Child Genius

tesuhoha

There doesn't seem to be a thread about this so I thought I would mention it.

This is the title of a Channel 4 programme that was on quite late last night. Its basically about the search for the ultimate child genius in Britain. I watched it on replay today out of interest.

Quote from Channel 4.

Earlier this year, 21 highly gifted children aged seven to 11 were selected to take part in a competition run in association with British Mensa, to find the UK's ultimate child genius.

To be honest I thought that many of the children were horrible little brats, most of them having better behaved non-gifted siblings. (Presumably because they have been indulged.) The parents - don't get me started on the parents - all seemed to be very competitive.

For instance there was an American woman who had a young son called Joshua who was a chess genius. She had a programme designed for him that he had to play 10,000 hours of chess in order to become a chess master.

There was one particular telling moment when Joshua did not do very well in the morning tests, felt unwell and wanted to go home. His mother in her attempt to make him stay for the afternoon gave him a pep talk. She told him she loved him because he did this and he achieved that and the child replied (showing the most intelligence so far) that she should love him because he was her son.

Joshua was knocked out of the tests and her face was a picture but she made a great show of saying it didn't matter one bit.

Just wondering if anyone else saw it and what you think of such parents who push their kids like this and turn them into precocious little horrors. Some of the children were quite nice but the behaviour of the others left quite a lot to be desired and didn't seem to be particularly intelligent. (One threatening to smash his mother's phone and threatening his sibling, another calling people less intelligent than him stupid).

OnePost

Erm, I think they're allowed to raise their children how they wish as long as no harm is brought to them.

Why would you think your parenting view surpasses theirs?

There's nothing wrong with instilling skills that they consider as providing them with an edge in life.

Lagoon

I haven't watched this, but I was labelled a 'child genius'. It affected my education and I got a bit of media attention, but I wasn't pushed.

The issue for me was social integration, though being identified by my peers for my 'intelligence' was only part of the reason I struggled with that. For me, it levelled out when I was a year or two into secondary school and stopped caring completely.

I do think that it's important to encourage every young person, and to do everything you can to help them achieve their goals. If the boy wanted to play chess competitively, then that's excellent. If it was Mum's goal, then that's terrible.

All that said, whilst my path was somewhat dictated by my educational ability, it's my sister that got pushed much more for her more showbiz talents of signing, dancing and acting, and for her very good looks.

The fact is that pushy parents are around no matter what a child's talent or ability. I've known children that were academically far below par, and that had no notable talents, that were pushed by their parents.

I suppose, weighing it all up, I think being a pushy parent is much LESS damaging than showing no interest in your child, and there's plenty of that going on.

CH27

I found it all very sad. There seemed little joy in the children's lives.
The chess boy in particular made me very sad as I felt it was all his mother's dreams.

marisco_2

I didn't see the programme that you refer to OP. I do work as a teacher though and come into contact with many gifted and talented children. In my experience those who do best are driven and self motivated, with parents who are supportive but not overly pushy.

They aim for the whole development of their child and encourage them to mix and build strong friendships. Few of those children wish to focus solely on the area where they excel. Choosing instead to want a healthy balance and to pursue a wide range of hobbies and interests.

barbarawright

IMO there's often a lot of snobbery in the labelling - a 10 year old boy who knows about antiques or military history will be called clever while a boy who knows all about Doctor Who or the history of football won't get nearly as much credit.

tesuhoha

Its not so much the encouraging them that I have a problem with but the way they are made to feel so unique that they become objectionable. I agree with CH27. The chess boy was clearly being pushed and it was rather sad.

iammumtoone

I saw it and thought it was sad, apart from one family who seemed slightly embarrassed of their son (the train spotter) all the other kids didn't seem like they were allowed to be kids. I thought it was terrible when one boy didn't do very well his father didn't even clap for him. Of course this could just be the editing of the program and it would be unfair to judge too harshly.

Lifeforms

It was uncomfortable viewing for the sake of many of the kids on there.
BUT they as kids can't help the fact they're designated as gifted, but some of the kids behaviours were being kerbed by some of the parents, like the (coming over as) obnoxious child who referred to stupid people (normal people) and his mum said it's not nice to say that and pulled him up on it.

But then pressure got to some of the kids on the day. The brother (highly Academic) and sister (highly Creative) was a bit sad. The girl did well and the boy did not, he was knocked out effectively, but he blanked his sister when he went to sit back down, and she showed great humility in trying to reach to him as he passed, to comfort/pep him.

What can you do with kids who are like that? they're never going to be the regular normal kid off the street, so how else do you not stifle, frustrate, or completely mess up whatever you do with them?
It's not just a bit clever with some of them, some of them are obviously highly intelligent, and are not functioning the same as their peers of their own age. (or even brothers or sisters!) IQ and behaviour wise.

Oh and the Train Spotter kid was adorable! He was ever so excited by such a simple thing, a bit OCD almost with knowing details, but then with photographic memory, what else can he do with all the knowledge. He got so so excited, it was hard not to be excited for him!

securityguy

People who push their children hard are often obnoxious. I've spent enough time around them (music mothers, convinced their darling is a child prodigy) to have a large bag of pushy parent stories. People who want to put their children on TV are almost always obnoxious. So the intersection of the two sets is bound to be hideous.

abailey54

What's so great about being good at chess? That's what I find bizarre

I didn't watch the programme but I saw the interview that was on the BBC morning programme.

I agree with Marisco about the whole of a persons development in childhood, but to add to this I think humility (possibly not the right word, I can't think of the word I mean) is a part of this and I wonder whether this gets missed in some gifted children

When I was a child I spent a brief period being friends with a girl who had been dubbed as 'highly intelligent' and she was a complete ***hole, and was never told to behave any differently because of her apparent intelligence, and never received any punishment for her cruelty on other people. Personally I'm very glad I don't know her as an adult

I think some people hold 'high intelligence' (or general intelligence as apparently measured by mensa) in too high a regard, it is only one dimension after all. I think creativity is just as important, as are social ability and emotional intelligence

Just a waffle from me really, I'm not commenting on parenting, as I don't have children so therefore know nothing about it