# Indigo children... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 14, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998 "2012-12-14T03:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pikey\_pete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pikey\_pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pikey_pete)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/1 "2012-12-14T03:50:13Z")
Have any of you heard of ‘indigo children?’ No? It was new to me as well. I say ‘was’ with some regret. Today was my initiation into the mysteries and joys of raising an indigo child by an acquaintance of mine who claims that her child is an indigo child. Baffled, I asked her what an indigo child is. I have to admit that I was hoping for it to be some rare skin condition that makes her kid look like a rejected midget from Avatar. Alas this was not to be. What then, is an indigo child? According to parapsychologist Nancy Ann Tappe the traits of an indigo child are that they are empathetic, curious, strong-willed, independent, and often perceived by friends and family as being strange; possess a clear sense of self-definition and purpose; exhibit a strong innate sub-conscious spirituality from early childhood (which, however, does not necessarily imply a direct interest in spiritual or religious areas);and a strong feeling of entitlement, or “deserving to be here.” Other alleged traits include: a high intelligence quotient, an inherent intuitive ability; and resistance to rigid, control-based paradigms of authority. If this sounds a little vague…you are quite correct. Thanks to the Forer Effect it is just vague enough to be applicable to any-fucking-one. After a lengthy dissertation and a couple hours around her kid, I have drawn a more honest conclusion as to what indigo children are. They are a way for lazy dumbshit parents to excuse their children’s inappropriate behaviour/mental illness/learning disorders. In the specific case I was exposed to indigo child means AD-fucking-HD. The little shitball wouldn’t obey simple instructions from his mother, wouldn’t respect my requests to stop unsnapping the epaulets on my facket, and wouldn’t stop bouncing off the walls. I know, kids have a lot of energy, but this kid was frightening. He literally did not stop moving or talking, and she wonders why he is constantly considered a discipline problem at school and has failing grades in so many classes. So, Listen up all you parents of ‘indigo children’: your kids are not possessed of paranormal powers, they are not more spiritually mature (whatever that bullshit means,) and they are not special, except to you. To the rest of us they are a virus with shoes. quit trying to convince the rest of the world that your drooling little freak is special because you and your pediatric aromatherapist have slapped a bullshit pseudoscientific label on them. Do your kid a favor that will help them: take them to a doctor, see if there is something wrong, something that can be treated. If their doc comes back with your kid being fairly normal, then learn to fucking discipline the little beast. Don’t just slap a stupid bullshit label on them and think that is going to excuse their inappropriate, antisocial behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/2 "2012-12-14T04:05:06Z")
That is hilarious. Several years ago my brother, and then I, got into studying metaphysical stuff (well, I tried to learn about it; he went full blown Woo). His younger son exhibited all the traits you mentioned and was deemed an Indigo Child ( the “Blue One” has been on meds for ten years now). I said to bro “you know who was just like that as a kid? Me. And I dropped out of college and ended up in rehab”. There aint nothing special about being maladjusted; please don’t reward it with a special title. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/3 "2012-12-14T04:09:14Z")
> [@pikey\_pete](#): > > If this sounds a little vague…you are quite correct. Thanks to the Forer Effect it is just vague enough to be applicable to any-fucking-one. After a lengthy dissertation and a couple hours around her kid, I have drawn a more honest conclusion as to what indigo children are. They are a way for lazy dumbshit parents to excuse their children’s inappropriate behaviour/mental illness/learning disorders. More of a way for parents to ignore behavioral issues, not just real disorders (athough it might develop into that). And of course, if not disciplined any kid can be assholish enough to qualify! Your kid’s not a _brat_ - she’s an Indigo Child and is just expressing her _Strong Sense of Individuality_! Well, that’s not going to go well once she hits school. Or college. Or work. Fuckin’ New Age Shit never dies, it just mutates into Newer Age Shit > [@](#): > > unsnapping the epaulets on my facket I’m very curious as to what this means. No sarcasm intended - I don’t understand this statement at all. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/4 "2012-12-14T04:10:11Z")
Jenny McCarthy used to claim that her child was indigo, until he turned out to be autistic. Then, of course, it was the fault of the eeeeevil vaccine. [http://childrenofthenewearth.com/free.php?page=articles\_free/mccarthy\_jenny/article1](http://childrenofthenewearth.com/free.php?page=articles_free/mccarthy_jenny/article1) Some people should not be parents. She’s one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/5 "2012-12-14T04:12:40Z")
Whoops, sorry, Jenny is HERSELF an Indigo (though early) and her child was a Crystal. I was misremembering. Now I need to go scrub my brain. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/6 "2012-12-14T04:17:18Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > I’m very curious as to what this means. No sarcasm intended - I don’t understand this statement at all. I believe “facket” was a typo for “jacket.” Fust my opinion, though. As for the OP–nicely done. ---
