Do you think children ‘inherit’ academic talents?

[Thesefourwhitewalls]

Probably the worst title in the world but I suppose it wouldn’t be a shock if (say) Marcus Rashford had a child who was very sporty, or if Adele’s child showed some talent for singing.

Does this extend to traditional areas of the curriculum? DH is brilliant at maths and earns really well as a result. I am utterly shit at maths and I can barely add up. Just wondering if DS will take after DH or me! Or if it’s not something you inherit?

But being good at maths is also not the only marker of intelligence

It’s not but it’s very hard to access the really high paid job without some aptitude in it, I would say (I suppose you could be a footballer or something but not very likely.)

@MarshaBradyo I know. The problem is I am really shit at it!

DS is only 1 so not really an issue yet.

@Calist

Yes intelligence is highly heritable. This has been shown in twin and adoption studies very clearly.

There is no guarantee that the child of an intelligent person will be intelligent but it is far more likely.

This 100% Both my teen DS are Maths genuises- just like their dad. They are also sporty like him. However, both things have been encouraged and within their environment.

One is also creative like me and very much has my nature. The other is a bit off the wall, just like his uncle. Thankfully both have my sense of humour- probably a mix of genetics and socialisation.

We were just laughing about this in the car. My kids were comparing their football skills to those of other kids, especially those with parents who are very sporty. I said it was a combination of genes and environment.

My kids are all really great at math and solid A/A* students across the board. We're an academic family. This is a small consolation to the youngest who wishes she were better at football.

To be fair, my son didn't make the regional rugby team and I was relieved (the combination of his injury plus me driving around the country was a worry). He got a B in a chemistry exam and we had a chat about why. Nature/nurture.

Yes, but it's not guaranteed at all. I'm naturally clever and academic and, honestly, it's been quite uncomfortable to realise that ability has not been passed on to all of my children.

In fact, one of them is on the opposite scale with some SEN identified.

That same child, though, is unusually and exceptionally talented at sport, to the point where he on the path (fingers, toes and everything else crossed), to becoming a professional, and I have absolutely no idea where his ability has come from - certainly not from me!

@Thesefourwhitewalls I have a pretty good job in the States without any serious mathematical ability.

There is a great wide gulf between footballer and a highly paid job.

[quote MangshorJhol]@Thesefourwhitewalls I have a pretty good job in the States without any serious mathematical ability.

There is a great wide gulf between footballer and a highly paid job.[/quote]
Exactly. I’m a senior academic in a humanities subject at an internationally highly-ranked university, and my abilities at maths are probably outstripped by my primary-school-aged DS. Maths ability is no indicator of intelligence.

I thought it was inherent but I once had an amazing maths expert come into my reception class and teach a session. Every child in that class could confidently meet the expectations she had because of her expertise and teaching style. I hadn't been able to do that. She said that unless there was a diagnosis, all young brains have fantastic capacity for maths but if this isn't nurtured early on, it's much harder to catch up.

Yes also an academic here. Although I suspect slightly better paid than UK academics (I am originally British trained).

Plus both my parents were humanities graduates with frankly non existent mathematical abilities and both were Professors in their field but before becoming an academic my mother also had a pretty successful non academic career. Which was never held back by her lack of maths. (And in an Asian country where numeracy skills are highly prized).

As a general rule yes I think so.

This might be identifying but I've got kids to three men and they have all inherited traits from them. One of them struggled academically and had a child from a previous relationship with learning difficulties. The children we had together also had learning difficulties. The others were very intelligent and good with numbers. I am probably slightly higher than average intelligence but I have a real problem with mathematics, but those children really excel at maths.

I have a backround in Nuroscience. When the child is conceived, half the genetic material from the dad and half from the mum will go towards the formation of the childs brain.
Whilst pregnant the mothers mental and physical health will go towards Epigentics, these epigentic markers will attach themselves to the babies DNA which will have an effect.
I wont bore you with the scientific hormone but omega3 and fatty foods are essential to help with myelin production (White Matter) White matter helps the neuro transmitters where the Axon's of 2 neurons meet.
When the baby is born it is a case of Nature AND nurture NOT nature VS nurture. As soon as the baby is born, Imitation, repetition, bodily contact will help, Eye contact to help Mirror neurons to form, No stress, No cortisol and stress in their bodies, Actively engage with them every day do this day in and day out and you will have an amazing empathetical, intelligent baby.

But this is all theory, Being the kindest best version of yourself 24/7 for years until your baby is 5 and their script is written is much harder in practice!!

There is also a gulf between pretty good job and highly paid job, but I’m definitely not professing to be an expert here. Just that I know my lack of mathematical ability has held me back.

I would have thought that intelligent parents generally have intelligent children.

But it's also about outlook and interests I think. I know people who are good at science and their kids have done science degrees. DH and I are more humanities-based and ds is doing a politics degree. Is that because our brains are wired that way or because those are the things we talked about more? Or a mix of both?

Same with things like sport or music. If you like sport you will encourage your offspring and they will find something they are good at. Same with music, even if it's a different instrument.

