My youngest age 10 is quite an artist... He can do many different mediums and loves to experiment (but doesn't like to get dirty, LOL). He builds some amazing structures with Legoes and tinkertoys. He wants to be an artist/builder when he grows up.

My oldest age 13 is amazingly proficient around computers and technology... he also has an incredible knack for picking up musical instruments and learning to play them without lessons (he did learn the basics in middle school band class). He wants to be a doctor when he grows up. Silly boy.


What are your kids really good at? What are their gifts? Aspirations? Thank you for sharing.




This question came to my mind because of my avatar... I scan all of his artwork into the computer and save as a folder that is a slide show for our computer screen saver (thanks to oldest son setting it up).

What an interesting topic!

I have 3 kids - DD11, DD10 and DS5. The girls are in 4th and 5th grades and my DS in in Kindergarten this year. The girls have always been straight-A students, but I'm having my doubts about Ian. He is Much more interseted in playing than in reading.

His biggest talents so far are riding his bike and playing hard! We have a lot of neighborhood boys around and they are always going from one house to another. He loves it and is so glad that we are having good weather again. He would stay out until dark every night if we would let him! I guess his "talents" would be coordination and friendliness. He learned to ride his bike without training wheels almost immediately when he told us that he wanted to take them off (so he could be like the big boys) and he can hit, throw and catch the ball with the big kids too. He also seems to get along great with all the neighborhood kids. They are always coming over looking for him.

Our middle DD is a typical middle child I guess. She is very outgoing and definately states her mind. Her talents would be artsy things and thinking outside the box. I love that part of her (the thinking outside the box). I never was and still am not very good at that - I'm an accountant and I tend to think of things as black and white. She can find humor in everything and is always cracking people up. Mostly that's a good trait, but she does tend to get in trouble at school for talking too much . She's a lively one - that's for sure.

Our oldest DD's talents seem to be showing up in musical things. She plays the piano and started band this year (trumpet). She is also a very good singer. We haven't put her into lessons or anything yet, but I think it's something she could really excel at. I mentioned above about the good grades from both girls - Sydney's teacher told me this year that she just "gets it". She said that she is one of the best students that she's ever had. I really hope that I'm not doing her a disservice by not doing anything else about that.

Well, it's been fun telling you a little about my biggest prides in my life! I hope to read a little about your's.

Our oldest is really into music-plays the bass guitar, french horn, mellophone, and percussion. He has been accepted to East Carolina School of Music for next fall. But, he is VERY good at baseball. He has never been on a school team due to band, but has played rec league since he was about 5. He is now talking about trying out for the ECU team if they do have tryouts. He just might actually be good enough too....

Our 14 yr. old is into all sports, but again, baseball is his specialty. He is on the JV team at his school and that consumes most of his time. He also just likes hanging out w/ his friends.

My 9 yr. old likes to play whatever his older brothers are playing outside-whether it be football, baseball, etc. He also likes just riding bikes, and reading.

My 6yr. old LOVES video games, but we do try to limit that. He is into science, and coloring, but is not really into playing outside so much. We make him get out there, and he'll just ride his big wheel around the court.

All in all, I would say they are pretty well-rounded kids!

My DS is 8 and he has quite an ear for music. I sing but can't play instruments or read music. He learned how to read music last year in school and has since taught himself how to play the piano. I might get him lessons next fall but he entered a talent show at school and honestly played better than some of the kids who had been going to lessons for a couple years. I was shocked! The funny thing is that he hardly ever plays. He just has an ear for it. He is also very anal (like his dad) so he's good at figuring things out. He is also really good at karate and an excellent cook for his age

My DD who just turned 7 is excellent at karate and playing hard with her friends outside She likes to learn spanish and is pretty good at it (better than me). She did great at gymnastics but I got sick of carting her to the lessons. When gas was $3 a gallon it was $10 round trip in gas to take her (and I get 18 mpg)

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My girls are 7(8 in July) and 9(10 in June).
My 7 year old loves to play outside. She loves to ride her bike, jump on the trampoline, ride her 4 wheeler, play with our dogs, draw with sidewalk chalk. Really, anything outside. She also likes to read, play board games, play with dolls, draw, she loves puzzles, cheerleading, dancing, painting her nails, putting on make up, all that girly stuff. She takes karate and LOVES it and has done quite well with it.
My 9 year old is more of an indoor girl. She does like to ride her bike, jump on the trampoline, swim and ride the 4 wheeler. She loves to play games on the computer, watch TV and play video games. She loves to read and learn in general. She loves the girly stuff also like painting nails, putting on make up(for playing not going out) and talking about all the cute boys she knows, LOL. She also takes karate and loves it and has excelled at it. I forgot to add that she also loves to cook and read cookbooks or recipes.

