1. They are still children.  They need love but controls; attention but discipline; parental involvement, yet training in self-dependence and responsibility.

2. Consonance of parental value systems is important.  This means that there should not be wide disagreements over values between parents.

3. Parental involvement in early task demands, such as training children to perform tasks themselves, to count, tell time, use correct vocabulary and pronunciation, locate themselves and get around their neighborhood, do errands, and be responsible.

4. Emphasis on early verbal expression, reading, discussing ideas in the presence of children, poetry and music are all valuable.  Parents should read to children.  There should be an emphasis by parents on doing well in school.

5. The maintenance of a happy, healthy home is an important aspect in raising all children.

6. Since able children often have vague awareness of adult problems such as death, sickness, finances, war, etc. which their lack of experience makes them unable to solve, they may need reassurance in these areas.

7. Help your child find playmates who are his/her intellectual peers. 

8. The role of good books, magazines, and other aids to home learning, such as encyclopedias, charts, collections, etc. is important.

9. Parents should take the initiative in taking able children to museums, art galleries, educational institutions, and other historical places where background learning is enhanced.

10. Parents should be especially careful not to "shut up" the gifted child who asks questions.  In particular, she/he should not be scolded for asking, nor should it be inferred that there are improper or forbidden subjects.  The parent may, however, insist that questions not be asked at inappropriate times, and may require the child to sharpen or rephrase the question so as to clarify it.  Sometimes questions should not be answered completely, but the reply should itself be a question which sends the child into some larger direction.  When the parent cannot answer the questions, she/he should direct the child to a resource which can.  Sometimes questions call for clarification of concepts, as with the young child who asked "Why aren't all these rockets liable to shoot down God?"

11. There is a difference between pushing and intellectual stimulation.  Parents should avoid "pushing" a child into reading, "exhibiting" him/her before others, or courting undue publicity about the child.  On the other hand, parents should seek in every way to stimulate and widen the child's mind, through suitable experiences in books, recreation, travel, and the arts. 

12. The gifted child usually has a wide and versatile range of interests, but may be somewhat less able to concentrate on one area for a long time.  Parents should encourage children who have hobbies to follow through on them, to plan to strive for creditable performance and for real mastery, rather than "going through" a lot of hobbies or collections in a short time.

13. Parents should avoid direct, indirect, or unspoken attitudes that fantasy, originality, unusual questions, imaginary playmates, or out-of-ordinary mental processes on the part of the child are bad, "different," or to be discouraged.  Instead of laughing at the child, laugh with him/her and seek to develop the sense of humor.

14. Parents can avoid overstructuring children's lives so they don't have any free time.  Sometimes parents are concerned that gifted children spend some time in watching TV or reading comic books.  While they should not spend all their time in doing so, they cannot be expected to perform at top capacity at all times.

15. Respect the child, and his/her knowledge.

16. Gifted children are sometimes impatient of conventions.  Have a frank talk with your child about the importance of conventions, such as driving on the right hand side, where she/he can see the social advantages.  Then point out that other conventions of politeness, manners, courtesy and regard for others have similar bases in experience.

17. Whenever possible, talk things out with your child where there has been a disciplinary lapse.  She/he is much more amenable to rational argument than are many children and usually has a well-developed sense of duty.

18. Consider giving your child the stimulation of private lessons in which she/he excels.  Encourage social membership in worthy groups.  Foster special experiences outside the home by having your child travel or visit friends.  Try to facilitate his/her chance to talk alone with an adult authority in some line of interest.

19. Try to improve his/her sense of taste in mass media, TV, radio, movies, newspaper, comics, reading, art, etc.  Discuss the basis for taste and give experience with new forms of expression in the arts.

20. Take time to be with your child to listen to what she/he has to say and to discuss ideas with him/her.

21. Be a good example yourself, and try to find worthy adult model figures of both sexes outside the family for the child to know.

22. Support the school efforts to plan for able children.  Help to interest the PTA in the problem.  Support study groups on gifted children.  Form cooperative endeavors with other parents.
 

23. Investigate scholarship programs in your community for other gifted children and help provide for them.

24. Work to provide better community understanding of, and appreciation of, the role of the able child in society and the importance of community planning.

25. Support community action for able children, including bonds and school taxes for extra educational advantages.  Advocate guidance and special programs for the gifted.