Not all gifted children are alike in their giftedness – that’s one point at the top that bears mentioning. While difficult to generalize, a gifted child is usually recognized as one whose intellectual ability is significantly higher than the average for their age group. But the similarities stop there. One gifted child might be socially awkward and withdrawn, while another might be charismatic and socially fluent. One might excel at sports, while another struggles with basic physical tasks. In short, there are a wide variety of gifted children.

And it’s not always easy being gifted, either. The increased demands for perfectionism can weigh heavily on a child whose only error – they might think – was being more intellectually inclined than others. That’s why if you have been searching for a child psychologist to assess your child for giftedness, it’s good, as well, to talk to them about how to match their curriculum and programming properly to their level of ability. Intellectual curiosity and passion can be a great benefit to a child’s wellbeing, if respected and handled correctly.

Assessment by a psychologist is important when dealing with a gifted child; relying on school evaluation alone can be tricky, as they may under-identify for reasons like lack of attention or organizational skills. With that in mind, here is a list of 5 signs (by no means comprehensive, but a good starting point) for telling if your child might be gifted. If your child meets some or all of these criteria, look into getting a gifted assessment from a psychologist.

Complex Vocabulary

Does your child like to participate in adult conversation, perhaps at your dinner parties where subjects like science or politics come up? Their precociousness might seem precious to everyone at the table, but under their actions and vocabulary lay a deep desire to connect with more complex issues. If their vocabulary and reading comprehension are higher than average, and if their sentence structures more complex, pay attention, as they might be asking for a more challenging curriculum.

Following Long Instructions

The ability to internalize and follow long instructions is an indicator of giftedness. For instance, if you were to ask them, “go in that store, ask where the cereal aisle is, pick the cereal with the lowest calorie count per serving, take it to the checkout, pay for it with this bill and ask for the change back in quarters”… that’s a long, multi-step instruction! The ability to follow that shows great memory and comprehension.

Memory

If your child can easily recall conversations, or things they saw and learned, they could be gifted. Memory underpins a lot of other intellectual capacities, like scientific knowledge and vocabulary.

A Passion For Learning

Does your child have a long concentration span? Do they take evident delight in learning new things and exploring new topics? An unusually robust intellectual curiosity is certainly an indicator of giftedness, and should be followed up with assessment by a psychologist.

Emotional Sensitivity

Finally, emotional sensitivity, often coupled with a strong sense of ethics and a great capacity for empathy, could indicate giftedness. An appreciation of natural beauty and art is also something to look out for, and to nurture.

Again, if you think your child might benefit from the gifted identification, or if you just want to ensure that your child’s curriculum and learning are matching their intellectual needs, visit a psychologist for an assessment.

As a teen, it can be difficult to find jobs with the flexibility to allow for homework and a social life, which is why babysitting has always been an attractive option. With so many job boards and fake posters out there, it can be difficult to tell what a real opportunity looks like. Babysitting jobs for teens used to come the old-fashioned way — from a friend, a neighbor, an aunt or uncle, church, or other social organization. But they were not very well organized, and more importantly, not always the best fit for a teen looking to break into the working world, build experience, and save money. Many of the jobs teens have traditionally had, such as working at a grocery store or in fast food, can get in the way of your studies, sports or other afterschool activities (which can all help your college applications), or your social life. Sometimes, due to high rates of workplace injury or robberies, fast food jobs can be outright dangerous. Babysitting remains a great way to save money, it’s just a matter of finding the right jobs.

Thankfully, in today’s cyber-connected society, there are plenty of safe and streamlined possibilities for teens looking to earn extra income by babysitting. Below are 4 simple features of better babysitting job sites that mean teens can find babysitting jobs near them.

1.Favorites lists: A good job site that connects teens with babysitting jobs will have an easy-to-use way for families to save a list of their favorite sitters. When it comes to babysitting part time, often families find that their number one pick is unavailable on the night that they need to get out of the house. Using a favorites list on a site like Sitter.com means they have quick access to a list of people they know and trust.

2. Notes on user profiles: When potential employers are able to keep notes directly on your profile (private notes, that is), they have an easier time sorting through their notes from interviews. It makes the hiring process easier and it’s one of the reasons employers keep coming back to sites like Sitter.com that use it.

3. Identity protection: This is an extremely important factor for teen babysitters who are just making their first foray into the workforce. Teens are constantly barraged by unsafe methods of contact through websites, email scams, and apps. A reputable site for teen babysitters will ensure safety and privacy by providing a way to mask personal phone numbers and email addresses, so that only legitimate employers can contact you.

4. Customer Support: Any good job board for babysitters will offer customer support for those who are experiencing technical difficulties, or need assistance with their online profile or contact details. Be sure to check out blog articles and advice on creating an effective profile that will attract families. Make the most of the resources available to you and find out how you can start searching for jobs and making sure families know how to find you. You can also find advice on preparing for interviews and presenting yourself professionally.

It’s easy to find a job babysitting; start your search in the right place today.

