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Gifted children have an awareness of others that goes beyond a mere passing thought. Your gifted child may possess a highly developed set of overexcitabilities in the emotional domain. This may be expressed as extreme empathy, to the point that he or she may feel other people's feelings, joys, frustrations, or pain. This deep concern and sensitivity for others may cause your children to continuously return to a subject that weighs heavily on their mind. This is brought on by a number of factors-their sense of idealism, their well-developed sense of fair play, and the ongoing struggle between what is right and what is wrong. The bottom line is that they want to do something significant that can improve conditions for others. They know that they can make a difference. And, they are correct! Stories of how one person can make a difference are inspiring. They stimulate each of us to reassess our talents and abilities and to look beyond our immediate sphere.
Your children's ability to see beyond themselves is a blessing, and perhaps, a challenge to you as a parent, especially as we try to help our children develop all aspects of their character. One area that has a lasting impact on society is the development of civic responsibility. The best and brightest minds throughout history 1 have grappled with the question, "What is my responsibility to others?" Begin a discussion with your children about this question. This is the time to listen carefully to what they have to say about what is important to them. Listen and ask guiding questions. Their answers might surprise you by their depth and complexity.
Take this occasion to develop a true sense of what your child believes to be important. Include other family members in this discussion in order to engage the entire family. This is an opportunity to address the needs of others in an explicit and visible manner. A question like, "What can we do?" is a starting point. Develop a list that has reasonable (and a few unreasonable) ideas. The Internet and local newspapers may be sources of inspiration and ideas. Go back over the list to determine what is realistic and possible. Other questions can include:
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