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Kite Kid Mama

Kite Kid Mama

Rising above the obstacles of giftedness

Neurodiversity has many paths some intersect
clinicians, educators, parents

Neurodiversity is tricky

Nov 25, 2020
how to help teachers during the pandemic
educators, parents

How to support teachers during the pandemic

Aug 15, 2020
Shirts that convey love, inclusion and a growth mindset
clinicians, educators

Shirts that convey love, inclusion and a growth mindset

Aug 6, 2020
Like any group of individuals who are outside the norm, myths and stereotypes abound when it comes to “gifted” children. what do educators need to know about these kiddos? Here’s what they wish you knew.
educators

What “gifted” students wish their teachers knew

Jul 31, 2020
We're relocating & need to find a new school. Why building social-emotional competencies are what I’m looking at first, even though my oldest is “gifted.”
educators, parents

Navigating school choice when a child is neurodiverse

Jun 19, 2020
educators, parents

What kids can learn from big societal challenges

Jun 14, 2020
How educators can leverage their distance-teaching skills during School Breaks
educators

School Break side job: virtual teaching

May 26, 2020
What has Leah Kuypers learned since publishing her top-selling curriculum? Watch her live-stream presentation for best practices & common misconceptions.
clinicians, educators, parents

Zones of Regulation creator Leah Kuypers to share best practices June 26

May 8, 2020
clinicians, educators, parents

Why we should never forget the emotions that accompanied COVID-19

Apr 23, 2020
Free webinars that take social-emotional learning (SEL) to the the next level
clinicians, educators, parents

Take social-emotional learning to the next level

Apr 8, 2020
Ways to express all of our COVID19-related emotions
clinicians, educators, parents

Ways to express all of our COVID19-related emotions

Apr 3, 2020
online learning for bright and quirky kids
parents

Online learning for bright & quirky kids

Apr 1, 2020
online learning for adults
Ideas to inspire

Enrichment for grown-ups

Mar 26, 2020
distance learning for kids and you
educators, parents

Remote learning & enrichment ideas for kids

Mar 25, 2020
parents

Topics & featured experts for the 2020 Bright & Quirky Online Summit (March 12-16)

Feb 25, 2020
clinicians, educators

A great way to compare points of view & build social competencies

Feb 8, 2020
extroverts with social anxiety can be difficult to understand
clinicians, educators, parents

How to navigate social anxiety in kids who are extroverts

Jan 26, 2020
when an extroverted child develops social anxiety
clinicians, educators, parents

When an outgoing child develops social anxiety

Jan 25, 2020
demystifying executive-function deficits
clinicians, educators, parents

Demystifying executive functions: what they are & how to teach them

Jan 24, 2020
Ways to show your class spirit on Valentine's Day
educators

Ways to nurture students’ hearts & minds on Valentine’s Day

Jan 11, 2020
signs of anxiety
clinicians, educators, parents

Common, but often overlooked, signs of an anxiety disorder

Dec 16, 2019
Four lessons that Frozen 2 conveys beautifully
clinicians, educators, parents

Four messages that Frozen 2 conveys beautifully

Dec 1, 2019
ideas for teacher gifts
educators, parents

Teacher gift ideas

Nov 30, 2019
Gifts for Potter Heads
Ideas to inspire

Need gift ideas for a Harry Potter fan?

Nov 29, 2019
Why it's essential to remember a “gifted” child’s true age
clinicians, educators, parents

Why it’s essential to remember a “gifted” child’s true age

Nov 26, 2019
gifts for space enthusiasts
Ideas to inspire

Awesome ways to teach kids about space

Nov 17, 2019
clinicians, educators, parents

Social considerations of imaginational intensity

Nov 12, 2019
Christmas gift ideas
Ideas to inspire

Gift ideas

Nov 9, 2019
school counseling friendship groups
clinicians, educators, parents

Counseling friendship groups don’t help when there’s undetected neurodiversity

Oct 16, 2019
17 ways to celebrate World Space Week
educators, parents

Ways to celebrate World Space Week (Oct. 4-10)

Oct 2, 2019
Bid-on-me jars for your school's silent auction
educators, parents

Silent auction themes for young bidders

Sep 15, 2019
Have a smart child who struggles? Don't miss Bright & Quirky's 2019 Smart but Struggling Student series for incredible insights, tools & strategies.
parents

