If you read all my posts, I did clarify. Of course self-generated is wonderful, as I said. I was initially making the point that there is variation in how giftedness is manifested and there may even be paradoxical aspects. (I thought it was interesting when I read that some gifted kids read later, and that is what happened with mine.) This thread is an opportunity for many to input a variety of experiences. If many people on this thread were able to identify giftedness at age 2, that is helpful to the OP.