As gifted children mature into the turbulence of the teenage years, distinctive changes will occur in their way of relating to family and the world of friends, school, and special interests. Teenagers in general are more reactive and vulnerable as they develop emotionally, socially, and sexually. Gifted teenagers’ ability to understand the world abstractly creates behavior that can be troublesome and hard to contend with. The speed and nonstop nature of their thoughts and feelings might alarm you.

Egocentric thoughts and feelings are much more prominent than they were earlier in life. Gifted adolescents need to be the center of the universe to their friends, parents, teachers, and others who they consider close in a personal sense. Bright teenagers want what they want and know that they are making the best decision possible. Younger gifted kids are intense but not as absolutely sure of themselves as teenagers can be. Know-it-all behavior makes parenting much more stressful and dramatic. The somewhat compliant elementary-age gifted child is able to listen to their parents. Gifted teenagers struggle to listen to their parents and authority........

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