Smart but Struggling Student masters series by Bright & Quirky

Sep 11, 2019
Learn about executive function skills
educators

Executive-function deficits can plague any student

Sep 6, 2019
Free bookmarks for your students
educators

Insights for teachers + free bookmarks for students

Sep 5, 2019
Fat Brain Toys’ 2019 Kidventor contest; deadline is Sept. 29
parents

Fat Brain Toys’ 2019 Kidventor contest: deadline is Sept. 29

Aug 31, 2019
Cool science experiments on the Little Passports blog | Kite Kid Mama
educators, parents

Cool experiments on the Little Passports blog

Aug 27, 2019
Teaching kids self-regulation for social-emotional success. Free webinar with Social Thinking founder Michelle Garcia Winner, SLP.
clinicians, educators, parents

Teaching kids self-regulation for social-emotional success (free Aug. 28 webinar)

Aug 21, 2019
Is he bright, but disorganized? This Aug. 25-28 free online summit can help.
clinicians, educators, parents

Aug. 23-25 free online summit re: major pain point for kite kids

Aug 20, 2019
A cozy, woodland-themed classroom students will love
educators

A cozy, woodland classroom students will love

Aug 16, 2019
How to encourage student questions (and still get through your lesson plan)
educators

How to encourage student curiosity (and complete your lesson)

Aug 10, 2019
Ways to get class donations
educators

How to let parents know what you need this school year

Aug 5, 2019
20% of kids face internal challenges most adults don’t recognize or understand. As a result, they’re harder to coach. Here's why & what helps. | Kite Kid Mama
educators, parents

How to harness the strengths of differently-wired athletes

Aug 2, 2019
Don’t give up. You can find answers – and help your child succeed. | Kite Kid Mama
parents

The difference a year can make

Jul 31, 2019
How to build trust with your students
educators

An easy way to get tremendous insights about your students

Jul 31, 2019
Don't make kids' gifts a competitionCan’t we all just accept what makes each kid unique? Let’s stop turning this into a competition – or worse yet, an excuse to mock or exclude someone. | Kite Kid Mama
educators, parents

Don’t make kids’ “gifts” a competition

Jul 20, 2019
The danger of making generalizations about parents | Kite Kid Mama
clinicians, educators, parents

Why parents of neurodiverse kids hate this meme

Jul 15, 2019
How to create winning parent-teacher dynamics that set students up for success | Kite Kid Mama
educators, parents

A game plan for great parent-teacher relationships

Jul 10, 2019
Teachers, not sure why one of your smart students is struggling? It may be due to a type of neurodiversity. Here are 20 traits & behaviors that are indicators. | Kite Kid Mama
educators

Why some smart students struggle + two freebies

Jul 3, 2019
Even the anti-bullying mom mocked gifted kids & their families | Kite Kid Mama
Uncategorized

When an anti-bullying mom mocked gifted kids & their families

Jul 2, 2019
The Problem with Potential - Kids don’t have to succeed all the time; they should have opportunities to explore & fail, too. | Kite Kid Mama
clinicians, educators, parents

The problem with “potential”

Jun 27, 2019
Summer can suck for kids who are bullied & excluded. On June 20, after another VBS camper tried to punch my son, was the day I said “no more.” Here’s what I’ve learned since then. | Kite Kid Mama
clinicians, educators, parents

The day I said “no more”

Jun 20, 2019
There’s more to giftedness than concert halls and I.Q. scores. It’s a true type of neurodiversity that affects the whole child – and it isn’t always pretty | Kite Kid Mama
clinicians, educators, parents

Understanding the gifted child’s brain

Jun 19, 2019
When you work with young kids on a daily basis, your books quickly become more “loved” than those in a public library! Here are some suggested books (with positive messages) if your reading materials are falling apart. | Kite Kid Mama
clinicians, educators

Kids’ books falling apart? Here are ideas if it’s time to replenish.

Jun 12, 2019
Gifted kids are often misdiagnosed disorders they don’t have. In many cases, this is due to lack of familiarity with common traits that are linked to their uneven brain development & “super-sensitivities.” | Kite Kid Mama
clinicians

Gifted kids misdiagnosed with disorders they don’t have

Jun 11, 2019
Most general-education teachers don’t feel equipped to meet outlier students’ needs | Kite Kid Mama
educators

Most teachers don’t feel equipped to meet outliers’ needs

Jun 6, 2019
Are the sacrifices worth it?
clinicians, educators, parents

Is this worth it? Remembering my why.