**Author:** ![pikey\_pete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pikey\_pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pikey_pete)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/7 "2012-12-14T04:19:43Z")
facket…oops, typo, that should be ‘jacket.’ I have an old Schott motorcycle jacket which I love. It has epaulets on the shoulders. The little monster wouldn’t quit unsnapping them and then tugging on them. It took all my self control to not backhand the little fucker. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/8 "2012-12-14T04:20:17Z")
Indigo children… need a good swift kick up the arse. And then another one. ---
**Author:** ![pikey\_pete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pikey\_pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pikey_pete)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/9 "2012-12-14T04:42:58Z")
I’ll tell you what I need for dealing with indigo kids: a veterinary dart gun with ritalin suspension loaded darts. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/10 "2012-12-14T04:55:38Z")
I have an acquaintance who, for all I can tell, is completely subsumed and involved in this nonsense. She runs some sort of group called “Indigo Child Activated” or “Indigo Children Moving” (I don’t remember the actual name) that apparently allows these children to feel that their complete inability to engage in the world in any meaningful way is a manifestation of their higher evolution. The group is all about how their profound inability to function in society is not something that they need to consider an issue, but that the rest of society just needs to adapt to them. The group’s entire focus is getting laws and regulations passed, and norms changed, so that people who can’t sit or stand still for literally one second are the norm, and everyone else is the exception. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/11 "2012-12-14T05:21:39Z")
The “indigo child” thing is kind of ten years ago, guys. This fad has long passed except among the hard core woosters. I can sympathize, a little bit, with the people who fall for this nonsense; they’re just not very bright, or ill informed, and are faced with a kid who has some behavioural issues, which believe me is a scary and daunting thing. Some woo merchant sells them a bill of goods and poof, there you go. But really, the Indigo Child thing peaked in like 2001. This thread’s years late. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/12 "2012-12-14T07:27:51Z")
> [@pikey\_pete](#): > > I’ll tell you what I need for dealing with indigo kids: a veterinary dart gun with ritalin suspension loaded darts. I must disagree slightly on this, it would be much more satisfying if the dart was loaded with telazol. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/13 "2012-12-14T09:44:48Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Indigo children… need a good swift kick up the arse. And then another one. Repeat until unconscious – either them from the impact or you from exhaustion. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/14 "2012-12-14T10:35:30Z")
Apparently, I have an Indigo Chihuahua. ---
**Author:** ![furdmort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@furdmort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furdmort)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/15 "2012-12-14T10:45:30Z")
Anyone who goes along with the “Indigo Children” crap is obviously incapable of using google: [Source of the Indigo children crap.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Carroll) Basically, you have a self proclaimed psychic “channeling” a space alien named Kryon. That sounds like a really GOOD source of child rearing advice. Not! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/16 "2012-12-14T12:26:24Z")
Yeah, to my recollection there’s something about this shit starting in about 2000, which is the year my daughter was born so if I was a fruitcake I could call her one (like, they’re not saying that it was just recognized then, but it actually STARTED then, for some magical reason I’m not clear on). And then there’s something called “crystal children” or something too. I blame [mothering.com](http://mothering.com) forums for this nuttery. ---
**Author:** ![Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sticks_and_scones/32/16951_2.png) [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/17 "2012-12-14T12:29:19Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Apparently, I have an Indigo Chihuahua. Hahahahaha!!! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/18 "2012-12-14T12:37:08Z")
So, there really is no spoon? ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/19 "2012-12-14T12:56:58Z")
> [@furdmort](#): > > That sounds like a really GOOD source of child rearing advice. Not! :rolleyes: Did somebody mention fads from 10 years ago? Party on, Wayne and Garth! ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998/20 "2012-12-14T13:05:12Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Indigo children… need a good swift kick up the arse. And then another one. Are you sure it’s not the parents who fall for the woo who need it? But actually, to be fair I can in a way understand how parents would seek an explanation that says the kid’s acting up is not some sort of moral failure on their part. However reaching for THIS explanation is an \*intellectual \*failure. Picking up some aura-reader’s story to build up a theory making this become some sort of mystically superior evolutionary step, sounds like overcompensating. Yes, in some ways the society/institutions should show a degree of tolerance for how not everyone just naturally clicks into the sociobehavioral norm fully or at the same pace and it does not make them bad or defective. _Up to a point._ It’s when you start saying they do not need to adapt at all that you start going wrong. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indigo-children/643998.md?page=2)