There’s No Place Like Home

By Amy Price.

Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. – Dorothy, Wizard of Oz

Home is safety, security, and family. Home can be a haven where a gifted child or adult is understood, appreciated for who he or she is, and allowed to thrive. A supportive home and family are an important part of the recipe for success of our gifted population.

Has your home achieved “haven” status? I hate to admit it, but sometimes, way too often, my home is stressed instead of nurturing! (Gasp!) At my children’s request, I won’t share painful details that they find so embarrassing. Suffice it to say that frustration, anger and depression ride the school bus home with my kids from time to time. I should also confide that this mom can have meltdowns, too.

Raising gifted children brings my family great happiness, excitement and triumph, but it also can bring overwhelming challenge and household stress. Supporting gifted family members, especially a twice-exceptional child, can be anxiety-provoking, exhausting, and even discouraging.

So, how do we help our gifted loved ones feel valued, appreciated and motivated? How do we help the community, the schools or workplaces, and classmates or co-workers to understand and embrace the unique abilities and needs of our gifted individuals? And how do we keep ourselves from being consumed by the process?

For me, the answer is simple…SENG.

SENG is a caring community of gifted people offering supports for gifted people. And SENG Conference is the place we can refresh our brains, share our hearts…and build our courage.

SENG Conference 2007 The Gifted: Nurturing Hearts, Brains and Courage Kansas City, Kansas July 13-15, 2007

I encourage you to “come home to SENG” as we meet in Kansas for a conference that is a “horse of a different color.” Most conferences about giftedness focus primarily on educational issues. SENG Conference focuses primarily on the social and emotional development, the needs of gifted people and the challenges facing the gifted population.

I’m looking forward to learning from nationally-renowned speakers and watching my sons bond with other gifted children and teens via the children’s program and teen program. Most of all, I look forward to meeting other parents and gifted adults like yourself. Conference information is posted on the website and online registration is open!

Oh, Auntie Em, there’s no place like home! – Dorothy, Wizard of Oz

P.S. Westward ho! My family is making SENG Conference the centerpiece of our summer vacation, and Kansas allows us to enjoy a unique American pioneer experience. The Monday after SENG Conference, we plan to explore the last original tall grass prairie as we make our way by authentic covered wagon through the scenic Kansas Flint Hills. We invite other SENG families and individuals to ride along! Connect with other SENG families and plan informal get-togethers in our community forum and read about things to do.

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Amy Price joins SENG this month as Executive Director and brings the vision, experience and enthusiasm to help SENG in its mission to build supports for a growing SENG community. Her expertise in marketing, advertising and fundraising is matched by her passion for supporting the gifted population. Amy is the mother of two gifted sons, ages 12 and 16.