BBC2 Child Genius programme - now ks, *that* was a 'pushy mother'

[Tinker]

Interesting programme - only saw last half. What about the New York mother? "He doesn't like losing" Was it, perhaps, she didn't like losing? "I talk to him as though he were an adult". But he's not. Or is this where I'm going wrong?

Tissy

the little 2 yr old wasn't allowed any toys except stethoscopes and syringes ...

My ds2 hates mind mapping!

I watched the 2nd programme as my son has been diagnosed as gifted by ed psych... I thought I would let him be a kid first and foremost, trundle through school, challenged and extended, but still with his peers, being social and liked etc... I figured pressure would come early enough in schooling without my doing it to.
Now I feel guilty that I have been complacent, should I get a job and send him to private school that he has been invited to a yr early? I thought this would be unfair as my younger child would then lose out IMO as she would not have the same chances as ds - obviously being at home with me for 5 yrs made him bright LOL...
Should I enquire more or trust that a grammar school will meet his needs and that us as aprents can extend him ourselves if needed.
Sorry bit off topic bit serious... could do with some reassurance though?

I intended to watch this programme and missed it. Certainly sounds disturbing in parts.

missed it but saw the trail bit for next week's prog. they were talking about genius level and the commentary said something about trying to support your child and guarding against (thought it was going to say stop your child becoming socially-alienated weirdo)...failure. v sad

Kiwisbird - do you think skipping a year would be good for your ds? It doesn't necessarily make it any easier for students or teachers, and can cause problems socially.

I'm sure the grammar school will be great for your ds. What stage are you at now with your thoughts/plans for moving?

We're under offer, we've found ahouse, no spaces in any primary schools up there though! WE'll have to go appeal I think.
ASide from that he's settled down a lot, school has improved a lot for him, I am not realy keen on mocing him up a year tbh, it was just that they said acadenically he could do it standing on his haed, which I took to mean that keeping him in same age group would prevent him from extending?
I'm not really too bothered, programmes like this raise issues temporarily, then I look at it from my level and it all seems ok...
Hate to think he was playing ps2 when he could be making giant leaps in rocket science!

Staying in his year group shouldn't mean that he has to stand still academicaly, the teacher should be able to provide differentiated work for your son. They can also give him project style work, which can help to extend him, and also imrove his skills as an independent learner. Staying with his year group has lots of social benefits.

in the Program Buzan may be a good advert for the benefits of home eding, but just imagine how amazingly awful it would be to be the child home edded by that awful American Mother, or the mother of the 2 year old!!

Glitterfairy, it is possible to give children supportive encouragment in education, all good teachers will do this all the time. The trouble is when you get children with so little self confidence (like the 6 in the program) you can never give them enough in a lesson, and also teach the other 27 kids in the class. Good parents will have made sure that the children are confident enough to learn, the problem comes when this hasn't happened for some kids. It is very hard to do a good enough job with the time contraints that we have. And that is a great shame.