“Vic Thinks Differently”: The Story of a Gifted Boy

In this interview, Sofie speaks candidly about her son Vic, an eight-year-old boy who thinks, feels, and learns differently. Her story shows how giftedness brings not only opportunities but also challenges—for the child, the parents, and the school alike.

When Sofie talks about her son Vic, her voice carries a mix of pride and fatigue. “Vic is eight and in the fourth grade,” she says. “He’s a bright, sensitive boy. He thinks differently, feels differently, and sometimes just moves at a different pace than the rest of our family.”

Sofie and her husband Frederik also have another son, ten-year-old Simon. In addition, they care for two foster daughters, 21-year-old twins with intellectual disabilities, attachment disorders, and ASD. “One of the girls still visits regularly,” Sofie explains. “So our house is never quiet—and that makes life rich, but also intense.”

The First Signs: “He Only Wanted to Do Things He Already Knew He Could Do”

Sofie and Frederik noticed early on that Vic was different from most children his age. “He was just a toddler when we realized he did things his own way,” Sofie recalls. “Vic only wanted to do something if he was sure he could do it. He was potty-trained late, but then suddenly—no more accidents at all. Learning to ride a bike? He did that between five and six years old, without practice. He just got on and could do it.”

School, however, was less smooth. “In his second preschool year, we noticed he wasn’t happy,” Sofie remembers. “He didn’t like going to school. We even wondered if he might be on the autism spectrum because he seemed a bit socially withdrawn. Looking back, he simply wasn’t being challenged enough. When he moved to a class with a teacher who did engage him, we saw him blossom.”

The Grade Skip: “Suddenly Everything Moved So Fast”

Vic made a leap in his school career—he skipped directly from first to third grade. “At first, I had huge doubts,” Sofie admits. “The school had already considered it earlier. I was afraid he’d lose part of his childhood too soon. Frederik mainly worried that he’d be seen as an outsider.”

The decision only came after the school conducted further testing. “They saw that he had already mastered the material from second grade. He’d taught himself the multiplication tables—not fully memorized, but he could calculate them very quickly. In the end, they decided to let him skip a grade.”

Still, the transition wasn’t easy. “It felt like I lost a year of his childhood,” Sofie says. “Everything suddenly went so fast. And the reactions from others weren’t always kind. People would say, ‘You must have it easy with such a smart son.’ As if giftedness is only an advantage. That made me withdraw a bit. I felt like it was a taboo, as if we were dealing with a luxury problem.”

Misunderstanding and Taboo: “You Don’t Talk About It with Just Anyone”

Talking about giftedness remains difficult for many parents, Sofie has noticed. They mostly find support among people who truly understand what giftedness means. “We’re lucky to have good friends we met through the boys’ school,” Sofie says. “Their daughter is also gifted. With them, we can share experiences—it’s such a relief. Otherwise, you really feel alone in this process. I don’t talk about it with everyone; some friends don’t even know. I just don’t want all eyes constantly on Vic.”

The School: “Things Only Changed When the Right People Sat at the Table”

Working with the school was initially a struggle. “We hit a lot of walls,” Sofie admits honestly. “We needed professional help to make progress. The school was open to it, but putting things into practice and following up was difficult. Not all teachers know how to deal with giftedness.”

Things began to turn around only when a giftedness coach from NeuzeNeuze got involved. “Since we started working with the coach, we’ve been taken more seriously,” Sofie explains. “Vic now has an adapted learning path. In fourth grade, he uses a different math curriculum and takes French with the fifth graders. During math lessons, he works independently. Every other week, he also attends an enrichment group outside of school. His schedule is quite full.”

The transition from summer break to school was intense. “September was tough,” Sofie recalls. “He had to adjust. At the end of last school year, he was unhappy and had no motivation for school. Now he’s starting to take interest again. He enjoys doing his homework and goes to school with a smile. That’s such a relief.”

Still, things remain delicate. “There’s still a lack of know-how,” Sofie says. “Some teachers don’t really understand the risk when he’s bored or feels misunderstood. That can cause real harm over time—think of underachievement or school burnout. I’ve had to push hard to make things happen, but it was worth it.”

“He Writes Notes Full of Ideas”

At home, Sofie and Frederik can see that their son has rediscovered his joy in learning. “We find little notes everywhere—with calculations, drawings, and lists. Then we know: he’s thinking again, he’s learning again. That’s the best sign for us. And socially, he’s feeling much better. He has a best friend now, and that means a lot to him. He even wants to join the Chiro (a Flemisch youth group) —something he never dared to do before.”

“His Mind Never Stops”

Vic is a child with endless interests—but also endless worries. “He swims with a club and does judo,” says Sofie. “The judo is mostly because his classmates do it too. He once wanted to play basketball, so we bought a hoop, but in the end he didn’t follow through. He’s very logical—if something doesn’t feel completely right to him, he just lets it go.”

