Almost every parent thinks that their infant child is a genius, but most fail to grasp the actual meaning of that word. What does the word genius ensue? Being excellent in academics is not the only sign of a genius, as most geniuses can excel in other forms of intellect as well. A highly intellectual person excelling in arts or music can also be considered as a genius in their own form, although most parents associate genius with some form of academic prowess.

Academic Prowess vs. Intellectual Capacity

While many parents do not necessarily distinguish between a child’s intellectual prowess and his/her academic ability, there is a clear distinction between the two. That distinction forms a very important aspect of identifying the genius of a kid when he or she is young.

Since people equate genius to academic capability, most signs of a genius kid can often be misinterpreted by their parents. There should be a conscious distinction on the parents’ mind about their kid’s genius.

In order to help out new parents, here are some clear differences that highlight the details:

• Do not limit your child’s intellectual prowess by judging their personality only on the basis of their academic capability. The brain works in different ways for different kids, especially when they are developing.

• Writing and learning skills are quite essential to the development of any child. However in certain specific cases, grasping the details might prove to be a better sign to look for rather than being proficient in a particular language.

• Early assignments for small children are a quick way to judge their inclination \towards learning and understanding stuff. If you want to know more about the importance of assignments in regular life, you can go through “Assignments done right! – 5 Steps to be proficient in your assignments.”

Why some IQ Tests are not accurate enough for children?

So how can one tell if their child is a genius? Taking a reliable IQ test in an appropriate age might be a good way to start. However there is a certain risk involved with taking such tests. Let’s see a few points as to how IQ tests do not portray the intellect of a child accurately:

• Age appropriate IQ tests are something of a rarity in today’s world. Even thou8gh most online IQ tests offer satisfactory results, there is no clear demarcation based on the age limit of children for which those tests are meant.

• Diversity of questions asked in any IQ test can also serve as a problem for many kids or toddlers. Since most tests prefer to judge a child based on their analytical or conceptual reasoning, often they fail to recognize any genius beyond that.

• Since the internet is a vast resource to people nowadays, it has become really difficult to find good IQ tests. Several nondescript websites offer their own version of IQ tests, which are often not scientific in their nature.

What are the telltale signs that your child might be a genius?

You would be glad to know that these above mentioned IQ tests are not the only way you can predict your child’s genius. As a parent and renowned child psychology expert, Dr. Rudy Garland explains very well that certain innate signs can indicate that you child might have a higher IQ than the rest of his or her peers. In this section, we will explore those possible signs.

1. Unique Skillset:

There is a common denominator between kids with a high intellectual mind, be it academics or otherwise. They can easily pick up skills which interest them, and develop a unique skillset of their own without much help from the grownups.

Look out for such examples in your kid’s life, whether they are quickly picking up reading skills or learning a new language fast for their age. This might be a strong indication to suggest that you child is a genius since their brain is developing much faster than his or her peers.

2. Proficient Memory:

This sign is sort of tied to the previous one since it also involves the development of the brain of your child.  Kids showing high memory intake capacity have better brain functions than children who do not. So if see if your child can easily remember details and can effortlessly store complex information in their head as compared to their age.

3. Peer Groups:

Is your kid hanging out with people older than themselves? Does your kid like to sit through adults talking instead of playing with children their own age? If the answer to these questions is yes, then it is highly possible that your child might be a genius.

Child psychologists have explained this phenomenon as a result of your kid having a higher intellect than those of his or her peers.

4. Inclination to various art forms:

This sign is certainly the most controversial of the lot. There is a certain similarity between children with high IQ and understanding various art forms. However this particular point may not apply to all genius kids since it is subjective in nature.

If your kid can easily recognize a piece of music they have heard before, or learn how to play an instrument very quickly, then chances are he or she is likely a genius.

5. Conformation difficulty:

Kids with high IQ tend to have a difficult time conforming to absurd rules of a game or sports. They tend to make up their own rules as they go along, and introduce those rules in their familiar setting such as a board game or so.

6. Early curiosity:

Since genius kids function quite different than normal ones, they tend to be very curious about the world around them. This might come across in their ability to ask a lot of questions about things they relate, or simply a deep inclination to know about everything.

7. Higher Awareness:

This sign is a certainty in most cases for kids since most kids are not fully aware of anything outside their common environment. However children with high IQ can and will relate to other things that are unfamiliar to them, simply due to their heightened sense of awareness.

These 7 signs can serve as checkpoints for parents who want to understand the minds of their children. There are many authentic professional websites which offer better insights into the mind of children and young adults so that parents can fully contemplate whether their kid is a genius or not. So keep a look for that! Even if your kid is not a genius, you can always refer to these signs to develop a better relationship with your kid while he or she is growing up.