How to Help Your Gifted Child Thrive When They Reach Adulthood

So, this might be a surprise for a lot of parents, but raising a gifted child can feel like a whirlwind sometimes. Yes, they need to start in their early years, as that’s the best way to keep them on the right path. But while they might breeze through school, absorb information like a sponge, and have an endless curiosity about the world. 

But here’s the thing: being gifted as a child doesn’t always lead to an easy path to adulthood. In fact, many gifted adults struggle with things like mental health, finding their place in the workforce, or even just understanding who they are outside of their academic achievements.

It’s still a bit new, but there is a lot of proof out there that gifted children, who are now gifted adults, are just struggling. And yes, they’re struggling hard! You’ll find a lot of YouTube videos and articles on it, and a lot of people on social media (like TikTok) talking about it as well. If you’re a fan of The Gilmore Girls, you’ll even find that it’s been covered there as well! So yes, struggling with “Gifted Child Syndrome” and “Gifted Child Burnout” is definitely a real thing.

Since this is more of a new discovery, it does mean that parents out there who have a gifted child (they don’t even need to be labeled gifted either) can definitely nurture their intellect. Overall, it’s about making sure they grow up with the emotional and social skills to handle life’s ups and downs.

Help Them Build Emotional Intelligence

Alright, so for starters, gifted children often excel in academic settings, but that doesn’t always mean they’re emotionally prepared for life’s challenges. They might understand complex theories and solve difficult problems, but emotional regulation is a whole different ball game. And here’s the thing: as adults, emotional intelligence is just as important as intellectual ability—if not more so. Now, let’s take a closer look.

Teach Them How to Handle Stress

As every adult knows, life won’t always go their way. And yes, that’s why it’s important for gifted children to learn healthy ways to cope with stress. Now, you’re going to have to encourage activities that help them manage their emotions, like mindfulness, journaling, or even playing a game of chess. It doesn’t even have to be chess, but any stressful game (yes, video games included), really. Just think about it: nowadays, a lot of harder games (and yes, chess included) aren’t only about making the right strategy.

With games, you need to be patient, you need to actually solve the problem, you need to plan your next move, and yes, you need to stay calm under pressure, too. But why is playing games relevant, though? Well, it’s about teaching that these skills now will help them deal with the inevitable challenges they’ll face as adults, whether it’s in their careers or personal lives.

Encourage Open Discussions About Feelings

Gifted kids can sometimes feel like they have to keep it all together or that no one will understand what they’re going through. But it’s best to start looking into creating a space where they can talk about their emotions without judgment, which is crucial.

There needs to be open discussions about how they’re feeling to help build emotional intelligence and resilience. Plus, this skill will carry over into adulthood, preventing bottled-up emotions from turning into larger mental health issues down the road.

Help Them Develop a Strong Sense of Identity

You have to keep in mind that gifted children often get labelled by their academic achievements, which can lead to an identity crisis when they grow older. This alone tends to create this whole identity crisis with age, too. When they’re no longer the smartest in the room, or they encounter challenges, it can leave them questioning who they are outside of their intellect.

Support Interests Outside of Academics

While yes, by all means, academics are important, it’s equally crucial to encourage gifted children to explore hobbies and interests that aren’t tied to school. Maybe they love painting, or perhaps they’re into rock climbing. They’re creating a better sense of self when they get the chance to do this.

Foster a Growth Mindset

One of the biggest traps gifted children fall into is the fear of failure. They’re used to things coming easily, so when they hit a roadblock, it can be discouraging. So, you’re going to have to start teaching them that mistakes are part of the learning process and encouraging a growth mindset will help them approach challenges with resilience. As you already know, this is essential for adulthood, where setbacks are inevitable, and bouncing back is key.