Socially, things are getting better. “He has one really good friend now, though they sometimes clash because they’re both stubborn. But he finally feels like he belongs in the class, and that used to be different. Skipping from first to third grade helped—emotionally, he fit better with the older kids.”

Vic’s sensitivity can also make him restless. “He worries a lot,” Sofie says quietly. “Mealtimes are a struggle; he gets anxious about money or about things he overhears. When we were renovating the house, he calculated all the costs. He thinks about things on a level that’s far beyond his age. And when someone’s sick—like a friend with cancer—he really carries that with him. His mind never stops.”

Support and Understanding: “Recognition Brought Us Peace”

The search for the right kind of support eventually led Sofie to a center specializing in giftedness. “I found NeuzeNeuze, a partner of Hoogbloeier®, through Google,” she says. “That changed so much. I finally found people who understood and knew what they were talking about. Everything started to make sense. I began reading about giftedness, and that really helped with how we work together with the school. And the enrichment group that Vic attends now makes a world of difference for him—he can just be himself there.”

At home, Sofie and Frederik focus on creating calm and predictability. “Vic’s a bit of a scatterbrained professor,” Sofie laughs. “He needs structure, but also freedom. We make sure to plan enough connection moments—just being together, listening. Sometimes there’s miscommunication, and we have to start over. It’s still a work in progress.”

The Missing Link: “There’s Nothing for Gifted Children”

What affects Sofie most is the lack of structural support. “The student counseling center hardly has any expertise,” she says. “Vic doesn’t get any form of guidance or support through school. That really hurts. There’s just nothing for gifted children. It’s as if they don’t exist—while the need is enormous.”

She becomes visibly emotional. “It makes me angry. I really want to fight for this. Because as parents, you have to figure everything out on your own. We’re lucky to be assertive, but not everyone can do that. And then kids get lost in the system. That breaks my heart.”

The Power of Parenthood: “We’re Learning Along with Him”

Despite the challenges, Sofie’s warmth shines through when she talks about her son. “Vic teaches us something new every day,” she smiles. “About how important autonomy is. About how powerful curiosity can be. About how beautiful it is to color outside the lines.”

She realizes that giftedness isn’t just an intellectual trait, but also an emotional journey. “It takes a lot of tuning in,” she says. “We have to learn to listen to what he really needs. And at the same time, we try to let him just be a child.”

She pauses for a moment and adds, “Sometimes I think giftedness is mainly about being seen. Not for the label, but for the person behind it. When that happens—at home, at school, in society—children like Vic can truly flourish. And that’s all we want.”

Reflection: Making Space for Different Thinking

Sofie and Vic’s story will feel familiar to many families raising a gifted child. The search for understanding, balance, and the right challenges is rarely simple. Yet Sofie’s story shows that change is possible—with openness, collaboration, and a good dose of perseverance.

“Giftedness isn’t a luxury problem,” she concludes. “It’s a different way of thinking, feeling, and learning. As parents, we can’t solve that on our own—but we can make a difference by continuing to listen: to our child, to each other, and to what truly works.”

What Science Confirms Between the Lines

Acceleration, as in Vic’s case, is also well supported by research. Meta-analyses (e.g., Colangelo et al., 2004; Steenbergen-Hu et al., 2016; Steenbergen-Hu & Moon, 2010) show that students who accelerate generally score higher in learning satisfaction, self-confidence, and school engagement—provided the decision is made carefully and individually. Vic’s story beautifully illustrates this: when education aligns with his level of thinking, not only his cognitive growth but also his overall well-being flourishes.

Although Sofie rightly points out that structural support is still lacking, knowledge in the field is growing. More and more schools, counseling centers, and care professionals are building expertise in giftedness and cognitive strength—often supported by experts such as the experts of Hoogbloeier®. Parents are no longer entirely on their own, but the path to appropriate support remains a journey that requires collaboration, openness, and ongoing dialogue.

References

• Colangelo, N., Assouline, S. G., & Gross, M. U. M. (2004). A Nation Deceived: how Schools hold back America's Brightest Students. 

• Reis, S. M., & McCoach, D. B. (2000). The underachievement of gifted students: What do we know and where do we go? Gifted Child Quarterly, 44(3), 152–170. https://doi.org/10.1177/001698620004400302 

• Siegle, D., & McCoach, D. B. (2005). Motivating gifted students. Prufrock Press. 

• Steenbergen-Hu, S., Makel, M. C., & Olszewski-Kubilius, P. (2016). What One Hundred Years of Research Says About the Effects of Ability Grouping and Acceleration on K–12 Students’ Academic Achievement. Review of Educational Research, 86(4), 849–899. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316675417

• Steenbergen-Hu, S., & Moon, S. M. (2010). The effects of acceleration on high-ability learners: A meta-analysis. Gifted Child Quarterly, 55(1), 39–53. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986210383155

• VanTassel-Baska, J., & Stambaugh, T. (2005). Challenges and Possibilities for Serving Gifted Learners in the Regular Classroom. Theory Into Practice, 44(3), 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4403_5 

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