What a neat topic! I love your avatar...I had no idea that your son did that...very pretty! He is talented! Anyway, I have three kids...my youngest son who is 12 is really good at video games. He enjoys reading, soccer, and playing kickball and manhunt with his friends. My daughter (14) is very good at drawing. I'm trying to encourage her to develop her talent. I even sent away for a catalog from SCAD (Savannah School of Art and Design). She looked through it and seemed very interested. She's a good girl who is involved with alot of clubs at school...yearbook, junior beta, orchestra, and media crew. My oldest son (16) is a very talented violist. He started out playing the violin in middle school and switched to the viola two years ago. He was first chair in All-State, first chair in Fulton County Honors Orchestra, and sixth chair in ASYO (Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra). Last summer he got a scholarship to Sewanee Music Festival. While he was there, he won a competition and had the honor of performing with cellist, Andres Diaz. At our orchestra banquet last week, he got the National School Orchestra award for high school students. He'll be a senior and soon we'll be looking at colleges. He's thinking of Cleveland Conservatory, Julliard, Eastman, and Manhattan School of Music. Two weeks ago, he performed at the grand opening of the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre down here. Needless to say, I'm very proud of him! My husband and I have no musical talent whatsoever. We never thought one of our kids would be a great musician! ~Lisa

Does whining count?

My oldest (9 in Oct) is quite a singer. She likes to make up songs too, but she is really quite good at singing. Dh nor I can sing to save our lives....so she must have gotten it from her Papa. (he is an excellent singer, sang at my wedding and sings in church...but he can't read sheet music AT ALL!)

My youngest (7 in Jan) I think is very comical, I think she'll make a great comedianne. The things that come out of her mouth is hysterical, her old babysitter had to pull over one day while they were running errands because of what she said.

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My son is graduating 6th grade tonight. He is 11 and very talented. He has won numerous awards in school for Art, Science and 3 Creative Writing awards in the last 4 years. Other than a professional basketball player he hasn't mentioned what he wants to be when he grows up. He is very smart and talented so I am sure whatever he wants to accomplish in life he will.
My daughter is 7 and just finished 1st grade where she was on high honor roll(95% and higher) all 4 Qtrs. She is also a great story writer, super in softball and a great artist. She wants to be a Vet because she loves cats. I am very very proud of both my children. They have done so much more than I ever did as a child which I guess has to do with the way we were raised and the way we decided to raise our kids. Sounds like we are all raising some very well rounded little individuals.

My DS is 17 and will be graduating in June , he will be attending Culinary school in Sept. When he was 11 he went to Australia as a student Ambassador with People to People. He took 4 yrs of Spanish and still thinks its funny to say stuff he knows he shouldn't in Spanish. He is an avid reader(just like his mom) He played soccer when he was younger then switched to wrestling. He is a black belt in tae kwon do and has started instructing little kids. He has a job and has had the same girlfriend for over a year.. a miracle in its self, In sept his father died unexpectedly at 40, having never been to a wake or funeral before he handled himself with poise i didn't think he had, making me very proud of him.

ps: to be fair he eats like a human vacuum, is a slob in his room, would sleep all day on weekends, would wear every stitch of clothing before doing laundry and leaves a tornado of a mess in the kitchen when cooking

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My youngest is 12 and the only one left at home now. She is very artistic (won best artist award this year, she actually won 7 different awards at her awards ceremony) she draws, paints, writes and throws pottery on the wheel. She's on the Academic Team at school and goes to academic meet competitions. She is also a straight a student and loves school. She plays on the basketball team and loves it. She also plays softball, 6th year of playing this year and thrd year of pitching, she's the starting pitcher on a 12 and under team. She is a great singer, but we haven't pushed her too much with that because she has other activities she like to do more. She loves to swim, we have a pool, in the summer she swims everyday, in the winter when we heat the pool she even gets up early and swims before going to school. She doesn't really know what she wants to be "when she grows up" hasn't mentioned anything and we don't push her towards any certain thing, she'll figure that out in time. I have a one that will be a senior in college this next fall and she still hasn't figured out what she wants to do yet.

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You all are raising a nice group of well-rounded individuals. These posts have been really fun to read... Thanks for coming on and sharing!

DS is 8 now but he taught himself to read before Kindergarten. He can read and/or spell anything. We tried to help him out but hw rejected the help and then one day he could read. (He wanted help with the video game instructions all of the time and got sick of asking). He is very, very good at video games as well but we try to limit the amount of time he plays. DS wants to be a doctor too.

DD is involved in gymnastics and has no fear. She can do all of the stuff that scares a parent to death, flips, twists, tucks, etc. She is 12 and is now in the band and also taught herself how to play the piano. I have asked to put her in lessons and she refuses. She can pick up darn near any instrument and play. DD wants to be a lawyer and in fact was called a little lawyer by one of the classroom parents when she was just in Kindergarten for her "debate" skills.