..to think that having a child who is average is fine. And that having a child who is advanced does not actually reflect upon anyone

[pagwatch]

...I have a staggeringly bright boy. i have another boy who has severe SN. I have a DD who is so far so average.
trhey are nice people. they are well mannered and very kind to each other. Loving, polite and affectionate.
I am not responsible for their IQ's - that is down to god the universe and genes .
The bright boy is not nicer than the boy with SN. My gorgeous average little DD is not of less worth than her more able brother.

Why are we all so obsessed with our kids 'smarts as if that is some holy grail bestowing health wealth and happiness.
And why do some of us seem to want to derive some vicarious kudos from the talents that their kids got from god knows where?

When did that start ?
AIBU that a whole generation of parents are going to be looking at their offspring in 20 years time wondering why they are just as averagly happy as everyone else ?

singersgirl - that was like rebecca on CooT - her mum seemed anxious that she was in the top set for everything - at 7.

It's the whole "baby signing helps your child to talk earlier" thing that makes me a bit tbh

IME, it just appeals to the competitive mums

So you slate baby signing for existing?

How odd.

I'd rather slate competitive mums

Like baby swimming lessons - I saw a 9 month old having a PRIVATE SWIMMING LESSON...even the teacher admitted it was a TOTAL WASTE OF TIME and why didn't the parents just TAKE IT SWIMMING?

YANBU, pagwatch. it's refreshing to see this too. i really hate the way some parents 'use' their kids to compete with each other. how awful. i try and avoid it, but the temptation is there at times and my ds is only 2.5.

i feel like when i say 'he's fine, but he's not the brightest spark' that people think i am being critical of my child (don't say it in front of him tho'!). NO! i just don't think being the brightest spark is the most important thing and i praise all the other things that he is great at (like being friendly and affectionate), and which personally i am more proud of than how well he can talk, or whether he is potty trained etc.

The classes, I mean.

Oh FFS.

I give up

I just had it all rammed down my throat by an uber mum whose kids are obv far better then mine. That's why I sterred clear of baby signing classes. - becuuse around here, the competitive folk flock round them like lies round faeces

tortoiseshell

Just wanted to say that I LOVED Dozen a Day when I was learning to play at 8 years.

Despite long gaps between playing since I discovered boys and booze as a teenager, I can still sit down at a piano and play pieces and remember scales etc. They are 'hard-wired' into my otherwise failing memory.

It's all very well to have a natural aptitude for aomething, but enjoying it is the key. And a bit of determination goes a long way too.

Fiofio - I'm guessing you don't have a private swimming instructor for a 9month old though? If you do - are you aiming for 2012 or 2016 Olympics?

NSRR - I did them when I was little and enjoyed them, and returned to them with ds1. I've got adults enjoying them too! They are just the right length that you don't feel it's a chore to do them each day.

It is true about the hardwiring - particularly with scale fingerings - which is why it's so important to get them right at the beginning!

Don't mind swimming lessons so much. (Obv one to one tutition for a 9 months old ia little excessive)

I wish I'd taken mine - I was too ashamed

fio!

woo hoo - go average intelligence. personality is the important thing - no-one will care if your child can jump through a thousand hoops, play the violin and swim like a fish if he or she doesn't crack a smile

the most important thing is that people warm to your child - not that they're impressed by their reading age or whatever

give me a happy, sociable child over a high achiever any day. if my DD can be both, great, if not I'll take personality, please

Are you doing Associated Board grades KM or is it different in Ireland? What does he have to do for it?

Right - am feeling motivated to dust off keyboard and start doing 'Cartwheels' this evening.

Would love to start taking lessons again really. Playing the piano is soooo good for helping me relax and unwind, and when I practice I'm actually not too bad at it!

Hijack over....

I find really precocious children a bit spooky tbh

Work through the Dozen a day NSRR - and you'll be amazed how much comes back!

I like the cartwheels one! Sounds really impressive too!

Tortoiseshell, is there a Dozen A Day book for violin practice? Dd would do more but doesn't know what to do and I don't really know what she could do either. Still basic stuff that she does but she's practiced it say twice and can do it then she doesn't know what she's supposed to do next IYSWIM. She might find something like those book useful. Who is it by?