Potential vs. Play: What If You Didn’t Have to Choose?
This month we're discussing how to balance play and potential this summer. Hint: There's no one right way to do summer!
Hello Gifted Guides!
We’re so glad you’re here!
How are you doing?
In March and April, we worked on spring cleaning our advocacy goals and discussed all the ways in which advocacy and gifted guide work isn’t static. We started to explore the different ways in which you and your learner may have changed over the last year and how you can use current info, plus info you gather over the summer, to set more responsive advocacy goals for the 2026-27 school year.
That is a lot of reflection and planning work. While reflection and planning are important parts of gifted guide work, so is balance.
Gifted Guides in the United States have just enjoyed what many call the “kickoff to summer” - Memorial Day weekend. While many schools are still wrapping up the school year over the next few weeks, some have already had that first taste of summer and are ready for adventure and play.
Even when attention is turned to pools and popsicles, many gifted guides are still keeping an eye on advocacy concerns, wanting to make sure the next school year goes as smoothly as it can, with their learner as understood and supported as possible.
So, how can you play when you’re worried about making sure your learner has access to the environments and opportunities they need to reach their potential?
Should your learner be working on math equations, reading complex classic novels, or participating in ultra-competitive summer camps, so they don’t fall behind? Should you be worried about their teachers or classmates or course load for next year? Should you be emailing the school all summer? Should you let your learner “just be a kid” this summer? What does that even mean? What if your learner enjoys competitive programs or complex math equations or obscure classic literature?
These questions, and the thought spirals that often accompany them, are not unusual for gifted guides to have, especially this time of year.
The reason these questions are hard to answer and feel overwhelming is because there is no one, simple answer to any of them.
There is no one way to “just be a kid.” Some learners want to keep exploring complex academic interests, even when school is not in session. For some, summer is a magical opportunity to deep dive into topics and areas of interest they don’t have time to explore during the school year.
For some, ultra-competitive environments are a great fit. Meanwhile, others might thrive in a less competitive, more collaborative or laid-back environment. Some want a balance of both (think competitive summer camp followed by chill family camping or fishing trip, for example).
Worrying about next school year all summer likely won’t make you feel better. It will probably just lead to frustration, since you can’t solve problems that don’t yet exist, and sending emails to staff who may be out of the office during the summer can just add to anxiety and concerns. Instead, you can use summer to reflect on the past year and observe your learner’s growth, strengths, and needs over the summer, so you can better communicate them to your learner’s educational team closer to the start of the school year.
As you can see in the examples above, the key to finding answers to these questions is considering what type of balance works for you, your learner, your family, and your schedule.
Below are some articles from the Davidson Institute Resource Library to help you explore what flexibility, potential, play, and community can look like for you and your learner, both this summer and in general.
You might also find the May 2025 issue, “Enrichmentmaxxing and Other Summertime Myths,” and the June 2025 issue, “Sunshine, Sprinklers, and Support Strategies,” of Guiding Gifted to be useful reads.
As always, with any of the resources or strategies we share, take what you need and leave the rest.
You have a summer to enjoy after all!
Conclusion
Whether this is your first issue with us or if you’ve been here since the beginning, we are grateful to be part of your advocacy community, and we’re here to support you how we can.
If you’re in one of our programs already, you know there are lots of resources for you to access via our private, member’s only website.
If you’re not currently participating in one of our programs, there is still a wealth of information and support available to you. Check out our Resource Library or our free resource guides or any of our other curated resources (like our Spotify and YouTube playlists or our Bookshop.org reading lists).
Finally, a fundamental part of advocacy is making sure basic needs—like food and shelter—are being met for both us and our learners. If you or someone you know might need extra support, findhelp.org may be a useful resource. It can also help you find organizations to support, if you’re in a position to help others.
We hope you can find paths towards balance and play that work for you and your learner. We’ll see you back here in June!
What’s New at the Davidson Institute?
Apply to Young Scholars!
If you’re interested in joining the Young Scholars program, you can learn more and start your application today! Get started by visiting our How to Apply page!
If you want to learn more about our program, explore our website, or register for our upcoming virtual Application Q&A. Our next Q&A is taking place on July 6 at 11 am (Pacific). Does that time not work for you? Don’t worry. If you register for the event, you’ll receive a recording of the Q&A.
Testing Opportunities – Join the Fall Waitlist!
Through our partnership with Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development, throughout the year, we are able to offer low cost, remote testing for students in grades 3-10.
This testing can be used to apply to the Davidson Institute’s Young Scholars program, along with the Davidson Academy, Reno and Davidson Academy Online.
To learn more and join the Fall testing waitlist, check out our Eligibility Assessment page today!
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We’ll see you next month. Stay well, Gifted Guides!