I mean I don’t know what you mean by a highly paid job. In the UK I would earn 40-60K as a mid career academic. I earn close to 150K in USD in the States.
I know plenty of lawyers for instance earning a LOT of money with minimal mathematical skills.

True re law actually, that’s a good example.

I suppose I am thinking of things like banking, investment, any STEM, medicine, engineering and so on.

I think so, but not necessarily.
Me better at maths and language awful art low sport
Dp better at maths and art, ok sport

Dc 1 very good reading ok maths awful sport
Dc2 good maths ok reading good sport

Aunt 1 exceptional languages very good allrounder low sport
Aunt 2 (dp) SEN, arty

Grandparents 1
Gm good science maths computer science worse english
Gdad good english maths computers (bad with things like driving)

Grandparents 2
Gm ok good english
Gdad good mechanical SEN

So actually hard to know where kids got skills from. Dc1 had very good memory which is like aunt. In fact my dc1 is more like aunt than one of her dc. Im not sure why dc1 isnt as good at maths as that is generally a strength across both side.
Dc2 is a bit of a mystery as now y1 and hasnt got good memory so finding learning to read harder than dc1 but also cant cope with how illogical English is. However seems to be very strong on more mechanical stuff, dc used to plug everything in! Also more arty (which isnt from me).
So i guess i dont think its possible to all be from mum. But could be mums abilities enhance. In fact dc1 being so good at english have to be from genes the aunt has (so maybe skipped a generation) as us parents are not good at it at all. But i think we both have memory issues - me with short term and dp with long term. And both those affect learning. And dc2 seems to not have a very good memory.

I think though age in year group makes probably even bigger a difference (though wouldnt make a genius or amazing sportsperson) but would change good to struggling.

@AlexaShutUp

I have heard that intelligence is inherited from the mother rather than from the father, but no idea if that's actually true or just one of those myths that's out there!

I've heard that too.

If I only had my daughter, I would say that's 100% true. I'm intelligent and very academic. Daughter takes after me and is breezing her way through school easily, in exactly the same fashion I did.

However. son most definitely has inherited DH's brain! It's heartbreaking to witness. He struggles with basic reading and writing and school is horrendous for him. DH says it's hard to watch as that's exactly how he found school.

I would say it's pot luck whether you inherit your mother or your father's intelligence!

My DD is 10 and is a fantastic storyteller and creative writer. Has been since very young requiring zero help with tasks and writing for the love of it.
My DS is 12 and struggles writing a sentence without being reminded of basic grammar (despite lots of positive input).
They've both grown up (only 1.5 years apart in age) in exactly the same environment with the same parental input and the same opportunities yet are vastly different in terms of academia.
I believe academic abilities are genetic and one of my dc has inherited mostly from me whilst my other dc has inherited mostly from their Father.

Yes. There are definite trends in mine and DH's families.

I have been in touch with a third cousin who has been in touch with other distant cousins. There are remarkably similar stories and many have gone into very similar (but niche) fields.

My Dad's father was a twin. The twin left the country and died shortly after but she had a son - who was literally my Dad's long lost cousin. He got in touch a few years back. Again, a very similar career path. He wasn't raised by his biological mother and hadn't been in touch with any of our family for over 50 years.

There absoluetely is something going on in terms of natural talent.

Its one reason I find family history so fascinating, because you do see these commonality trends emerging.

Yea definitely. My ds and dd are very clever academically like me. Ds has No common sense tho (no idea where he gets that 😆)

Dh struggled at school and has dyslexia- his son is exactly the same. They can both make or fix anything tho!!

Definitely

I agree it can be inherited although nurture is also key. I've always been on the creative side and enjoyed taking more artsy/graphics related subjects for GCSE and A Level. My dad wasn't happy because he felt it was a waste of time - my parents rarely encouraged my skills from a young age. DD is showing interest in art and I'll definitely be more encouraging towards this than my parents were! DS is more maths oriented like DH and we encourage that too.

I feel like OP is asking almost a different question. OP feels that not being good at maths has excluded a world of possibility for herself and fears the same as her son.
I disagree with the view that mathematical ability is a marker of either intelligence or a barometer of future success.

Yes I think intelligence and talent are inherited but obviously nature and hard work play a significant role. However genetics are not linear, they are gathered from a wider pool. My two children (same father, same upbringing) are totally different in their strengths, talents, skills and interests. My son is more like me broadly but has a huge passion for politics and current affairs like his father. My daughter is very good at maths and more than that, really enjoys it which baffles me! I can do maths but my brain processes it very slowly. I'm intelligent in other ways (partner at a city law firm) but she got her maths talent from her father, an accountant.

She is also very arty. The other three of us can barely draw the curtains! But there is artistic talent amongst older relatives on both sides.

Both my parents were in medical professions but neither of their children were at all scientifically inclined!

I’ve already clarified I don’t think it’s necessarily a marker of intelligence, but I do think lack of ability to do much beyond basic maths cuts off opportunities - just as only having the reading age of an eleven year old would.

It’s an interesting discussion anyway!