When Natalie discovered her daughter Chelsea’s seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge, she took the necessary steps to provide stimulation yet still make sure her daughter led a balanced life.  

Q: Can you describe what it's like having a gifted child?

A: Exhausting yet inspiring. We always have to be a step ahead of her needs. Chelsea and our other children are the fulfilment of our dreams. We congruently plan their future with our future, and this makes us happy.


Q: When did you first notice that your daughter was gifted? What was she doing that clued you in?

A: At age three, she started doing math problems and reading books that are advanced for her age. It was odd at first, but my husband and I realized she needed more input, so we started her off with books we thought would complement her desire for more material. Also, at a very young age, Chelsea read mostly Shakespeare and the classics, parenting and philosophy books. Since then, her collection of books became a mini library, which she now shares with students at Roomful of Learners, my center for children with learning disabilities.  


Q: What did you do when you noticed that she was gifted?

A: First thing we did was have her assessed by prominent gifted child specialist and neuropsychologist, Dra. Leticia Penano-Ho. From the beginning to this day, Dra. Ho has been instrumental in guiding my husband and I on how to properly nurture Chelsea’s gift. Her guidance is truly valuable.  

Also, we had to find ways to enrich her mind further and to ensure she gets the right evaluation from a specialist. We checked out various specialty schools and even hired special needs tutors to help feed her voracious desire for knowledge. We have had our share of neglectful teachers and schools; but our exhaustive search finally led us to the right individual. We discovered that it is not how smart your specialist and teacher is, it is how much that specialist and teacher is willing to learn new things himself or herself because information changes constantly.

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