Child Genius 2016

I can't watch it. The horrible parents ought to be forced to suffer the anguish of a family trying to support a teenager with serious clinical depression.

They're beyond contempt.

Anyone bear to watch the Final last night? Wow. Just wow.

Fantastically able children but..omg...the parents. Almost unbearable. Poor kids.

Agree with all the comments and have not been watching it but did watch final. Glad the Pog? was eliminated, that will take him down a peg or two, but poor kid will be teased to death over it, I hope he can cope with it.. The parents of the runner up seemed decent, I'd better not say what I think of the others. Couldn't be sure if the winner was hanging back at one point to help the other girl, who she kept looking at or if she genuinely couldn't answer. I didn't agree with the criteria for choosing the final two, it all came down to memory - I think it is possible to be a genius with a bad memory, especially with easily available internet to look up on.
The program should also be renamed, there are plenty of child geniuses probably more intelligent than those on the program, but more modest about it - and with enough common sense to be living relaxed, rounded, happy lives.

I missed The Pog being eliminated.

I found the parents on last night's particularly obnoxious, somehow. Especially the girls' mothers. It was all about them and their "sacrifices", wasn't it. As if parents don't make sacrifices all the time for their kids.....

Glad it's over.

I knew a teenage girl whose mother projected her failed musical career onto her. It was pitiful; and interesting that in a televised competition she was commended for her technical skill, but the judges recognised that she had no "voice" of her own in her interpretation of the music, so she did not win. Another part of the programme involved the young competitors getting together to go roller skating - this lass was completely nonplussed by it all - she had never done such a thing and had no social skills to bring to the situtiton. How very cruel it is. I once stood in the wings of a concert at which this lass was playing and her mother was pacing about angrily - when she came off stage mother berated her for closing her eyes occasionally during her performance. Ghastly - I had to bite my tongue.

I have not watched CG - the whole concept made me cringe.

It was interesting that three of the finalists had entered themselves, while their parents hadn't been too keen on it.

Flicking channels, came across this last night, about half way through and watched in horrified fascination! The children, much as you would expect, having been coerced and hothoused by the parents....... But the parents especially the Mothers ,OMG.
DH said they should be taken out and shot.

Mind you, he is a bit over dramatic and Meldrew like these days.

I find it hard to understand how the programme makers get away with what is basically encouraging child abuse.

A 10 year old said " I don't want to ordinary.I have to be the best." How sad to have it instilled into you that you MUST be the best all the time. She went to a high achieving school then crammed for 5 hours every evening.

I am sure many of us have reasonably bright grandchildren but want them to fit into society and to think about others whilst doing their best. What sort of adults will they become? There was a little peer support when someone was knocked out, but not much. Also not much fun and laughter. Very sad.

I have a GS who is known as The Prof in his class, because he is very bright indeed - but he goes to an ordinary village primary where he fits in just fine - the others in his class often ask him stuff because they know he will know the answer, but there is no sense of him being superior - it is just a trait of his along with all the traits of all the others in the class. They are all good at different things and he is a very popular member of the class. His intelligence is never commented on by any of us - we just foster his interests, answer his questions and expect the same of him as his brother in terms of good behaviour and treating others kindly. He has good social skills and enjoys everything that all the other little boys enjoy.

Just as it should be lucky girl.

Some of the words they were asked to spell I hadn't even heard of! I liked Saffy the best.I agree that it was a horrific process and should be banned.

I think a pretty good case could be made to ban the programme or at least change the title.

I would like to have been a fly on the wall when the judges were questioned by the American woman. There was no way her daughter wasn't going to win.

I forgot about that bit....it was cringe worthy! Yes, Rhea was going to win no matter what. Even if she got the wrong answer.

Awful. Just awful.

To be fair these aren't just bright children. Two at least were in the top 0.05% of the population and the rest were top 1 or 2% which is seriously clever.