Child genius is not sitting well with me.

[Buddhagirl]

I agree a bit of competition is good, if the kids want to do it, fine. I just tthink these parents run the risk of raising psychologically unhealthy adults in the future. Too much pressure can't be a good thing.

YANBU, poor little Joshua, the chess champion doesn't want to be there, why would his mum put him through more humiliation.
There's some smug little children and some being pushed too far beyond their natural abilities

Me neither. American chess mother is really irritating me.

You have to wonder who some of them are doing it for. Just like those beauty pageant completions, they seem to counter the kids reluctance with a really flimsy defence.

turned it on and switched it over. when I was a girl there was a child genius called Ruth something who went to Cambridge to do maths at 11. very unhealthy relationship with her father and from what I remember she went to USA to start a new life. all of us would be cleverer if we worked 24 /7 at it but there is much more to life than this. isn't it really just parents living out their own fantasy?

Yanbu there are some Pretentious little blighters, wat about teaching them to be a good person and a bit of humility. Some of the parents are making a rid fr their own back and need a good shake. Por Joshua, the mum is disgraceful, and needs to look at herself

Aaargh!! Very disturbing, on the whole. The expressions of superiorty from some, and the obvious reluctance of others just made me want to scream...

Yanbu.

I totally agree,so much so I started a thread at almost exactly the same time as you!

I feel very sorry for all of them. Especially Joshua whose mother has seen fit to quit her job to earn money off him.

I can't remember his name, but I just shouted at the TV to teach him some manners and respect...I have a ds with sn and there is no way on this planet I would allow him to talk to us or treat us the way he did.

Intellect is one thing, common decency is another

Joshua's mum is just something. Bloody give that boy a hug and tell him you love him whatever.

I agree cricket, manners seem to be lacking in some of these children

cricket was it Hugo? Bright that boy might be,well mannered he is not.

I agree, what is it with Joshua a mum, poor little man.

Felt so sorry for Joshua. Hugo needs a damn good telling off and the little girl sniffing books- I just really hope no kids from her school were watching she'd never live it down

I just cried when poor Joshua said he couldn't continue because he felt poorly. Poor chap.

I would never, ever put my children through that. Down right cruel.

As a mum of an aspergers son I just caught the last few mins and would say that three of them at least look to be autistic - the girl sniffing books, little anxious Joshua and obnoxious Hugo. Might be wrong, just caught a bit of it, but that was my initial impression.

Joshua's mum has Made him go back despite him not feeling well . I just want to strangle her grrrrr

I think you are right iliemysleep

we have just watched this and agreed that if our child was physically sick on the way to a chess tournament we would take him home. Why would you do that to a child, its almost abusive IMO

Yet more exploitative TV from channel 4. What has happened to that channel? ( Child of the 80's!)

I agree ilike a few of them did seem on the spectrum. Not very fair really

I'm afraid a lot of it was reflected glory and nothing at all to do with the children

I couldn't watch this. They are putting their children in a competition to find out who is the biggest genius? This is very odd behaviour. Also they are putting their children on tv - what purpose does this serve? I think children have the right to privacy and this is abused by including them in tv programmes.

My aspergers DS is more in the Joshua anxiety school, but it's for kids like Hugo that a label is perhaps even more important...in just a few comments here we have 4 or 5 people saying he should be taught manners, needs a good telling off etc. I mean, clearly he does need to learn those skills, but if people understood that despite high intellect he has (appears to have) lagging social understanding skills, people may have more empathy....

(and I would not make my anxious DS do anything like this. Shudder!)

I do not like public diagnosis on the Internet though even if you do see aspects of the triad in them.