When Your Toddler is a MENSA: Parenting a Smart Child

MENSA, the oldest IQ society in the world, announced that its youngest member, Kashe Quest, a toddler from California, had an IQ of 146 at the age of two, making her the youngest American member.

Kashe's parents, Sukhjit Athwal and Devon Quest, decided to let her take an IQ test when she was two when they noticed that she had a remarkable memory. The parents were shocked to know that her score was 146. The average American IQ is 98, Good Morning America reports.

Not only does she have a high IQ, but the parents also shared that she also shows enhanced emotional understanding at her age. The couple admitted that having an advanced child has taught them to be intentional with their words and made them conscious of the terms they use with their daughter and how they explain things to her.

The youngest MENSA Member

According to Devon, when Kashe was born, the doctor noticed that her eyes were "really attentive." At 18 months, their daughter had mastered the alphabet, numbers, colors, and shapes and was using seven to eight-word sentences, things the parents thought were advanced for her age.

At two years old, she memorized the 50 states by shape and location and could name all the elements on the periodic table. She could also count to 100 they shared, per KABC.

She knows Spanish and has more than 50 signs in sign language.

The proud parents said her excellent memory also has drawbacks. They admit that they must be careful in communicating with her as it has to be "clear to work," and she holds her parents accountable for their words.

Devon added that if they said they would get ice cream on Friday, there should be ice cream on Friday, or the parents will hear about it.

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Parenting a MENSA toddler

The mom, Athwal, is an educator with a childhood development background. She shares that although their daughter has an extraordinary IQ, she is also a typical toddler. She watches "Frozen" and has tantrums like any other child her age.

The couple focuses on Kashe's progress, and they would assure her that they are proud of her progress when she gets frustrated. The child must have learned from this as she would also complement her parents. She once saw her dad opening a pickle jar and said, "I'm proud of you, Dad."

According to CNN, although the parents have the right tools to encourage Kashe to learn more, they also want their child to learn at her own pace. She sets the tone and immerses herself in whatever topics she wants.

Creating Modern Schoolhouse

In 2020, while Kashe was two years old, the mom created the Modern Schoolhouse. The childcare center, which opened in October 2020 with only 12 children in attendance, aimed to have a school that had a natural home environment so children feel safe and comfortable while learning in the place.

The mom, who has a background in child education, thought that Kashe needed to be with children her age so she would not be pressured to act older. The genius kid was just two years old at that time.

As of April, Modern Schoolhouse Childcare has secured a location to expand its program to accommodate its growing students.

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