Page 28 - FWG_Issue 6_2022

Today’s Child

PARENTING THE GIFTED CHILD

Nicola Killops is mom to James, a twice-exceptional House. Radford House was founded in 1995 and is one of very few

18-year-old, and she lives in Johannesburg, South schools in South Africa that caters specifically for gifted education.
Initially, I was terrified, wondering how on earth I was equipped
Africa. Nicola specialised in gifted education and to take on such a responsibility and offer anything of value to kids
taught at the Radford House School for gifted with such advanced intelligence. But I soon realised that they were
there to teach me just as much as I was there to teach them.
children for many years. She recently left teaching
and is now a writer, focusing on supporting parents Q: How did this tie in with your own parenting experience?
NK: At the time, I was having a tough time finding a way for my
and teachers of children who are ‘different’, according 9-year-old son to find his place in the world. I knew he was incredibly
to mainstream views. bright, but because of his severe dyslexia and high functioning
autism, the school system had focused so much on his challenges
that there was no space for his incredible mind. So, I spent years
researching and discovering ways to nurture his intellect while the
hrough a series of articles, Nicola hopes to reach those
moms and dads who need to hear that their experiences system was obsessed with him grasping phonics.
with having children who possibly don’t fit into the
T‘norm’ are not alone. There may be an explanation for Q: What was the first thing you discovered when you began
their experience as a family. With understanding and information, teaching gifted kids?
they can set their children on a path where they are understood, NK: I was probably only one day into my new job when I realised
nurtured, and allowed to be everything they can be. that gifted children are not always what the world expects. When
one hears the term, it conjures images of prodigies and mini
We asked Nicola to elaborate more on her own experiences. scientists who get 100% for every test and read their first copy of
the Lord of the Rings at age three.
Q: You mentioned that your son is twice-exceptional. What
does that mean? While those children do exist, there is so much more to what
NK: Twice-exceptional refers to a person that is intellectually gifted constitutes a gifted child. And what I didn’t realise was that I was
but also has learning challenges like ADHD, dyslexia, sensory about to embark on an eight-year journey that would ignite a flame
processing issues, or autism. Therefore, they are referred to as in me, making me most passionate about the parts that the world
‘twice-exceptional’, or 2e, as they have exceptional abilities and just didn’t get. My insight as a mom also made me understand the
disabilities at the same time. challenges of parenting a gifted child and how isolating it can be.

Q: How did you come to discover so much about gifted Q: Why did you stop teaching?
children? NK: Last year, I took a massive leap and decided to leave the
NK: In 2013, I began an incredible journey of discovery when I left classroom - not because I was no longer passionate about gifted
the government school system and joined the staff at Radford children and their journey, but because I wanted to reach beyond

Fourways Gardens • 26 • July 2022