ABSTRACT
Generally, being a parent of high-potential children is a complex and challenging educational task because of their social and emotional needs, combined with the often difficult temperament, leading parents to experience stress and a sense of impotence. To be optimal, the parental couple and the family environment should therefore present a high level of cohesion and mutual support, and at the same time encourage the independence of the “gifted child” to a greater extent compared to parents of “non-gifted” children. Communication between school and family is therefore essential to promote a positive growth of the student. As end-of-year and school-leaving exams loom, gifted students may experience intense stress as they struggle to live up to the high goals that they have set, to maintain their standard of work and to “prove their worth”. This problem can be exacerbated by teachers and classmates who dismiss them as “having nothing to worry about”.