Most homeowners understand the risk that comes with buying a house. Something that could work fine one day could break the next. A fully-functioning roof could crumble under the weight of a tree branch, or your washer and dryer could break as soon as you start a load of laundry. However, many breaks are preventable with the right maintenance. Check out the infographic below to learn about the three costliest home repairs and how you can avoid needing them.

The worst thing that can happen to your home is water damage. Flooding can ruin your hardwood floors and carpets and even force you to replace your furniture. Even small drops of water can build up, causing black mold that’s hard to get rid of and rotting wood to the point of replacement. In fact, mold elimination can cost almost $3,500, but it costs only $1,200 for preventative maintenance. Oftentimes, homeowners face a saga against water and constantly battle to keep it out of their homes. This graphic breaks down common causes of water damage and the costs required to fix it.

Along with water damage, most homeowners work to keep their HVAC systems running. They call specialist for repairs the minute something is wrong with the air conditioning in the summer or heat in the winter. Not only are these emergency calls expensive, but the cost of replacing your unit can cost more than $7,000. When you consider that expense, setting up regular maintenance checks doesn’t seem so bad. Homeownership doesn’t have to be expensive as long as you invest in preventative measures. Use this guide to learn how you can keep your home functioning well for years to come.

This coming weekend, a whole lot of people are taking to the streets and bars of our great cities to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The liquor will flow as usual, and a whole bunch of craziness will happen.

But St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t have to be just about drinking yourself into a near-coma. For starters, why not make it sexier, and get real dressed up for the occasion?

A few of us here were looking at some of the options on the website 3wishes, which specializes in costumes, dressing up, sexy garments and the like. We were truly amazed at the wide array of options just on one site. There is no excuse for being mediocre and just throwing on some drab green t-shirt anymore.

To start off, why not look at getting a blatant green wig to really stand out in the crowd? It’s fun and fun is what this day is all about. Wigs allow you to even go out of yourself and get in character for the big day, so they are big winners for an occasion like this.

Then, you could get a very slinky and elegant pair of green satin gloves that go all the way up to your elbow. These are absolutely perfect for the occasion because they are sexy but elegant and classy at the same time. There’s nothing like being sexy and still looking like a million bucks while doing it.

Don’t forget the accessories. From getting a green ribbon or two in your hair (or wig), to getting a nice subtle pair of green clover earrings, no detail should go unnoticed. With the proper accessories you can be the envy of any party.

There is even a pair of Sexy Green Boot Warmers on the site. These would be great for anybody celebrating the holiday anywhere it may get just a tad bit cold. You want to stay warm and stay stylish while doing it.

And of course, for the intimate moments that may well occur after the festivities with Mr. Right or even just with Mr. Right Now, you’ll want some matching green lingerie. There are plenty of styles to choose from depending on your mood and your own personal level of cheekiness.

So let the luck of the Irish be yours this coming weekend with a splendid new look for the party.

Buying a new home is both an exciting yet daunting experience for many new and even experienced homeowners. The checklist of what to do is endless with plenty of inspections and other odds and ends. It’s a lengthy process due to inexperience between the buyer and seller. But mostly because of how many people are involved to close on the home. This includes contractors, inspectors, attorneys, real estate agents, local government, and others. Finding the ideal mailbox or purchasing a new area rug for the living room unfortunately does not come until much later than most imagine.

Buying a New Mailbox

Let us assume you have closed on your new home and it is the right time to begin making it your own. It may seem odd to think about buying a new mailbox when you get your new house. However, mailboxes can influence the look of your house because it is pretty much the first part that most will see. When shopping for the ideal mailbox you can check out specialty stores online, like MailboxWorks.com, for a great selection of mailboxes that come in all different styles and materials.  Some new homeowners can feel nervous about digging a hole in his or her yard to set up the mailbox. These services can also do the dirty work for you. It is common to have a company representative come out to do this. In the case of Mailbox Works, a customer can dial 811 and the company can put you in touch your new utility company to send someone out to mark all of the utilities.

Get Some New Lighting

If the lighting in your new home has not been updated for a while it may be the right time to brighten the new home. Finding new lighting is actually easy and cheap to purchase and install in each room. Modern lighting has an interesting affect by making a home feel larger and warmer.  It’s as easy as spray=painting the home’s fixtures and installing high quality lights. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that for your own safety it may be a good idea to hire an electrician to install the fixtures properly.

Renovate Your Entrance

Front entrances can be boring if not done right. It’s an idea that only the wealthy can have entrances with sculptures and extravagant walkways. Those can be expensive for sure; however, there are other ways to liven up a front entrance.

Believe it or not, hardware stores sell economical outdoor lights to use for a walkway. The most important upgrade is well placed potted plants that can complete the home by filling up space with nature

Between finding a new mailbox, making a walkway, and placing some plants should feel proud the exterior of the house. There are too many simple ideas to consider when it comes to upgrading your new house. Of course the granite counters are tempting but just take it one step at a time.