I read about these kids in today’s paper.
Damn, now I feel like an idiot and a loser…
Anne, somewhere, at some point in time, someone is always going to be way smarter–or prettier or more popular or funnier or crazier–than you. Incidentally somewhere, at some point in time, someone is also always going to be uglier, stupider, and more revolting than you.
Such is not the reason to feel like an idiot. Continue in the knowledge that you’re just about as smart as you want to be. 
No reason to feel like an idiot. I went to college with one of these 14-year-old genius National Merit winners. He may have made good grades but he was, shall we say, severely lacking in (1) social skills (2) common sense. Possibly, if he made it to adulthood, he would have developed the focus to succeed at something, or even many things. However, he dropped out, & when last heard of was working as the manager of a burger joint. (This was many years ago; what he really wanted to do was open his own garage and fix cars.)
Think what an idiot you could feel like (not that you should) if you were a National Merit scholar at 14 and working at Burger King at 18. Regression?
Well, I feel sorry for the kids actually. While they may be academically able to cope with university life, it is a big jump to assume that they will just cruise through their degrees with no problems.
Why not just let kids be kids? If they’re bright now, they’ll be just as bright at 18 or 19 and probably more equipped to really reap the full social AND academic benefits of such an institution.
:rolleyes:
Amen! This is exactly what I was going to write.
I don’t think it’s that easy: have you ever seen what happens to really bright kids who aren’t challenged? Who are bored to tears at school? I’m not saying that advancing them is always the right thing to do, but there are other considerations. I think that putting a 13-year-old in with 20-year-olds is questionable, but I don’t think that leaving her in a classroom with other 8th-graders when she’s academically functioning 7 years ahead of them is necessarily the answer, either.
There’s no perfect solution, but I just don’t think it’s as cut-and-dried as “let kids be kids.”
This is what I needed to hear! 
At least I’m not working at Burger King, at least I’m not working at Burger King…
I’m sure one of each will be along shortly for you.
Yeah, you’re probably right. 
And nor am I saying that bright kids should not be challenged. It is apparent that the parents of the kids in the article were doing a fine job of keeping their offspring keen as mustard.
But…it seems (from the article) that the parents had indeed cultivated such brilliant kids as a matter of intent. Any normal kid can be shunted into brilliance with the right attitude from parents and/or teachers. Show them the rewards that are to be gained (approval/lollies/special gifts) and I can show you a cowering dog of a child who realises his/her only value is in his/her academic achievement.
And in the end, what does it matter? That the kid is ready for Uni at 13? MY GOD, what KID is ready (emotionally and socially) for uni at 13? They might know their alegbra, and they might know how to recite their Shakespeare, but for fuck’s sake, they have NO IDEA about the world around them. Nor should they…they’re only children.
No bloody way is this OK. Let the kids go to special classes if they are so clever. Let them do Aikido and fencing and kung-fu. That’s all cool. But for gawdsakes, don’t let them think they are especially cleverer than their peers…because chances are, they’re NOT, and they will be in for an incredibly rude awakening when they do come of age.
:rolleyes: