Child Genius 2016

You and me both! Where has their childhood gone?? This to me is an exercise in 'oneupmanship' for the parents. Like you we are watching in horrified fascination!

You beat me to it; horrified...

Cringing! Poor kids! This is all about the parents, isn't it?

I missed that and can't say I'm sorry. I saw it last year and found some of the parents quite chilling. Isn't it enough that their children are obviously bright enough to succeed academically? Why put them through this competitive ordeal?

And people complain about little darlings doing SATs !!! they looked haunted

Agree, but then there is Mog who entered himself for the competition and seems to be enjoying it.

Yes, the very confident and rather opinionated Mog entered himself rather than being pushed into it by an over-invested parent. That does make a difference. Ther was a girl in a previous CG who did well, she'd done the same, her academic mother wasn't very keen at all. The girl seemed very relaxed about it all.
The French mother clearly had second thoughts and, I thought, had a lovely relationship with her son.
Interesting to see Curtis back as the older brother of Sophia, I remember him well from his appearance a couple of years ago, playing a grand piano. Is there anything those two can't do?? Did I really hear that their mother is their manager?? Impressive skating, I guess!

I had to switch over, it was gut wrenching to see the second boy get no points and the look of disappointment on his face . Why would you put your children through this even if they were bright ? The French Mother had second thoughts only because she didn`t want to be further humiliated and not because she was concerned for her son it seemed . Talk about living your life through your kids !

I don't think children should be exposed to this sort of ultra-competitiveness and I think it's a horrible programme.

Didn't watch it as the trailers were enough to put me off.

Definitely scraping the bittom of the barrel

I cannot even bring myself to turn it on. I have worked with exceptional bright children and all of the parents I worked with would emigrate rather than allow their children to appear on a programme like this.

I find the whole idea of programmes where parents pride themselves on turning their children into performing seals, whether for their intellect, talents or looks, quite repugnant.

I am in complete agreement with your last paragraph M0nica. I didn't watch it, really couldn't put myself through it. The sort of pushy parents that make these programmes possible just make me so angry.

I wonder why adults put themselves into tv programmes which are edited to show them in the worst possible light, as this one is. And as for including your children.....that is beyond reason. I know it is wrong but having started to watch it,I will probably carry on to the end as I am curious to know how the little Pog person gets on.

I just have to watch it. I know it's wrong it is a horrible programme and totally unacceptable. The parents are dreadful and the children unbelievable, but I still watch. And now its got Richard Osman, who was obviously gob-smacked by Mog's comment about sarcasm.

Don't blame the children. It is not their fault if they are obnoxious. Their parents brought them up to be so.

Sounded hideous, haven't watched it and have no desire to. I imagine it's a platform for smug, sharp elbowed parents who live vicarious lives through their offspring.

Well I tied my son to the chair as I hadn't seen him for a few days and put this programme on. We watched it together last time so I thought he would enjoy it again but alas, his computer was calling and he moaned all the way through to get back upstairs. Or it might have been the fact that 11 year olds are so much more intelligent than he is.

Do you think that these intelligent children are more likely to come from more financially stable families or do you think any child has the ability to be in Mensa?

Watched the programme and then deleted the series timer, it was excruciating. DD was eligible to join mensa but decided against it when she was a teenager, I would not like to see my child going through that on TV.

I watched it for half an hour and switched off after seeing Christpher's father and listening to his boasting and self importance and the comment that his son didn't need to waste time eating food just amazed me,what an absolute idiot of a parent that man is.

Knowing someone who lives her life through her C and now GC I know just what they are like . The person I know has hardly any friends. I keep in touch because I do feel sorry for her , her H has died and her family are all she has. She moved 4 years ago and apart from one other widow the neighbours do not seem to have any contact with her. She cannot see why and I am too cowardly to tell her. I wonder if the parents now on TV will be the same.

couldnt believe how some of these parents were allowed to bully their children like that!! the gloating parents!! omg!

Some people will do anything to get on tv. I saw an episode some time back and hated it. I like clever children but not like that.

It might(?) work better on the radio, like Round Britain Quiz ( that still going?)
I watched the first, won't watch any more.

In do not think it would work anywhere. The whole idea behind it is horrible and not being able to see the contestants/participants/performing seals makes no difference.