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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Child genius on ch 4 - wtf?! (Lighthearted)

94 replies

Sleeplessinguiltyness · 14/08/2017 20:26

What is even the point?! I just don't get it!

Just seems like a load of pushy parents living through their kids, memorising random words I have never even heard of!

OP posts:

OffcialMalbecTaster · 17/08/2017 20:08

Poor Grace, im crying for her here.

user9512736123 · 17/08/2017 20:36

Poor Grace :-(

I'd have thought the reaction to being called thick would be to be more supportive and encouraging of your own children rather than forcing them to cram.

Fekko · 17/08/2017 20:40

I'm feeling sick for these poor kids. Dear god the pressure - mostly pushed by their parents desire to have a genius kid.

So who is this years poppet? There's always one quirky sweetheart who has lovely, normal parents who don't seem to push them or want them to be the best in the world.

MissionItsPossible · 17/08/2017 20:41

That poor boy's reaction, so sad

Fekko · 17/08/2017 20:49

When DS makes a mistake or fails he shrugs, says 'oh well' and wanders off to play Pokemon.

He's a smart kid and is working at school a few years ahead of himself but just doesn't have the fragile intensity of some of these kids.

Plus we don't tell him how smart he is and how he has to beat everyone at everything like (some of) these parents. Maybe that's it - we don't expect him to be #1 or else.

I'd hate to have a photographic memory. One of my lecturers did and says it was an absolute curse.

user9512736123 · 17/08/2017 20:49

I hope that Grace stays.

user9512736123 · 17/08/2017 20:52

Awww, poor Grace :(

Fekko · 17/08/2017 20:59

I missed fabios mum kicking off so think I missed one. Last time there was a clip at the end if her accusing someone of cheating. Who was it? Were they?

user9512736123 · 17/08/2017 21:34

Monday night and we don't know who she accused.

user9512736123 · 17/08/2017 21:35

And no, they weren't, they thought somebody was saying the answers for the child to lip read

Winebomb · 17/08/2017 21:41

I have watched every series. All of the children in that show are incredible, of course there are some horrible pushy parents out there, some on the show. But not all of them are.

I am so sad for oscar, with his mum in intensive care, how heartbreaking for him, and its so clear his dad was just at a loss to know what to do for best.

We celebrate children's sporting achievements (think dance classes, football etc with elite classes and scouting for premiership junior teams) it might not be 100% the best way to celebrate these clearly very gifted children, but these children are flipping amazing!

MyPatronusIsAUnicorn · 17/08/2017 21:43

Oneofthose, you are one of those parents though, one of the ones whose child wants to enter and has a supportive parent. Not a pushy one who comes across like a dick yes Fabio's mum, looking at you.

Felt so sorry for Joshua. I want him to do well. The thing is, he has proved he can memorise and recall 104 cards normally so this was no test of intelligence for him, again.

I do like Rahul, shame his dad is irritating.

Procrastination4 · 18/08/2017 00:10

Well, whatever about the British Child Genius series, the American one is really crazy. They are competing for a lot of money which is put towards the winner's college fund, so the pressure is immense and the parents are extremely pushy and ambitious.
Re. The British series, I was rooting for the Series 15 winner all the way. His family seemed really normal and he seemed to be a very bright kid who wanted to enter the competition himself rather than being entered into it by pushy of over-ambitious parents.
Rahul's father's facial expressions are hilarious to watch!

Procrastination4 · 18/08/2017 00:11

Argh! "Pushy or"

SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 18/08/2017 08:47

It always seems unfair that they eliminate children after each day rather than accumulating scores across all the rounds.

This massively favours children whose strengths are tested on the first day(s).

ConcreteUnderpants · 18/08/2017 09:28

My best friend is the teacher of 2 of the kids from last year's series.

Nothing further, just my only pathetic brush with celebdom, apart from the Timmy Mallett episode when I was 17.

user9512736123 · 18/08/2017 10:38

@Concreteunderpants you can't say that and then not tell us more!

What was Timmy Mallett like?

MiaowTheCat · 18/08/2017 10:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LaurieMarlow · 18/08/2017 11:45

I haven't watched this for a few years, I stopped because I wasn't enjoying it. It seemed like such unnecessary pressure to put the kids under. And the majority of the parents are fairly horrific (some notable exceptions).

I seem to remember an academic psychologist mum from a few years back who was clearly very damaged by her own upbringing and was obsessed with her daughter's IQ (and the fact that it was lower than hers). She was deranged, I felt so sorry for her poor daughter.

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