Less than 5% of the world is gifted, meaning they excel in school and other related activities. Most of these kids plan to go to college and do great things in life, but what happens when you put them on a pedestal above everyone else? The pressures on these kids could make or break them in the real world. That is the harsh reality of being gifted.

The pressures that are put on these types of kids are not talked about enough. Its origins begin most commonly with their parents wanting the best for them,  then as time progresses it turns into excess stress and anxiety. They spend most of their days studying trying to be the best students possible instead of enjoying their teenage years.

Kids are doing a quiz/test with their parents’ voices in the back of their minds. The high levels of stress and overthinking can turn into problems with mental health. These problems can appear as depression, personality disorders, and anxiety. Striving for perfection, or at a least 4.0 GPA, is not usually a bad thing. It’s good that teens want to be motivated to be successful. However, overworking and losing sleep is a problem. It is okay to strive to be book smart, but please remember intellectual/emotional development is important as well.

From my observations, in most situations where a child is gifted, the family treats them differently. They are held to a standard of perfection that cannot be matched. Some believe they can do no wrong because they are put on a pedestal above everyone else. For example, the fictional character Rory Gilmore from the television series Gilmore Girls was treated like gold. Later in life, she broke the law and thought she did nothing wrong. Rory didn’t think her sentence was fair because of who she was. Her grandparents were a wealthy family involved in their community and therefore had a big reputation to uphold. After this, the downfall of Rory truly began.

She became selfish and didn’t have a care in the world. If parents treat their children like this, they could become entitled and cocky. I’m not saying all situations are like this, but nonetheless, this kind of treatment could result in them losing that strong work ethic they had previously been defined by. In high school, they have a reason to work hard. When students get to college; they feel like they don’t have to hold themselves to that same standard since they’ve already made it. 

Most of the time, gifted children are not being challenged to their full potential. Or, they are told that they are so smart throughout their life that their purpose revolves around their intellectual ability. Once they make it into college or the workplace, it can be a struggle for them. Many may not be able to take criticism and change their mistakes because they are used to always being right. This circles back to Rory Gilmore. Gilmore had an internship as a journalist and when her boss gave her constructive criticism, it broke her. She was told she didn’t have “it” as a journalist, but that if she found what it took, she would bounce back. Rory never did. 

Rory was so used to everyone loving her work, that she never had a reason to improve or get better. She peaked in high school and from then on, slowly went downhill. The one piece of criticism crushed her. She eventually became a freelance writer, working for the local newspaper in her small town. She was smart and gifted, but she was failed by her family, for they knew she could have been a famous writer or journalist if she had only had “it.” Instead, she was just another girl in the town of Stars Hallow (a fictional setting of the show in Connecticut).

I’m not saying every gifted kid will be like this. Rather, I’m saying gifted children don’t need to be above everyone else. If you treat them as humans and not perfectionists, they will be fine. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has their failures. We can learn from Gilmore Girls that you don’t need a fancy education to go somewhere in life, you just need a good attitude and work ethic. Rory had a great work ethic in high school and slowly declined in college. Many believe it was her friend Paris who motivated her by competing with her to be the best. Peers can push in ways you can never quite achieve by yourself. This applies to gifted children and average children.

My point is that even if you aren’t the sharpest tool in the shed, you can still be successful without being held to an unrealistic standard. The term “gifted” doesn’t define what you can do in life. Students should work hard and enjoy being kids. Greatness and success are in the eye of the beholder, not in their IQ.