# Is your child smarter than average? More attractive? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 5, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058 "2010-04-05T18:35:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/81 "2010-04-09T14:20:06Z")
[QUOTE=Lazarus Long] Delusions are often functional. A mother’s opinions about her children’s beauty, intelligence, goodness, et cetera ad nauseam, keep her from drowning them at birth. [/QUOTE] _My_ child is above average in all aspects, of course. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/82 "2010-04-09T14:29:54Z")
A factor you folks are overlooking is this: while it is true that parents _over_ estimate the looks and smarts of _their_ kids, it is also true that parents (and non-parents) tend to _under_ estimate what the _average_ of looks and smarts for _kids in general_ is. Fact is, the average for cute, nice and smart in young children is _pretty damn high_. The _average_ kid is pretty cute, pretty smart and reasonably nice. You would not know it from reading people’s posts here, though. As example, look in any one of the numerous pit threads, were poster after poster complains about how horrified they are about the hideous and hellacious children who assault their delicate senses each and every day. Of course, if you think that _most_ children are horrible little monsters, you will rate your own highly against this supposed “average”, because you are assuming the “average” is a set of degenerate Neanderthal throwbacks. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/83 "2010-04-09T14:40:55Z")
Aren’t there an unusual number of redheads in this thread? > [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Aww, this thread \*almost \*makes me want to reproduce. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/84 "2010-04-09T17:36:49Z")
Having spent yesterday staring at my older son, I have concluded I think he’s about average cuteness level. I have doctor’s confirmation that he’s ahead of his age in mental development, though- he went in for a checkup yesterday, and they asked all the developmental stuff questions. He’s ahead in a bunch of areas. He still drives me nuts. He’s not advanced socially or in Being-Nice-To-Mommy. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/85 "2010-04-09T19:20:02Z")
The daughter I didn’t mention above just got a Fulbright Fellowship to teach English in Germany next year - and another to teach in Austria which she won’t be taking. She’s also beautiful, but we don’t have professional certification for that, so I won’t mention it. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/86 "2010-04-09T19:47:42Z")
Hey, I just remembered, I DO have professional certification for my daughters’ brilliance! So there! 😛😃 (At the beginning of this school year we sold out to the Man and joined a charter school for homeschoolers. Both kids took assessments, though for the 6yo it was pretty informal. They did good. I’ll spill the beans if anyone wants to hear it, but I doubt that, so I’ll just shut up.) ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/87 "2010-04-09T20:25:58Z")
At 8 months I don’t know about intelligence, but I have had strangers tell me she should be on commercials. [Cite](http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/LudyMe/046.jpg) [Cite](http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/LudyMe/halloween09011.jpg) [Cite](http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/LudyMe/068.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/88 "2010-04-09T20:28:04Z")
My child is so much smarter than average she has her own imprint. (As in publishing!) Her career has skyrocketed in the last year, she has reached the thin air of her profession and I couldn’t be happier for her, or prouder of her. ---
**Author:** ![Sudo\_Intellectual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sudo\_Intellectual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudo_Intellectual)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/89 "2010-04-09T21:17:41Z")
I don’t have children but I have two nephews, who I think are absolutely wonderful. However, since I did not give birth, I can be a little more honest. 8 y.o. nephew is an incredibly attractive child. Tall, blonde hair, blue eyes and somehow he got the tan/olive skin from the 1/4 Italian side of the family. That being said, I would mark him as average, or realistically below average as far as intelligence. He’s really good with his hands and can build things/help dad in the garage fairly easy but very much struggles with reading, writing and schoolwork in general. However he is one of the sweetest, most helpful and well behaved 8 year olds that I’ve ever met. Plus, he’s gorgeous, he doesn’t have to be smart 😉 My 6 y.o. nephew is brilliant. Without exaggeration. He’s reads at least at a 4th grade level and I’ve caught him doing the neighborhood kids homework for them on many occasions. It bothers him that they can’t play until their work is done since most of the time he is done before he even leaves school. I only am semi-joking when I tell my sister that we have to make sure that he is a social child as there is a fine line between Genius and Evil Genius. He is only moderately attractive. Well, he’s 6 so he’s adorable, but you can see how his features are kind of goofy and he will probably not grow into an extremely attractive individual. He’s also a giant pain in the ass. He loves to get his way and has been outsmarting adults since he was about 3 years old. He will bargain for everything just because he enjoys the debate and he’s exceptionally good at it. I love him to pieces, but also often want to whack the back of his head. My sister of course thinks they are both beautiful and smart and perfect. That is what happens when you give birth, the pain colors your judgement. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058/90 "2010-04-09T21:58:38Z")
The average kid (toddler through pre-teen) is much cuter than the average adult, so even if your kid is _really cute_, it doesn’t necessarily make her above-average. Our brains are wired to like and protect little babies above all, so I think we tend to _think_ babies are much more attractive than they really are. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-child-smarter-than-average-more-attractive/535058.md?page=4)