Child Genius-car crash TV?

I can't understand why parents would want to put their children through this - it is more than appalling.

My 5 year old DGS has just finished his first year at school and is 'more than excelling' in everything which was not unexpected but is, all the same, slightly worrying. It is extraordinary to hear some of the stuff which he comes out with - I am often left speechless. I love Trish's quote. Luckily he has a lot of that and DD and SiL keep his feet firmly fixed to the ground. His 3 year old brother who goes to school in September (don't get me started on that) takes after his Granny so will have different problems !!

DS2 tells me (half seriously) that I didn't push him enough when he was a teenager. Now I'm concerned that he might be pushing his two a bit too much. But I keep mum.

I haven't seen it by would say that any child has to be capable of dealing with the outcome, it sounds awful.
My ds is dyslexic with regard to English and in the superior range for sciences....maths, physics, chemistry. He was always the youngest in his class and top of his class. In upper sixth the school suggested he and another pupil apply for Oxford.
My son vehemently did not want to do this. I supported his decision believing that at just turned 18 he was not experienced enough in life. If he had wanted to go...I would have supported his decision.
After one year at uni he struck out and started to house share, was happy. He'd left home but home was also just a half hour drive.

The other pupil applied and was accepted at Oxford. He died in second year from a drugs overdose.

Sorry to have rambled, my point being......that children are often not emotionally ready for they might otherwise be capable of. And parents often need to wise up.

An example, my childless BIL on the paternal side told me I gave my son bad advice, but it had been my son's own decision. BIL said I should have not accepted my son's decision. This caused a coolness from my BIL to me. My ex h was of no help as he had a severe personality disorder.
BILs coolness did not improve when I left ex h.

Parents must put their children's well being first.
I am appalled at pushing children too far too soon, and parents pushing children at what could be the expense of emotional and mental health.

Sorry to have ranted.

I like your link, AshTree. It reminded me of the fun we had as children in the post-war years when building started again in our street. The foundations of the new houses were a great playground and we could always mess about with the builders' sand after they had gone home for the night. The only one who got hurt was my Mum who sprained her ankle chasing my sister to get her to come in for her bath!

If it is Mensa inspired I would rather rudely suggest that some of those who feel they have to create and join a society in order to show others how incredibly intelligent they are, might well be those who just cannot see why there might be a problem with this sort of game show.

"Better a broken bone than a broken spirit." Brave words in this day and age!

trisher I just love that recipe! It reminded me of this play experiment in Wales
I don't know whether it is still open, but I hope so. Our children need more of these, hard as it may be for modern, fearful parents to let their children join in.

I was horrified, as was my husband

I know lots of highly intelligent people who are not happy adults.

I agree it is wrong to emphasise one skill above others. Intelligence is one aspect of a person. This worship of intellectual skills is why we have a disjointed education system, where practical abilities are undervalued, and so many charming and talented young people feel like rejects because they do not have the right scraps of paper when they leave school.

I think Mensa should be ashamed of themselves.

I saw a few minutes of one programme in the last series and that was enough for me.

I think it's very damaging to encourage children to think of themselves as "special" just because they are "brainy". Parents who instill these feelings in their children are, I think, doing them a great disservice. There is more to a happy and fulfilled life than being academically gifted - "soft skills", such as the ability to communicate and relate to people, are important, as are qualities such as determination, conscientiousness and initiative.

Found it- It's how to preserve children
How to Preserve Children
1 large grassy field
½ dozen children
2 or 3 small dogs
Pinch of brook and small pebbles
Few wild flowers (optional)

Mix children and dogs well together and put them in the field, stirring constantly.

Pour the brook over the small pebbles and sprinkle the field with flowers.

Spread a deep blue sky over all and bake in a hot sun.

When thoroughly browned, remove and set to cool in the bathtub.

Anonymous

Or have need of it?

It is all so unacceptable. Those poor children. Just because they are intellectually gifted does not mean that emotionally they are anything but children.

PS
I was flabbergasted when the answer to one question - a word meaning something to do with the underworld - was 'chthonic'. How many of us have even heard of this word, far less, ever used it?

Water fights and mud pies are what they need Nelliemoser you are so right.
I remember some time ago reading a "recipe for raising children" which involved a field, a stream and leaving them for so long. Can't find it but would love to read it again-any offers?

I think Mensa had something to do with this contest - set the challenges, possibly?

I refuse to watch any programmes like that- children should not be exposed on TV.

I doubt if it could be regarded as an issue for child protection as such, but it is quite plainly wrong and unhelpful as Trisher says. Of course we do not know to what lengths some parents might go to get get their children to win.

What I have heard about educational hot housing habit is that ...

"However, studies suggest that children whose parents are very focused on early achievement are less creative and more anxious. There also appears to be no long-term academic benefits."

psychologymum.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/hothousing-and-competitive-parenting/

Let them go out and have a water fight, make mud pies or slob in front of the television once in a while.

As I said in my previous post, this is not the first series, trisher. I expect if social services had felt it warranted investigating they would have done so last year.

I did wonder who was funding the whole thing. I hadn't heard of the competition before this programme was made. The way the children are treated is extraordinary. I thought most people now understood that accelerating children and putting them in for examinations early wasn't good for them and doesn't necessarily mean they will achieve more. I also wonder if social services are watching.

I think that there should be some rules that prohibit broadcasting companies from exploiting children in this way.

Your points

Luckygirl crossed posts. I agree with you points completely.

I haven't watched any but I think the whole idea is truly dreadful.
A pushy parent fest if ever there was one. Let the poor kids be kids.
IMO its bordering on child exploitation.
No one should be "cramming" children like this.

I did not watch this on principle. It is simple child abuse. Concentrating on one aspect of a child is unhealthy, and doing so on TV is pure exploitation.

I have a very very bright 6 year old grandson, and his parents took the wise decision to send him to a village primary school, rather than an academic private school. The result is that he is well-balanced, popular, fun and lively, whilst at the same time pursuing investigations in encyclopaedias and on the internet that are far far above his age. His reading ability was that of an average adult about 2 years ago. he could just read anything that was put in front of him.

When we are at out local pub quiz we often say to each other that what we need is our GS there to put us right. He wandered into one of these quizzes once with his Dad and I was just chatting to him, when he said - you know that last question they asked? - well the answer is...... - and he was right!

His assessed levels in his school report are at least 4 years above his chronological age, but he fits into his class just fine. The other children are aware that he is a bit different and often ask him for facts or help with what they are doing - the teacher says that the other children look up to him and he is very popular and always ready to help others. He has learned social skills and is always up for rough and tumble. He is as far from a "boffin" as anyone could be.

What he is learning there is far more important than his outstanding intellectual skills - he is learning that he is simply a child among many others.

I can imagine that some parents would have "hot-housed" him, but I cannot think he would have been the same friendly little chap that he is.

It's so awful it's compulsive. That dreadful woman who pressured her daughter into continuing when she'd been in tears should have been thrown out. And the poor child ended up in tears again. I rather liked the Chinese kid who had a more healthy attitude than his father. No wonder he was bouncing off the walls when his parents had him in 'lock down' and fed him on giant packs of crisps.