SENGAuthors - Gifted and Distractible: The parenting book that became a book for parents, educators, and 2e adults!

It’s a widely held misconception that intellectual ability and social and emotional success go hand in hand. In fact, many curious, clever, and creative children struggle in these areas and have trouble in classroom settings. This mismatch in their potential and achievement can lead to frustration and self-doubt, and many children are written off as lazy, difficult, or attention-seeking.

But of course, there’s more to the story. These “twice exceptional” kids—those who are gifted and have simultaneous learning differences like ADHD, autism, or dyslexia—are often misunderstood by parents, teachers, and themselves. Too often, confused and worried parents are told to focus on perceived deficits while ignoring their child’s gifts.

GIFTED AND DISTRACTIBLE  by Julie F. Skolnick, MA, JD is a much-needed and empowering guide that reveals the unique challenges these remarkable kids face, and offers strength-based, hands-on strategies for raising twice-exceptional kids. Julie is a parent to three twice exceptional children and has provided guidance and support to thousands more through her service With Understanding Comes Calm. Her Cycle for Success framework demystifies the ‘why’ of challenging behavior while providing best-practice interventions to support the whole child rather than overemphasizing one skill or deficit.

Organized in three parts, Understanding, Strategies, and Advocacy, GIFTED AND DISTRACTIBLE shares tools to reimagine the world through your child’s unique perspective. Help them thrive with advice like:

· Tips to better communicate and connect with your child: learn to actively listen, empathize effectively, share your perspective, and brainstorm solutions together

· Debunking of common myths about giftedness—like that giftedness in one area means giftedness in all areas, or that gifted just means intelligent

· How to reframe perceptions of so-called ‘bad’ behavior and redirect your child’s energy

· Strategies to identify, anticipate, and mitigate your child’s triggers

· 25 included worksheets to distill newfound knowledge, provide activities, and assist in collecting data to assess and change unsuccessful parenting styles

· How to draft specific goals and action items to appropriately structure your child’s environment and meet their needs.

· Guidance on advocating for your child and teaching them to advocate for themselves as they grow

About The Author: 

Julie Skolnick, M.A., J.D., founder of With Understanding Comes Calm LLC, has passionately guided thousands of parents of gifted and distractible children around the world, mentors twice exceptional adults, and advises educators and professionals on how to bring out the best and raise self-confidence in their twice-exceptional students and clients. She serves as secretary to the Maryland superintendent’s State Advisory Council for Gifted and Talented Students, and produces virtual conferences and other engagement opportunities for the twice exceptional community.