesting blog this morning:

Everyone thinks their kid is gifted
Parenting.com weighs in on the gifted debate: "Gifted" has become one of the most overused -- and misused -- words in the parenting lexicon: According to a Parenting.com poll of over 1,000 moms, nearly 70% believe their child is gifted, when in fact only between 2 and 5 percent of kids actually fit the gifted bill. Parenting debunks several common myths surrounding giftedness and shows moms how to bring out the best in their kids at every age. -- Parenting.com, Is Your Child Gifted?

It makes me think of the Jeff Foxworthy quote: "Every parent thinks their child is the smartest kid in the world. My sister thinks her child is the smartest kid in the world because he can go outside, point up to the sky and say 'air-pane, air-pane.' I said 'Well hell, the kid's 14 years old.'"

Anyway, I take umbrage at this story. And I don’t just say this because of subjectivity. I swear, I have video of Sterling when he was just 15 months old putting away those stacking cups and comprehensively and analytically thinking about the sizes and adapting what he was doing until they were all put away inside themselves. It was amazing. If you don't believe me, I've put the video below. He’s gifted. Doesn't mean he doesn't act like a 4 year old sometimes. But he's gifted.

Also, almost a year ago, we went to the library and got a dinosaur book because he liked stomping around like T-Rex and growling. Like boys do. But most boys know a handful of dinosaurs: T-rex, triceratops, etc. Anyway, I said “Sterling, look at this birdy dinosaur.” He said “That’s not a birdy dinosaur, that’s a parasauralophus.”

OK.

And then there’s Hyrum who eats, sleeps, and likes bonking his head on the ground.

See, I know the difference between gifted and not gifted. Hyrum, if he has a gift, it’s free entertainment for everyone else!!!

I know the difference.