Bright, Complex Kids: Supporting Their Social and Emotional Development

A field guide for understanding the complex characteristics and social and emotional needs of gifted kids.

Many bright and gifted kids do not feel understood or supported. For adults wanting to change that, Bright, Complex Kids provides guidance for gaining entrance to their internal world. This practical and easy-to-use field guide includes ideas for how and why to:

• listen and respond
• self-monitor adult biases
• avoid communicating awe of high ability because of the potential impact on trust and openness
• apply knowledge of learning disabilities
• help high-ability children and teens make sense of themselves

Well-known gifted experts Jean Sunde Peterson, Ph.D., and Daniel B. Peters, Ph.D., wrote Bright, Complex Kids to be an accessible short course for adults wanting to build a base of knowledge for understanding and supporting the social and emotional needs of highly able children and teens. From how adults can be involved to insights on the social and emotional development of bright kids, each chapter has a section with "points to ponder."

Additional information is provided about characteristics, anxiety, perfectionism, resilience, underachievement, twice-exceptionality, and hidden distress to provide a picture of the whole child. A free downloadable PLC/Book Study Guide is available at freespirit.com/PLC.



About the Author

Jean Sunde Peterson, Ph.D., is professor emerita and former director of school counselor preparation at Purdue University. She conducts workshops on academic underachievement, prevention- and development-oriented small-group work with children and adolescents, bullying, and more.

Dr. Peterson has authored more than 130 books (including Get Gifted Students Talking, How (and Why) to Get Students Talking, and Bright, Complex Kids), journal articles, and invited chapters, and her articles have appeared in all major gifted-education journals as well as the Journal of Counseling & Development, Professional School Counseling, and International Journal of Educational Reform. She has received ten national awards for scholarship, as well as numerous awards at Purdue for teaching, research, or service, and was a state teacher of the year in her first career as a classroom teacher.

She lives in Indiana.

Daniel B. Peters, Ph.D., is cofounder and executive director of the Summit Center. He has devoted his career to the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families, specializing in overcoming worry and fear, learning differences such as dyslexia, and issues related to giftedness and twice-exceptionality.

Dr. Peters is the author of Make Your Worrier a Warrior, its companion children's and teen's guide, From Worrier to Warrior, and the Warrior Workbook. He contributed to Twice Exceptional: Supporting and Educating Bright and Creative Students with Learning Difficulties and toughLOVE: Raising Confident, Kind, Resilient Kids, coauthored Raising Creative Kids, and has authored many articles on topics related to parenting, family, giftedness, twice-exceptionality, dyslexia, and anxiety. He cofounded and codirects Camp Summit, a camp for gifted children, and hosts the Parent Footprint Podcast with Dr. Dan.

Dr. Peters was recognized as the 2018 Mental Health Professional of the Year by Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) and received the 2013 Distinguished Service Award from the California Association for Gifted.

He lives in Northern California.