Bright, Complex Kids: Supporting Their Social and Emotional Development

by Jean Sunde Peterson, Daniel B. Peters

Overview

A field guide for understanding the complex characteristics and social and emotional needs of gifted kids.

Many bright and gifted kids do not feel understood or supported. For adults wanting to change that, Bright, Complex Kids provides guidance for gaining entrance to their internal world. This practical and easy-to-use field guide includes ideas for how and why to: 

• listen and respond
• self-monitor adult biases
• avoid communicating awe of high ability because of the potential impact on trust and openness
• apply knowledge of learning disabilities
• help high-ability children and teens make sense of themselves 

Well-known gifted experts Jean Sunde Peterson, Ph.D., and Daniel B. Peters, Ph.D., wrote Bright, Complex Kids to be an accessible short course for adults wanting to build a base of knowledge for understanding and supporting the social and emotional needs of highly able children and teens. From how adults can be involved to insights on the social and emotional development of bright kids, each chapter has a section with “points to ponder.”

Additional information is provided about characteristics, anxiety, perfectionism, resilience, underachievement, twice-exceptionality, and hidden distress to provide a picture of the whole child. A free downloadable PLC/Book Study Guide is available at freespirit.com/PLC. 
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631985867
Publisher:	Free Spirit Publishing
Publication date:	08/25/2021
Series:	Free Spirit Professional®
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	1,004,988
Product dimensions:	7.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.42(d)
Age Range:	4 - 18 Years

About the Author

Jean Sunde Peterson, Ph.D., is professor emerita and former director of school counselor preparation at Purdue University. She conducts workshops on academic underachievement, prevention- and development-oriented small-group work with children and adolescents, bullying, and more.

Dr. Peterson has authored more than 130 books (including Get Gifted Students Talking, How (and Why) to Get Students Talking, and Bright, Complex Kids), journal articles, and invited chapters, and her articles have appeared in all major gifted-education journals as well as the Journal of Counseling & Development, Professional School Counseling, and International Journal of Educational Reform. She has received ten national awards for scholarship, as well as numerous awards at Purdue for teaching, research, or service, and was a state teacher of the year in her first career as a classroom teacher.

She lives in Indiana.

Daniel B. Peters, Ph.D., is cofounder and executive director of the Summit Center. He has devoted his career to the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families, specializing in overcoming worry and fear, learning differences such as dyslexia, and issues related to giftedness and twice-exceptionality.

Dr. Peters is the author of Make Your Worrier a Warrior, its companion children’s and teen’s guide, From Worrier to Warrior, and the Warrior Workbook. He contributed to Twice Exceptional: Supporting and Educating Bright and Creative Students with Learning Difficulties and toughLOVE: Raising Confident, Kind, Resilient Kids, coauthored Raising Creative Kids, and has authored many articles on topics related to parenting, family, giftedness, twice-exceptionality, dyslexia, and anxiety. He cofounded and codirects Camp Summit, a camp for gifted children, and hosts the Parent Footprint Podcast with Dr. Dan.

Dr. Peters was recognized as the 2018 Mental Health Professional of the Year by Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) and received the 2013 Distinguished Service Award from the California Association for Gifted.

He lives in Northern California.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Why We Wrote This Book 2

