This study set out to explore the similarities and difference between the views of parents of gifted children and their gifted child's perspective regarding being exceptionally able. Previous research suggests that parents of gifted children are concerned that they may be perceived as being pushy or accused of 'hot-housing' their children. Little or no research considers if the gifted child and their parents share similar viewpoints about being gifted. A purposive sample, of 43 Irish mothers of young gifted children attending primary school, was identified. Using a specifically designed questionnaire semi-structured interviews were conducted with the mothers and their respective gifted children. The results indicate that parents tend to focus on the negative aspects of being gifted and consider their gifted children to be strong willed and determined. Intriguingly, the gifted children reported that they enjoyed being gifted while the mothers expressed that they experienced considerable stress associated with raising their child. The mothers were more concerned about their gifted child's emotional well-being, specifically around issues of sensitivity and intensity at home, than any problems relating to peers or social development. Previous research has indicated that teachers are generally concerned about high ability student's social development. Of major interest were these parents concerns about their child's ability to achieve their potential. In particular, they were concerned about a lack of motivation or challenge and the child's perceived unhappiness at school. While the young gifted children reported that they enjoyed being gifted they also claimed that they tended not to tell people about their exceptional abilities and generally reported that they 'played down' their abilities in school. One possible influence on the decision to 'play down' their abilities was the high number of the children who felt that they were teased for being gifted. These young bright students felt different from their peers mainly because they gave a better performance in school even though not working to their potential. The exceptionally able students considered that they received the most encouragement from their parents, in particular their mothers as opposed to their teachers or peers. The majority of the children reported that they found school boring most of the time and typically finished class assignments before their peers. Although only a few of the children asked their teacher for extra work most of these children considered that there were other gifted students in their class and would have liked advanced work organised for them. The children indicated that they get into trouble for misbehaving in school such as shouting out answers or 'messing'. This study has implication for how teachers may effectively form partnerships with parents of exceptionally able pupils regarding the effective education of these students. Recommendations for forming partnerships with parents of high ability students will be presented. Furthermore, the findings of this study point to a need for teachers to develop ways to identify and engage high ability students in challenging work.