To HATE Child Genius?

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

DH and dd are watching and I can't stand it. All those poor kids, crying from the pressure their egomaniac parents have put them under. IT DOESN'T MATTER!! Surely you can be proud of your lovely smart kids without pimping them out to tv. Makes me raging and sad in equal measure.

Yes. It was very harsh, so I am sorry for that. I still cannot understand how the poster can possibly see things so differently to everybody else

Wasn't there a mum on here before who had a child on the show? I think if I remember rightly the child's name was Holly.

You do need to bare in mind that it is heavily edited. The last winner's mum seemed very pushy, the programme said how she had given up her career as an ob/gynae to focus on the children's academic life etc. She gave an interview and laughed at the untruths- she also said that they filmed lots of day trips and the dc just messing around, but all of the footage shown was them doing work.

I'm glad some of you didn't get to watch him though

And of course it could very well be the case that at least one of us here have had a child compete at the ultimate level of their sport, all sport, and it doesn't change their mind about Child Genius being ugly.

I agree CG IS ugly. My DB competed in national piano competitions growing up. It was more for his teachers kudos than any benefit my DB got out of them despite being both gifted and contientious. I was never pitched against him, never went into competitions thank heavens. Although one of DBS sons played in the national youth orchestra, my DB never put him forward for any competitors. He has seen first hand pushy parents and teachers making kids lives utterly miserable and treadmill-like.

I think it has been absolutely awful this time. I think Richard Osman, whilst having doubts about the show, is so kind to the kids involved. More so than some of the parents.

As for Fabio's mother, well she is even worse than Rahul's dad, who is hysterically overly invested. She reminds me of a jolly Dianne Abbot who is all bonhomie, covering up the fact she is playing her poor children off against one another. What is all the business about wanting Fabio to win? The look of utter dejection on the sister's face was awful to behold.

There was also the parent who home-schooled. Her ds scored no points on the observational questions about the London bus route. He sits no exams because she feels it unnecessary. When he came bottom, she commented that if that is the sort of thing they teach in schools, little wonder she took him out and then stalked off. Again, a very telling comment.

Having said that, this is not to detract from the absolutely amazing abilities of some of the children. Good luck to them in the final tonight.

Yes. It was very harsh, so I am sorry for that. I still cannot understand how the poster can possibly see things so differently to everybody else confused
It wasn't harsh, it was rude! I think I did mention that people who are not themselves competitive by nature do struggle to understand. Not understanding doesn't mean wrong though.

I am interested in the family profiles and dynamics, but I work in ental health where these things are very important. The competition itself is v dull. I have only watched one episode of this series.

Intelligence is a multifaceted complex notion that can't be easily defined.

Given they have set lists of spellings to learn, the same history book to learn for that round from etc, this is primarily a test of how well the individual can do when examined orally in front of an audience. This isn't entertaining (I got bored and haven't watched more), it isn't a test of 'who is cleverest' and it is clearly stressful for all parties involved. Therefore I would not support further series.

I don't think anyone is denying that it is stressful. It just that some people, including children do thrive on stress. That's the bit that many posters seem unable to grasp. Stress is not something that everyone attempts to avoid.

Stress releases adrenalin and cortisol. When you push yourself to your limit, you release endorphins. These can provide the same good feelings that others seek in other ways.

Only saw a short clip this morning and was also horrified. How can it be right that these poor children's only conception of themselves is as child geniuses and that makes them better than other children? What about kindness, humour and just plain humanity?

Sickening

Stress releases adrenalin and cortisol. When you push yourself to your limit, you release endorphins. These can provide the same good feelings that others seek in other ways

Its painfully obvious that for a lot of the children its just not happening that way.

But then its probably happening for their parents at the childs expense so thats ok.

How can it be right that these poor children's only conception of themselves is as child geniuses and that makes them better than other children?