About This Book 4

How to Use This Book 7

Chapter 1 Recognizing Them 8

What Do the Labels Mean? 9

Who Gets the Label? 10

Determining Eligibility 12

Many Are Missed 15

Cultural Values 17

Points to Ponder 18

Chapter 2 Making Sense of Them 19

The Asset-Burden Paradox 20

A Highly Idiosyncratic Population 23

Universal Developmental Tasks, Experienced Differently 23

Points to Ponder 27

Chapter 3 Learning From Them 28

Paying Attention 29

Giving Up Some Control 29

Hot Communicating as Peers 30

Making Personal Connections 30

Developing Skills for Listening and Responding 31

Ethics 36

Points to Ponder 39

Chapter 4 Achieving and Underachieving 40

High Achievers 42

High-Ability Underachievers 44

Points to Ponder 48

Chapter 5 Staying Optimistic about Underachievement 49

Learning Gradually About Bright Kids 51

Developmental Studies of Underachievement 53

Points to Ponder 61

Chapter 6 Living on the Edges, Twice-Exceptionally 63

Definition 64

Impact at School 65

Common 2e Diagnostic Labels 65

What to Look For 66

Testing 68

Goals and Strategies 70

Guidelines 72

Well-Being 73

Points to Ponder 74

Chapter 7 Worrying 75

The Worry Monster 78

Types of Anxiety and Worry 79

Approaches and Strategies 81

Points to Ponder 84

Chapter 8 Fearing Failure: Perfectionism 86

What Perfectionism Might Look Like 87

Workshops and Small-Group Discussions: Opportunities to Inquire 88

Developmental Perspectives 90

Strategies and Approaches 93

Points to Ponder 97

Chapter 9 Feeling, Struggling, Hiding 98

The Internal World 99

Feeling 100

Struggling 101

Hiding 107

Points to Ponder 115

Chapter 10 Coping with Adversity 116

What Is Resilience and When Does It Fall Short? 117

Building Resilience 118

Points to Ponder 128

Chapter 11 Diagnosing and Misdiagnosing 129

Increased Mental Health Diagnoses 130

Characteristics That Can Be Misinterpreted and Misunderstood 130

Common Misdiagnoses in Bright Kids 132

Reasons for Referral 133

Factors to Consider When Diagnosing 134

Impact of Misdiagnosis 137

Points to Ponder 138

Chapter 12 Parenting 139

Hierarchy 140

How the World Works 141

Practical Approaches for Parenting Bright Kids 142

How to Help Bright Kids Become Anxious and Unbalanced 143

What Parents Do Matters 144

Parallel Development 145

Parenting Suggestions 146

Points to Ponder 149

Reflecting 150

References 152

Index 159

About the Authors 165

Editorial Reviews

Jean Peterson and Dan Peters have created an important book with practical advice for parents and teachers about authentically relating to gifted children and youth and helping them with their emotional issues. Bright, Complex Kids is a unique blend of the authors’ counseling and clinical insights, embedded in Jean Peterson’s stellar empirical research. The authors urge readers to learn from the children themselves and ‘embrace their awesome complexity.’ Highlights of the book are Jean’s Asset-Burden Paradox and Dan’s Worry Monster. This excellent resource should be in every doctor’s office and is recommended for parent book clubs.

Linda Kreger Silverman

Bright, Complex Kids is the book I have been waiting for! Written by two esteemed names in gifted education, this book shares with us combined treasures of wisdom from two colleagues who have grown a lasting friendship around both their shared and divergent experiences with bright and gifted children, adolescents, and adults. While predominantly a book for parents, any counselor, teacher or other caregiver will find this beautifully written and highly readable book full of helpful information, touching case studies, seasoned insight, and encouraging guidance for understanding and nurturing the bright and gifted they care about and love. Each chapter is a gem, and the combined work is an exceptionally rich and welcoming read. I cannot wait to tell my colleagues, friends, students and clients about this book!

Debra Mishak

Great things happen when a well-respected scholar joins a clinical psychologist in collaborating on a project that involves a shared passion. Peterson and Peters have done just that. Through their insights, shared experiences, and scholarship, the authors bring a deep understanding of how to support the social and emotional development of highly able children and teens. Grounded in contemporary theory and research, filled with practical suggestions for teachers, counselors, and families, and delivered in an accessible writing style, Bright, Complex Kids will serve as an informative resource for all who work with children and teens with high ability.

Thomas P. Hébert

Bright, Complex Kids is a gift to the field of gifted education. Within the pages of their book, Dr. Peterson and Dr. Peters offer educators, clinical professionals, and caregivers a masterful course in understanding and nurturing the affective needs of high-ability children. Their book is filled with gentle reminders and research-based strategies (many informed by their own research) that will help adults truly open themselves to learning about the complex nature of high ability. Through a nonjudgmental and strengths-focused approach, the authors guide adults in how to meaningfully engage and interact with high-ability children. They offer hands-on strategies that are intended not only to empower bright, complicated kids, but also the caring adults in their lives.

Jennifer A. Ritchotte

In Bright, Complex Kids, gifted education experts Drs. Jean Sunde Peterson and Daniel B. Peters combine their vast experience and wisdom as practitioners and scholars to coauthor a fantastic resource for parents and others invested in understanding the unique social and emotional needs and concerns of high-ability youth. Engaging, informative, and practical, this book will surely be a favorite on the readers’ bookshelf. Filled with keen insights, useful suggestions and strategies, and relevant case examples that bring the content to life, Bright, Complex Kids is a treasure trove of information and truly a delight to read. I don’t like this book—I LOVE it!

Michelle C. Muratori

Peterson and Peters have written a practical guide exploring the topics that are most important in learning about, and understanding, bright children. I always know a resource book is valuable when reading it makes me think about students I know and how it would help them make better sense of themselves. Educators, parents, and mental health professionals will learn more about what bright students need from us and can use ideas from this book to support and nurture increased self-awareness in gifted youth. The authors help us to discern pitfalls of misdiagnosing what it truly is that these young people need us to know about them, so that they may ‘be seen’ and thrive.

Terry Bradley

Jean Peterson and Dan Peters have spent decades working with—and learning from—bright and complex kids. This book synthesizes their knowledge and compassionate understanding to provide insights into the hearts, minds, and experiences of these bright, talented, and creative youth. The two authors share stories from the lives of the children they have worked with, and they provide resources, recommendations, and guidance for those who know, care about, love—and sometimes are confounded by—them. I can’t recommend this book highly enough!

Dr. Susan Daniels

Great things happen when a well-respected scholar joins a clinical psychologist in collaborating on a project that involves a shared passion. Peterson and Peters have done just that. Through their insights, shared experiences, and scholarship, the authors bring a deep understanding of how to support the social and emotional development of highly able children and teens. Grounded in contemporary theory and research, filled with practical suggestions for teachers, counselors, and families, and delivered in an accessible writing style, Bright, Complex Kids will serve as an informative resource for all who work with children and teens with high ability.

Thomas P. Hébert

This book is recommended for parents, educators, health professionals, school leaders, and community members who are looking for ways to improve access, understanding, support, and resources to all students.

MiddleWeb