May 11, 2019
Building "social knowledge” can be far more complex that most people realize.
clinicians, educators, parents

How to help kids build “social smarts”

May 10, 2019
clinicians, educators, parents

The struggles (& strengths) of twice-exceptional kids

Apr 22, 2019
parents

Camps that are a great fit

Apr 18, 2019
parents

BrickUniverse delivers

Apr 17, 2019
educators, parents

Improving class lists

Apr 13, 2019
parents

The best youth coach email ever written

Mar 6, 2019
educators, parents

My interview with children’s author Peter H. Reynolds

Feb 13, 2019
clinicians, educators, parents

How to help gifted kids who struggle socially

Jan 21, 2019
clinicians, educators, parents

Some bullies have nice parents

Jan 19, 2019
clinicians, educators, parents

Possible clues I missed

Jan 17, 2019
educators, parents

Why my child was the class clown, even though kids didn’t “get” his humor

Jan 17, 2019
clinicians, educators, parents

“Peer” can have various meanings, especially for kite kids

Jan 17, 2019
clinicians, educators, parents

Out of nowhere, and yet, everywhere

Jan 17, 2019
Ideas to inspire

Some of my favorite finds on Etsy

Aug 9, 2020

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Meet Patti

Meet Patti

Thanks for stopping by. I created this site after learning why my son had been bullied & excluded since age five. It took three years to find out – mostly because of long-standing myths. That's far too long, so now I'm on a mission to help others. I explain what "the G word" is &, just as important, what it isn't. With the help of many experts, you'll also see tips for navigating this type of neurodiversity. Join me as I share what I'm learning.


