The Learning Lab Library

What characteristics and experiences contribute to gifted/2e intensity? And is the word "intense" helpful or hurtful?

The 3-step VIEW framework can reduce power struggles, meltdowns, and overall distress.  Read more about the steps here.

Is your kid easily overwhelmed? These parent-focused strategies can help when traditional approaches haven't worked.

Parents of gifted and 2e kids often have to advocate more to make school a good fit - here are 4 key ideas for effective advocacy.

PDA stands for "Pathological Demand Avoidance" or "Persistent Drive for Autonomy." What can the PDA profile look like in gifted/2e kids and teens? 

Some ideas about how the neurodiversity paradigm can help you better understand and support your gifted / 2e child.

Some ideas and reflections to help you better match your demands and expectations to your capacity.

Twice-exceptional kids are often called "high functioning" - but that term is inaccurate and often does more harm than good.

Gifts seem like they "should" be fun, but gift-giving and gift-receiving can feel stressful for gifted and 2e folks. This article shares ideas to reduce stress related to gifts.

Commonly missed indicators of exceptionality in gifted kids and why it can be liberating to discover twice-exceptionality.

You want your gifted/2e kid to feel better when they're upset - but most tips make things worse.  This approach actually helps!

Why do so many intense gifted/2e kids have a hard time getting along with their siblings? Here are some common reasons & tips to help.

If you've considered changing schools or taking your gifted/2e kid out of school to homeschool or unschool, you're not alone. 

This overview reviews common characteristics of gifted ADHDers and ideas to better understand and support gifted ADHD kids and teens.

Traditional views of resilience can be harmful for neurodivergent kids - how can you support resilience in a way that actually works for your gifted/2e kid?

Parenting a gifted/2e kid can be intense in both joyful and exhausting ways.  It's not your fault you feel exhausted or irritable.

Autism is often undiagnosed in gifted kids and teens, in part because many gifted/autistic traits are misattributed to giftedness alone.

Sensory processing differences are often mised or misunderstood among intense or sensitive gifted/2e kids, but supporting sensory needs can be a huge help.

Does your gifted/2e kid get overwhelmed by mistakes or challenging tasks? Here are tips to build resilience.

Learn to see your gifted kid’s big feelings and emotional intensity as a window to some of their biggest strengths.

Screen time can be informative and regulating for emotionally intense, sensitive gifted/2e kids - here are ideas to embrace its benefits.

Many gifted/2e kids cheat during games or bend the rules to their advantage - here's a way to respond and support them in these moments.

Many parents with emotionally intense or sensitive gifted/2e kids or teens worry that their kid is lazy or unmotivated.  Here's a more helpful view of "laziness"

How to recognize and nurture the seeds and small beginnings of your child's self-advocacy skills. Self-advocacy often starts with yelling, whining, or refusing!

Activities that are "supposed" to be fun are often stressful for intense or sensitive gifted/2e kids and their families.

Some contexts are inherently tricky for intense gifted/2e kids - here's how you can change the context instead of the kid.

Tips to help this conversation feel less daunting and more do-able so you can talk openly about your kid's brain.

When our kids are upset, we often feel compelled to help them understand the situation better.  Here's why it's often better to wait.

Gifted/2e kids aren't neurotypical, so effective parenting approaches usually look different than the norm.  Consider this your permission to do things differently.

For intense gifted/2e kids, lying often indicates sensitivity, embarrassment, or overwhelm - not purposeful deception. Here's what can help.

Some gifted kids with low academic performance have unrecognized signs of inattentive ADHD.  Could an assessment be helpful?

This resources will help you reframe "deficit"-focused assessment results into more affirming and celebratory language.

Four things that make mornings hard for many gifted/2e kids - and four ideas to help mornings go more smoothly.

Tips to help your kid or teen explore their interests, develop their talents, and connect with like-minded peers during the summer.