• Home
    • Disclosure
    • Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
  • About Me
    • Contact Me

Mom. Wife. Busy Life.

Crafts, recipes, parenting tips and more for the everyday busy mom.

  • Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Desserts
    • Smoothie Recipes
    • Beverages
    • Side Dishes
    • Snack Recipes
    • Low Carb
    • Recipe Index
  • Activities
    • Activities for Kids
    • Crafts for Kids
    • Slime Recipes
    • Sensory Bottles
    • DIY
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s Day
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Patriotic Holidays
    • Mother’s Day
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
      • Advent Calendars 2023
  • Seasons
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Winter
  • Kids
    • Babies
    • Toddlers
    • School Age Kids
    • Teenagers
    • Gifted Children
    • Adopted Children
    • Special Needs
  • Family
    • For Moms
    • Homeschool
    • Potty Training
    • Marriage
    • Schedules
    • Organization
    • Parenting
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Back to School
  • Printables
    • Printables
    • Printable Coloring Pages
    • FREE Printable Library For Email Subscribers
  • Shop Now!
    • Shopify
    • Etsy
    • Teachers Pay Teachers
    • Content for Bloggers

Dealing with the Underachieving Gifted Teenager

April 10, 2020 by Mom. Wife. Busy Life. Leave a Comment

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Dealing with the Underachieving Gifted Teenager

A gifted teen returns home from school one day with a grade of “C” on a math test. Though he accelerated two grades in elementary school, suddenly his academic performance has slid from stellar to horror.

In this instance, it is difficult for a parent to fully comprehend what is happening, especially if the teen is sullen and non-communicative. Often, however, this event is indicative of a phase of development when the child feels the need to break free from the constant emphasis on his intellectual prowess.

Dealing with the Underachieving Gifted Teenager

Peer Influence on the Gifted Teen

Social issues within his peer group may be at the root of the substandard performance. While it is quite possible that he is experimenting with alcohol or drugs and this is causing the downturn, it may be a reflection of his need to “fit in” with the rest of the group.

A gifted teen who becomes involved with extracurricular activities that are not intellectually oriented, like sports teams, may experience an overwhelming need to comply with the norms of the group. If it is not cool to be overly smart and able to ace every exam, a sudden downturn in grades is often the result.

As the child matures, he will normally outgrow this stage without involving counseling or too much intervention. A parent who suspects this is the reason for lowered performance on tests will do well to have an honest conversation with the teen about the importance of keeping his grades high for college and other logical reasons.

Emotional Problems in the Gifted Teenager

A gifted child is not immune to emotional problems, mental illness and other health issues that will effect his academic performance. Because she puts so much emphasis on her intellectual prowess, if she does not live up to her own or her parents expectations in this regard, it can be devastating to her. Some gifted children who feel pressured by parents, teachers and other adults can develop depression, anxiety disorders and related problems.

The best advice to parents is to let her be. Insulate her from too much pressure and do not add to her own high expectations of academic or intellectual performance. Too much emphasis on one area of life is never a good thing. Balance is very important to good mental health and development.

Find other areas for her to develop her interests and activities. If she has no interest in sports, perhaps drama clubs, dance or even arts and crafts are one way to help balance the load and de-emphasize the obsession with good grades and intellectual ability.

Other Issues Driving Underachievement in the Gifted Teen

If the teen has been subject to trauma of any sort, this can result in underachievement problems. It could be a divorce, loss of a close family member or serious illness that sets off an episode of highly emotional behavior or even a mental breakdown in the gifted child.

Some gifted kids will turn to drugs and/or alcohol to ease the pressures or deal with the pain of issues or events in their lives. Look for clues of drug use including paraphernalia, unusual odors, dilated pupils, etc. Take her to the doctor for an evaluation including a drug test, if there is strong suspicion of drug use. Once it has been established that this is the problem, a detoxification program is often warranted.

Keep the lines of communication open with the child. Express unconditional love for him, even if he seems to reject all efforts at supporting his needs. As always, if the situation gets out of control, contact a family therapist to get through the tough times.

Just like normal kids, gifted kids are just as likely to have episodes of underachievement in adolescence. Determine the root cause of the problem, talk to the child and support his efforts to get well and get the support services he needs when he needs them. Unconditional love from his parents, even when he appears to reject them, means more than anything to a gifted teenager.

If you have a teenager, check out more great tips below:

How to Motivate Your Teenager to Clean Their Room

Facts About Internet Safety for Teenagers

Fun Activities for Parents and Teens to Do Together

Nature Activities for Teens

How to Shop With a Teenager

Birthday Party Ideas for Teenagers

20 Best Gifts for Teens

Filed Under: Family, Teenagers, Tips & Tricks

Previous Post: « Facts About Internet Safety for Teenagers
Next Post: Fun Activities for Parents and Teens to Do Together »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Get a FREE Welcome Gift!

Subscribe to get access to my FREE printable library!

​

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
    Built with ConvertKit

    Recent Posts

    • Christmas Reindeer Coloring Pages
    • Gingerbread House Coloring Pages
    • Christmas Penguin Coloring Pages
    • Magic Reindeer Food Bag Toppers and Treat Tags
    • Christmas Countdown Paper Chain

    Footer

    Read More:

    Amazon Affiliate Disclosure:

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Most Recent Posts

    • Christmas Reindeer Coloring Pages
    • Gingerbread House Coloring Pages
    • Christmas Penguin Coloring Pages
    • Magic Reindeer Food Bag Toppers and Treat Tags
    • Christmas Countdown Paper Chain

    Copyright © 2023 · Sprinkle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT