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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel sorry for some of the children on Child Genius?

135 replies

Laymizzrarb · 27/07/2014 21:25

I felt so sorry for Aaliyah when she made a mistake. She looked totally crestfallen. And the mother wasn't helping, telling the cameras her child had made a 'stupid mistake' . She's a little girl for goodness sake.

OP posts:
306235388 · 28/07/2014 10:57

This show is awful and quite a few of the parents are I think being abusive. Aaliyah breaks my heart poor little thing .

KnittedJimmyChoos · 28/07/2014 11:02

I am wondering if we can write to chanel 4 to express concern for her...

kennyp · 28/07/2014 11:19

it's awful. makes me so uncomfortable to watch. that poor girl with the bonkers mother and weasel looking stepfather. who actually needs to memorise playing cards anyway? plus the man that is the UK champion for memory (there's one for my wallet) is unkown, so although he has that star of the week badge ... for what?

tudor and hazelle's parents need a bloody good talking to. those poor children. those logic problems ... i am half the age i was yesterday but double bob's age who's 2 years older than me and lives next door to bob's dad who's not going to be 84 on his birthday. to mis-quote jerry maguire ... "you lost me at hello".

Mrsjayy · 28/07/2014 11:37

I hate this I watched half of the first programme watched the last one what we are seeing is emotional abuse disguised as children stretching themselves but nobody will do anything as the parents are seen as doing their best for their children its fucked up , I know these children are super bright but the pressure the parents put them under is abusive,

KnittedJimmyChoos · 28/07/2014 12:10
  • last one what we are seeing is emotional abuse disguised as children stretching themselves but nobody will do anything as the parents are seen as doing their best for their children its fucked up

yes but us lay people can see it - I would love proper physcologist to tell us their thoughts on this.

Mrsjayy · 28/07/2014 12:16

It would be interesting what a professional thought I agree, I cant remember if this is a genuine competition or one channel 4 made up,

Unexpected · 28/07/2014 12:19

Wonder what an actual child expert like Dr Tanya Byron would make of this awful programme and what these parents (some of them) are doing to their children?

ZanyMobster · 28/07/2014 12:29

I think it is run by MENSA?

ZanyMobster · 28/07/2014 12:37

I can't stand Aliyah's mum or Tudor and Hazelle's dad, they are vile nasty people. DH and I couldn't believe it when she said about her forgiving herself. Tudor's dad was so nasty to him on the last episode as well.

I can cope with some of the others, the little piano playing boy seemed pretty happy, he was scared playing in front of those people but I was the same playing in front of crowds and my mum would always say 'you're fine, don't worry' as making a big fuss probably would have made me worse. His mum didn't react badly to him going out of the competition and she basically said you shouldn't need to do too much work with them as it is a natural talent. She was obviously quite pushy but not nasty like some.

Rubiayat and Sharon are clearly naturally gifted rather than pushed within an inch of their lives.

I liked Jocelyn's parents at first but soon felt they would end up causing her issues as she had no structure at all for anything in her life, I mean most 5 YOs would happily give up school after half a day if we let them.

iseenodust · 28/07/2014 12:37

"Do you forgive yourself?"
I was apopletic. No-one doubts the poor girl had tried her best in a stressful circumstance. It should have been "Can you forgive us for the pressure we heap on you & our intensity while not actually thinking you are good enough to win?" (Last week mum said she was brighter as a child than her daughter is.)

YouTheCat · 28/07/2014 12:40

If channel 4 put a programme on where the parents beat their kids to make them learn there would quite rightly be outrage and horror and SS would be involved.

So I just don't get why there isn't in this case. Emotional abuse can have long lasting effects. It's just wrong.

Awful people.

Mrsjayy · 28/07/2014 12:46

I agree it's just wrong imo, but I imagine these parents arnt rare sadly.

Original poster
Laymizzrarb · 28/07/2014 13:46

Aliyahs Mother 'We created her'. The guy in the programme is not her father, so why are they talking about her as if she is some kind of project?
Eleanor is making me smile. Now there is a child who really wants to be there! I think she is destined for great things.

OP posts:
KnittedJimmyChoos · 28/07/2014 13:56

so why are they talking about her as if she is some kind of project? because she is their project.

saintlyjimjams · 28/07/2014 21:40

Eleanor's, rubiyat's & Sharon's parents are sensible. The rest vary from mad as a box of frogs to dangerous (although I likes the home ended girl's parents last week as well)

mustbetimeforacreamtea · 28/07/2014 23:28

knitted Aliyah's parents are supposedly psychologists so you'd think they'd be alert to the dangers of their parenting. Clearly genius level IQ doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with commonsense or EQ

greeneggsandjam · 29/07/2014 00:34

A bunch of mostly odd parents raising children to be quite possible odd children. I wonder if they are cringing when watching themselves back and hearing what people think of them!

zingally · 29/07/2014 13:19

This reply has been deleted

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Mushypeasandchipstogo · 30/07/2014 21:31

I totally agree with everybody else. IMHO this is utter child abuse, the parents show no love for their children whatsoever and I do not agree with this being shown on C4. I just hope that the children rebel when they are older.

greeneggsandjam · 30/07/2014 21:42

I have just today been watching the second episode and decided to see what Aaliyah's mum was about. She is very open about what happened to her as a little girl and all things considered she isn't doing to bad.

MsAR · 30/07/2014 21:59

Interesting to read these comments as I was the class teacher of one of the featured children. I don't think the programme shows the wonderful, caring side of the young man I taught, which is a shame as he has so much about him and was massively respected by the rest of the class for his unique talents. His parents were very sensible and supportive but they've come across really well. I'm not a big fan of the whole concept of the programme but am still watching and am in awe of how bright he is.

bubalou · 30/07/2014 22:15

It was awful!

Poor Tudor - his dad was a ducking arsehole.

Poor kids. Hmm

greeneggsandjam · 30/07/2014 22:17

I agree in feeling very sorry for Tudor and his sister. Their parents seem to be without feeling.

greeneggsandjam · 30/07/2014 22:18

I am sure that even if Tudor were to win the competition his dad would still find some kind of fault in him for not doing even better, for not answering all questions quick enough/correctly.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 30/07/2014 22:21

knitted Aliyah's parents are supposedly psychologists so you'd think they'd be alert to the dangers of their parenting. Clearly genius level IQ doesn't necessarily go hand in hand with commonsense or EQ

I think Aliyahs mother had an awful, beyond awful up bringing....and she is now supposedly a psychologist.

i sense that with her upbringing which was so dark, she has now swung to to the light....as it were.