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Neurodiversity has many paths – and some interse Neurodiversity has many paths – and some intersect. We're trying to navigate this with our daughter right now. 🚗 ⁣ . ⁣ Does she have ADD and/or an anxiety disorder? Or is she just gifted? Sometimes it's hard to tell. 🤔 ⁣ . ⁣ My new blog article explains more about her traits and struggles, what various teachers have said, and what the next step will be. 🕵️‍♀️ ⁣ .⁣ To read it, click on "All of My Blog Articles" in my Instagram bio. 🖱
Anyone else have (or know) a kid who is kind of ro Anyone else have (or know) a kid who is kind of robotic when it comes to social exchanges? 😅 For a long time, I didn't realize how much it applied to my son because he also jokes a lot. Then one evening, when he was a 4th grader, I heard how he interacted with our neighbor when the doorbell rang. 🚪 He simply opened the door, said, "I'm eating dinner," and stood there waiting for the other boy to reply. 😳 ⁣ .⁣ No, "Nice to see you," or "We're eating dinner, but I can come out in 10 minutes." He didn't even say, "Hi." 😬 ⁣ .⁣ Thank goodness I had warned the boy's mom, when they moved in next door, that my kiddo can be 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 literal and that can come across as rude sometimes, even though he truly doesn't mean it that way. 🤗 ⁣ .⁣ In parenting my son, I've had to coach him much more than the average child on pleasantries – and the reason for having them. (In some cases, he truly hasn't understood why they're necessary.) 🤔 And no, it isn't because he's on the spectrum. He's been tested. 🔍 ⁣ .⁣ This coaching can be tricky, too, because of the social anxiety he began developing in kindergarten. (As with any skill, when panic shows up, the ability to remember – and think through – "rules" goes right out the window.) 💨 ⁣ .⁣ Our work on pleasantries is essential, though. Especially if my extroverted little engineer is going to get better at developing the friendships (and mere acceptance) he craves. It's a life skill. 😊 ⁣ . ⁣ Parenting this boy is a much harder path than I ever would have expected, but I know we can get there. 💪
Earlier this week, @christygeorgelmft posted a gre Earlier this week, @christygeorgelmft posted a great article about 𝘈 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 by Madeleine L'Engle. In it, she explained that she's worked with many "gifted" kids, who say their peers don’t understand them, school isn’t for them & that, perhaps, there isn't any place on earth for them. 🤯 ⁣ . ⁣ Like Meg, the book's heroine, Christy says this doesn't need to be how their story ends. 🙅‍♀️ ⁣ . ⁣ Often, such perceptions are the result of the exclusion and/or shaming these kids experience, especially if they're twice exceptional (2e). 😣 ⁣ . ⁣ Christy says one way to help is to recognize the child's strengths, & emphasize that struggles & mistakes are 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 opportunities; 𝘯𝘰𝘵 personal failures. ‼ This is essential because, too often, it's how these kids view themselves. (Mine did.) 😥 ⁣ . ⁣ It can be confusing (& frustrating) to see an exceptionally bright kid struggle; however, in many cases, it isn't because of a lack of effort. It's due to skills the child hasn't mastered yet. 🤔 In fact, sometimes they're behind their age peers when it comes to those areas. And that's okay! 😉 ⁣ . ⁣ If anything, they may need tips & scaffolding until they can accomplish those tasks on their own. 🤝 ⁣ . ⁣ When we drop our assumptions, & approach these situations from a place of curiosity (rather than judgement), the true picture starts to become a lot clearer. 👓
The older I get, the more I realize how true this The older I get, the more I realize how true this is! 😅
If you answered "no" to any of these, there's a qu If you answered "no" to any of these, there's a quick and easy way to learn more. Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest. 😉 ⁣ . ⁣ Why? Because I've learned 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 the past three years and I'd love to share it with you. Through quotes, personal stories, and advice from experts that I post, you'll start to 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 some of the 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 and 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗯𝗼𝘅 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗼𝘀 you care for each week. 🤗 ⁣ . ⁣ When we start to grasp this type of neurodiversity, our lives (and theirs) become a little easier navigate! 🗺 ⁣ . ⁣ Simply 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲 here 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 click on the Pinterest link in my bio to 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀. 🖱 When we know better, we do better. 💪
This memory popped up in my feed recently. 🌦 I This memory popped up in my feed recently. 🌦 It made me chuckle, of course, but now that I have a better understanding of "kite kids," it also makes me wonder if being "differently wired" had something to do with it, too. 🧐 ⁣ . ⁣ My daughter is the one I'm not sure about yet; however, she appears to have more overexcitabilities (a.k.a. intensities) than her brother. 😳 For example, she definitely seems to have heightened sensory experiences ("good" ones & "bad" ones), including smells, sounds, tastes, and textural and visual input. Oh, how many "gross" & “disgusting" smells there are! 😅 ⁣ . ⁣ It makes me wonder if that, paired with her vivid imagination (the imaginational OE?), are why she was 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 to walk through @target until age 5 or 6. 😱 She said the floors were "too shiny" & she didn't feel safe walking on them. I had to put her in the shopping cart each time just make it through the store. 🛒 ⁣ . ⁣ She also has been exhibiting an increasing number of anxiety indicators this year. 😟 And I don't think they have anything to do with COVID-19 because it started a couple months before that. 🤔 ⁣ . ⁣ Time will tell; however, I'm more informed than I was with my son. 🙌 And because of that, I know to ask better questions & seek out professionals who understand the subtle nuances that distinguish one scenario from another. 🔍 As I've learned all too well, medical misdiagnosis is common when it comes to kite kids, 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 with those who are twice exceptional (2e). 👨‍⚕️⁣
Wise words by one of the original teachers of soci Wise words by one of the original teachers of social-emotional learning. 😉
This week we closed on our new house & I’m full This week we closed on our new house & I’m full of mixed emotions. 🥴 I’m excited to be in a new city. And although my 3rd grade daughter has been worried about making new friends, I know it will be easy for her to do so. 👍🏼 . The one I’m concerned about is my 5th grade son. 😕 Will the boys in this neighborhood accept him, even though he can be a little quirky sometimes? 🤷🏼‍♀️ . Many parents of “differently wired” kids know this feeling. We advocate & provide some scaffolding; however, we can’t (& shouldn’t) protect them from everything. That’s SO hard, though, when you’ve watched your child struggle over & over again. 😭 . In my son’s case, it’s with age-peer relationships because he’s beyond his years in some ways & younger than his age in others. ⚖️ But what people see when they look at him is his biological age. 🤨 This is called asynchronous development & it often happens when a child is twice exceptional (2e). ✌️🏼 . Twice-exceptional (2e) kiddos are painfully aware that they’re different. For many, including my son, classmates start to make that very clear to them in early elementary school, when adults aren’t watching. 🏫👩🏻‍🏫🚍 . Again though, despite the incredible challenges this presents, we can’t protect them from everything. At some point, they need to, once again, try to go it alone. And from afar, we pray for a better outcome. 😬 . That’s where I am this week. Our transition to a new school has been fantastic, but now there’s a new test: “being social” without an adult helping him navigating any social anxiety that may arise. Please Lord, help this to go well, too. 🙏🏼
Sometimes it's physical, sometimes it's emotional, Sometimes it's physical, sometimes it's emotional, and sometimes it's both. When it's necessary for growth, though,⁣ the payoff can be huge.
Building those executive-function skills! 💪 (We Building those executive-function skills! 💪 (We'll work on spelling later.) 😳 🥴 😂
Yes! 🙌 Yes! 🙌
As much as we'd like to, there are many things we As much as we'd like to, there are many things we can't control. And when we ignore that fact for too long, anxiety & depression can set in. For your own mental health, control what you can & let the rest go. 🍁 ⁣ . ⁣ Teach children (through coaching 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨) how to do this, too. 😉 📷 by @griff7n on @unsplash
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