I've known a couple of people like this over the years but at the moment I have one friend in particular who does this loads, and tries to make everyone else convinced he is too.
I met her at a baby group. There are 8 of us all with DCs the same age (3). I have two older children too. She in convinced her DS is more intelligent than the other children in the group. She often does a round-robin type text to us all saying a question or statement her son is meant to have said, usually involving a very complicated word such as preposterous. And if he asks a question when we are at the group, as many of the 3 year olds do, she starts asking us if we heard his question, and saying what a clever question it was, then she answers questions using a very lengthy reply during which time he has generally walked off to play and doesn't listen anyway. Latest thing is her asking on her Facebook status if anyone knows any private tutors that will tutor a 3 year old as he is apparently marvellously curious about maths and science. And I've never known such a fuss over finding a school for a child. She's talked about nothing else for months and apparently it's far more difficult for her than anyone else as they have to be very careful about where they send their child.
I'd say that he is probably quite average, and very similar to the rest of the children in the group, including my DS. His speech just seems normal for a 3 year old, he walked at the same time as the other children, potty trained at a similar time. I never hear any of these wonderful anecdotes of speech that she writes about in texts when we meet up, and his speech whenever I see him is just the same as the other childrens' speech. He talks well, as they all seem to in the group, but certainly not like a child prodigy.
I know we are all proud of her children and think they are geniuses but she really does cross the line between thinking it and making a bit of an idiot of herself.
AIBU?
To find it quite amusing how some people try to make out their average child is a genius?
MiketheKnight · 26/11/2012 08:40
Of course, the other passengers were in total awe at her genius.
aww obviously a little genuis you have there 
I have to admit I did compare dc1 with others too much, and worried unnecessarily when others could do things she couldn't. It was all very silly and luckily I kept it to myself! Dc2 brought me down to earth with a bump as he has some developmental problems.
My mum is the one who boasts about what dc1 can do - it's so embarrassing and also quite thoughtless considering her other grandchild never seems to get a mention. Like Cory said, dd very quickly developed a radar for "granny's showing me off again" moments and refused to perform. I remember being so proud when my mum was trying over and over again to get 12 month old dd to tell everyone what the cow says while dd sat there with a 
face which just said "you know fine well what the cow says".
Absolutely Mrsjay, she devours books, literally.. 
OP YANBU as I think most of us have encountered parents like this.
Unfortunately their bragging, which can be amusing, can distress some people who worry about their child's development. I think if someone does have a very clever child, that's great, but there's no need to take out a full page in The Times.
Absolutely Mrsjay, she devours books, literally..
just getting a feel (and taste) for them
It is also nothing do do with luck, child prodigys like mine are created by good parenting. You are all just jealous.
I think most people do this to some extent, even if they only think that their child is the cleverest/handsomest/friendliest person to ever grace the planet with their presence. Taking it to the extent your friend has though just smacks of either sheer arrogance or deep insecurity.
DS was teeny tiny when he was born and put on weight very slowly. I used to send weekly updates on his weight gain to a couple of friends, who gently humoured me because they knew how worried I was. I'm 
about it now he's a strapping 2yo!
Coralanne, this friend's son sounds like quite a catch! How old is he?
Unless you count decorating my front room in his own shit the work of a child Picasso then yes, I would say I was attempting irony fail I blame the lack of appropriate emoticons 
Don’t want to miss threads like this?
Weekly
Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!
Log in to update your newsletter preferences.
You've subscribed!
Unless you count decorating my front room in his own shit the work of a child Picasso then yes, I would say I was attempting irony fail I blame the lack of appropriate emoticons
ach it was me i didnt 'get it' I am not the brightest bulb my mum never bragged about me
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.