Rahul couldn't even discuss his defeat in a previous round and he made it very clear there would be no celebrating anything unless he won the competition. He's also extremely ungracious in defeat but not as chilling as the lad yesterday. Daryl? And Rahuls dad saying they would celebrate one of the rounds was a learned response from a man who knew this is the kind of thing I have to say to here in order to make the ugliness palatable.

these types of emotions are played out in competition every day in all types of ways

Exactly, nokidshere . However, in not televising various kids' competitive endeavours they can process the worst of it in a safe, private place such as with you at home. They can take a quiet moment after a chess tournament that's gone badly before congratulating the winner. They don't have their raw emotions televised and broadcast to their friends and kids in their class.

Would your son want his negative pre game voice heard by all and sundry? You say he'd be horrified by not playing but would he welcome everyone watching him vocalise his self-doubts?

I agree that resilience can be fostered by competition and by failure. I agree that smart kids often enjoy competition but disagree that it's not widely available - there seems to be a different interschool maths/science competition each week at my kids' school. And they're doing tasks that aren't just working memory based skills, I was great at maths at school (2nd top) and my 9 year old can do complicated problem solving I can't.

I don't agree that children should have that process played out for a wider audience, for entertainment.

Exactly, nokidshere . However, in not televising various kids' competitive endeavours they can process the worst of it in a safe, private place such as with you at home. They can take a quiet moment after a chess tournament that's gone badly before congratulating the winner. They don't have their raw emotions televised and broadcast to their friends and kids in their class.

He is watched by all the other players and their parents/grandparents and whoever else is at the game. There are often tears of frustration and slamming down of tools in disgust at themselves. And he is not the only player - it's just a release of the stress they put themselves under.

Would your son want his negative pre game voice heard by all and sundry? You say he'd be horrified by not playing but would he welcome everyone watching him vocalise his self-doubts?

No he wouldn't want the pregame stuff watched by everyone, however, if I told him his next match would be televised warts and all he would still make sure he was available for the game. He absolutely would not pull out in case he didn't do well. He might be able to control his emotions till he got home but he is just as likely to be unable to.

So, in summary, your son is a talented athlete who currently externalises his stress in a safe environment. He and his teammates will sometimes make their onfield frustrations known to each other and to the friends and relatives watching. Given that they're still children this is normal and undoubtedly part of the process of wanting to do well.

My issue is that televising this in gratuitous, game show fashion,for ratings wouldn't help children process complicated stress responses. If your son's sport was to be televised for entertainment and they did a montage of your child's pre game angst and mid game frustrations you could well look pushy and he could look immature and like he's not coping well. And I completely agree that, from what you say, he thrives on the competition and that his negative self-talk is his usual manifestation of stress which he is able to work through.

The question is, though, whether having your son's montage of self-doubt and stress played out in living rooms over the country would be harmful to him? Obviously, I think friends, classmates, the wider community etc seeing kids at their most vulnerable fit their own entertainment isn't helpful and won't help kids move forward. How would having some random say, "NokidshereDS, I saw you on TV and my mum says that you can't hack the pressure and she reckons your mum is mean for making you do it?" help him work through his pre match anxiety?

The difference between other competitors and invested adults and the wider audience is that the latter don't know the context, don't know the kids personally and can't wait to pounce on what they consider poor sportsmanship - from their armchairs.

Awful show with dreadful parents and messed up kids.

I don't like the show. I was an extremely bright child and found it horribly damaging to have my value as a person be emphasised to me as being all about my cleverness, when I got older.

Not so different to how children whose value is entirely based on their good looks.

The difference between other competitors and invested adults and the wider audience is that the latter don't know the context, don't know the kids personally and can't wait to pounce on what they consider poor sportsmanship - from their armchairs.

I agree with this actually. Because that's exactly what is happening on this thread isn't it? People saying the children are badly treated, have mental health stress or problems, the parents have no respect for the children and are horrible to them. the children don't want to be there and are being forced or coerced in some way.

