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.

On one hand, if the children thrive on it, or it is a rare outlet for their genius, and the competition (and possibly failing) enables them to feel amongst others who understand then I think it's a very good thing.

If it's pressure, a pagaent, and all for the adults, then it's very sad.

I feel for the children and the mixed blessing of genius, that double edged sword. I also feel for the parents who try to accomodate their children.

I also feel there's massive stigma with genius, more than any other special need, and YANBU for it not sitting well with you, it doesn't sit well with me either, but these children exist and a forum where they can meet other children who are similar is a good thing.

I am not sure I like the nature of the competition though, but don't know enough about it to know whether it's a good or bad thing... perhaps that's why it doesn't sit well.

I agree ilikemysleep my dd 6 Asd (not as intelligent as those Chidren) but I sure would make sure they displayed good manners, which I try to do

Yes, lack of manners/general niceness was very noticeable in some of the kids, although some were lovely. Some of the parents were ghaaaastly. Felt sorry for some of the siblings, too - how many hours has Joshua's younger brother spent sitting in halls watching him play chess or do 'child genius' competitions, only to be rewarded by Joshua lashing out and speaking to him like he's shit? Not fun...

Good for Catherine, though.

Squidworth - I did say might well be wrong, it was just an impression, and I was doing it in order to try to protect the children from people making other assumptions about their manners and how much telling off they needed.

Public diagnosis of 'needs a good telling off' is just as much of a judgement of these children, who were after all put in the public eye by their parents on a prime time tv show.

Well his parents did seem to find his tantrum quite amusing, which leaves space for reasonable wondering about whether he could be better dealt with!

Perhaps I should have just said 'Some of them may be on the spectrum' though...point taken about that.

leaving the issue of possible ASD aside in some of these children, the programme goes to prove that 'learning' is not simply about high academic intelligence; it encompasses so much more stuff life appropriate social interactions, empathy, emotional intelligence etc. I felt that the parents on the show were putting these (vital) skills to one side in their children.

Ilikemysheep

DS1 has HFA and I can understand the gut reaction is to stand up for children on the spectrum.

All being very judgemental. Unless you actually have child like that, how can you pass comment on how others deal with their situation! Pushy is one thing and should probably be avoided but trying to keep a child stimulated and challenged enough not to get bored and misbehave must be very hard work and tiring....think how tired you get and multiply by a number that only a genius could work out.....

Lesley I liked the children.

I don't think Channel 4 has their best interests at heart in putting them on tv in this format.

Some of the child genises (?) appeared to of lost their manners long the way.

I did like the lad from China, he seemed pretty grounded and although his father came across as a nob....he did have a point about getting his DC to do something where he would 'fail'....or not be the best would be a better way of putting it across, though I think his reasoning for it was slightly off

As I posted on the other thread I only watched the first 15 mins before I couldn't bear the awfulness any more but I thought that Hugo's parents were brilliant.

"Oh good - that's my favorite water work" and even better "if he plays in an orchestra there will be girls in it and he can go out with one. He might even get a sh@g."

Joshua, the Chess player plays 50 hours of chess a week . I presume he goes to school,as well

I'd bloody well hope he would be good at chess after that amount of effort.

It doesn't sit well at all

Yanbu

Child abuse imvho and as for making a freak show out of it!These kids will Google in years to come and read the unkind comments that are bound to be written due to said parents turning them into obnoxious brats.

As I said on the other thread if they weren't mc I'm pretty sure ss would be involved.

Why aren't there laws re shows like this and Mensa to protect kids?Do parents pay to enter that comp. I don't get the point of it,thousands of kids up and down the land could romp through those questions. Looked like a money making exercise to me.

Sad thing is most are and will turn out to be pretty average,how are they going to cope with this realisation,the guilt of crushing the mad dreams of their parents and the after effects of being thoroughly arrogant and unlike able(all caused by their parents)?

Very sad.

OMG They are even allowed to drink FRUIT SHOOTS!! CALL SS.

Hugo jumped out as hfa and as a fellow parent of a child with asd (no academic ability though) I recognized the awful struggle between celebrating who they are and hoping desperately they will have a semblance of a normal life.

I thought book sniffing girl was delightful, but then I feel the same way about books and her mother seemed very supportive.

I found chess mom appalling- why would she live through her child like that-it's like she's consuming him. She can let him play a lot of chess which he obviously loves and helps him function, but she doesn't have to break him by forcing him on this treadmill.

I have read a lot about similar upbringings to Hongkong Dad's, thank god his son goes to school and is able to socialize there-he seems well adjusted and to understand his dad is not the norm.

Loving all the kids who love books!

kotinka Had to be done.

It made me very glad my DC are average.

My DS is good with numbers and sometimes I think "wow! He's a genius!" Then he comes out of school with his jumper on upside down and I think maybe not so much.

I did wonder where the chess player even really liked chess at all, it seemed his mother had chosen it for him before he was able to form an opinion, but I could be wrong. He just seemed forlorn somehow.

other thread here

I liked the book-sniffing girl!

And yes to "forlorn"