Even More on the Asynchronous Topic. . .

Aimee raised an interesting point in her comment on Monday's post.  She said she, as a gifted child, often played with kids much younger than her.

I find with gifted children that relationships are flexible.  Friendships can be formed with much younger, much older, or even adult peers.  Gifted children are looking for a "safe shelter", a place where they can finally rest from the stresses of just being who they are. . .  They may find this in many different forms.  I don't typically see gifted children having only one best buddy.  They have a variety of friends who serve a variety of purposes, because they themselves have unqiue and special needs for companions.

As a parent, you can encourage your gifted child to interact with all different types of people.  Find people who match their interests- chess partners, crossword puzzle groups, or even preschoolers who also still like to pretend.  Being broad-minded (while still being safe and aware) about their peers may be the key to finding their special relationships and freeing them from isolation and loneliness. . .