That was my point really - no-one can possibly know from an edited snapshot of their lives or filmed snippets of how they are handling disappointment and pressure how they are in real life.

The same way that someone watching my son storm of in frustration and crying with disappointment might think that he wasn't cut out for the game, or that he was there under pressure, or that he didn't really want to be there at all when the opposite is true. He's a well rounded, confident, happy, chilled teenager who lives and breathes his sport but kicks himself hard when he doesn't do well.

Children are competitive. I doubt that any of the children would be there if they didn't want to be no matter how tough they are finding it.

i doubt that any of the children would be there if they didn't want to be...

Well, it depends how it was sold to them. There's a big difference between, "Sweetheart, you're so smart and you'll go on tv and it will be challenging but fun and you'll be famous and everyone will see how smart you are and you'll make amazing friends" and "If you go on this show you'll meet some cool kids but if you get frustrated and cry or feel angry it'll be on TV and everyone you know will see it and strangers will see you and probably talk to you about it".

Lots of smart kids thrive on things being intellectually tough but having your emotional responses televised is unrelated to that. Would any adult here like to be seen crying on a TV game show?

The kids are 9 to 12 and CG has been going we several years, of course they knew what they were getting in to.it sounds as though all the children have been assessed psychologically.They will all feel like winners for even being selected.I think the problem is that because many posterz do not have a child who thrives on this sort of challenge and would have hated doing if themselves, cannot comprehend that children are different.

t

Heavens yes,what happened to children being children?One doesn't have to make them perform at every turn in order to be encouraging some interests in perhaps sport or dance,etc.

One hears amongst ones friends constantly about the dreadful ballet pressures on 3 year olds,ridiculous!Then there are the absolutely dreadful parents who somehow 'missed out' when they were children & live out their fantasies through their children.

Dcs may eventually grow up to be successful but not happy.

My issue is it's become a memory test. The first series they had to debate.i think it's nonsense saying they are degree level in their chosen subjects as basically it's just facts like mastermind.

Swingofthings, I refuse to believe you enjoy this carcrash of a freak show. You, actually, sound like those contrarians that would argue the opposite just so people think they are so unique and clever.
Pushy parents like these are such epic fails of humans. Watched 3 minutes of it and that was enough.
And before anyone accuses me, I have a maths field related PhD and degrees from the top 5 universities of the world. And an awesome career. Can't be more specific cause I'll out myself.

Well, it depends how it was sold to them.
It wasn't for a few of them. The runner up signed up on his own, his parents were not bothered, he insisted on going. So how was he brainwashed? Why are some people clearly totally unable to accept that a child could actually want to do it themselves?

Lots of smart kids thrive on things being intellectually tough but having your emotional responses televised is unrelated to that. Would any adult here like to be seen crying on a TV game show?
Many do! I saw that there are running a serie filming kids in school. Much drama there! But nobody cares about it because it's normal life and people can relate to, whereas all they can do when watching child genius is think 'I would hate this, so would my kids, so those kids must be miserable and can only have been brainwashed to go'.

My issue is it's become a memory test
A big part of it but not all. The mental maths skills aren't, not were the anagrams. Most of mental intelligence is derived on an ability to quickly process information and an amazing memory.

What makes these kids special is there clear abilities, but also there thirst to learn and determination to practice.

Some only saw the tears. I saw the tears following by the laughter, smiles and humour.

Watched 3 minutes of it and that was enough.
No offense but maybe you might have wanted to watch a bit more before thinking you can make a judgement based on what you've seen rather than your prejudices.Must nice list of your amazing accomplishments!

Real life is very different to here! Most people have spoken to about this programme have similar views to me.

most of mental intelligence is derived on an ability to quickly process information and an amazing memory

What do you mean by this? How does "mental intelligence" differ from that tested in a cognitive assessment (IQ test) in which processing and working memory aren't as heavily weighted as the other components?