Have you ever felt like your child's interest in something has become all-consuming? It’s not uncommon for gifted kids to develop intense interests that can leave them feeling isolated from their peers. As caregivers, how can we help and encourage them?  

For this episode in our Life Skills series, we talk with David Perell, founder of Write of Passage, about how parents can help their children embrace their passions and find a community of like-minded individuals. David shares his personal experience of feeling alone in his interests as a child and the steps his family took to make him feel valued and inspired. 

Listen now to hear our conversation about:

• The difference between what’s rewarded in academics and what’s rewarded in life [02:59];

• How to help your child find a community of ambitious peers who make them feel validated and accepted [12:10];

• How the internet can help gifted kids who feel isolated [13:41]; and

• What parents can do to embrace and support their child's interests [16:51].

Don’t miss Today’s Takeaways! 

Listen all the way to the end of the episode for three tips to help your child thrive with whatever they choose to do. 

Links and Resources 

• Learn more about David Perell’s online writing program, Write of Passage.
• Check out the video version of this episode on the Gifted Minds YouTube channel. Don’t forget to like and subscribe!
• Learn more about GT School, an online program that helps gifted and talented kids supercharge their academics.

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About David Perell

David Perell is a writer, teacher, and podcaster. He believes writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. David seeks to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. David’s online course, Write of Passage, has been taken by more than 500 students from more than 40 countries and from companies like Intel, Google, and Twitter. The five-week course draws on David’s experience writing online, building an audience, and his interviews with more than 100 people on his North Star Podcast. Each interview explores the methods and principles of successful creators, artists, and entrepreneurs. His podcast guests include astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, author Seth Godin, and economist Tyler Cowen. As an Emergent Ventures fellow, David’s work is supported by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Podcast Credits

• Executive Producer and Host: MacKenzie Price
• Executive Producer: Lindsay Grubb, TillCo Media 
• Senior Producer: Amanda Avery
• Senior Editor: Alisa Jenkins, Springboard Marketing
• Marketing: Patrick Harrell, The Krewe
• Video Production/Editing: Kevin Smith, Picturebox Productions
• Music Producer: Dyami Wilson