# Parents of Average Children, Post Here **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2001, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382 "2001-07-31T20:10:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/1 "2001-07-31T20:10:26Z")
[sub]Disclaimer: I don’t have any children.[/sub] I am sick to death of seeing bumper stickers that say “My Child is an Honor Student at \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_” or “My Child is a Soccer Star at \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_” etc. I want to hear from parents of unexceptional kids. If your child is a C student, a lousy athlete, not talented in any way, or not particularly attractive, please post here. I promise I won’t tell them! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anti\_Pro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Anti\_Pro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anti_Pro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/2 "2001-07-31T20:47:37Z")
Wanna hear from an average parent of two sons?? Does that count for anything?? I don’t have any bumper stickers announcing my averageness though, it has been remarked upon by the astute, lucky for me, I don’t know many astute people! 😉 I share your peevishness over the variety of bumper stickers announcing the greatness of so many children. I sport a ‘Liberty University’ sticker, ONLY because it is see through, and I can pull it off after next year when DJ graduates!! For the life of me, I’m not sure why these proud parents (or, are they proud, it is only for ME to see their bumper sticker, after all!) feel compelled to tell ME about their brilliant offspring. I only want them to use their turn signals for pete’s sake!! Stay in the lines, and go the speed limit!! Oh, that makes me feel sooooo much better! Wanna split a popsicle now?? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/3 "2001-07-31T21:11:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rastahomie \* > If your child is a C student, a lousy athlete, not talented in any way, or not particularly attractive, please post here. This is what passes for average these days?! My goodness, how standards have dropped… Well, my kids are none of these. I’ve been told by complete strangers and their teachers that they are exceptional. Both Mrs. QS and I take great pride in that, yet, we choose not to advertise their accomplishments via silly bumper stickers or social bragging. Our kids our stealth mode smart - You won’t see them comming until it’s too late! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hibbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ce73a5/32.png) [@Hibbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hibbins)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/4 "2001-07-31T21:49:52Z")
You show me a parent that doesn’t think his kids are exceptional (somehow), I’ll show you an uninterested person parroting parenting. Not too many parents would be willing to admit that “little Johnny” is just average (or worse). For one this reflects badly on them (or so some would think) and two it wouldn’t be very advantageous for “little Johnny” to know that his parent/s don’t hold a high opinion of him. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/5 "2001-07-31T23:22:52Z")
I was in a chat room once, where the topic of conversation was children. I mentioned that darn near _everyone_ thinks their children are brilliant, talented, and wonderful. Although I meant it as an observation, people took it as a direct insult to their children. One chatter told me that his daughter was getting superb grades, thank you very much. I said, that’s great, I’m sure she’s not stupid or anything, but grades don’t mean all that much. He said that sounded like the sort of thing a person with poor grades would say. Then he asked me what my current grade point average was. I told him that it was currently 3.8. (Much lower now. _sigh_) He responded with, “That LOW? And you dare pass judgement on my daughter?” He then when on to claim that his daughter regularly got a gradepoint average of 5.0 or higher. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/6 "2001-07-31T23:40:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Anti Pro \* > **… For the life of me, I’m not sure why these proud parents (or, are they proud, it is only for ME to see their bumper sticker, after all!) feel compelled to tell ME about their brilliant offspring. …** My take on the stickers - they’re there for the kids. It’s not embarrassing like being hugged by Mom and Dad in public, but it’s still obvious that Mom and Dad think ya done good. It’s along the lines of artwork on the fridge. At least, that’s one mom’s opinion. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/7 "2001-08-01T01:14:21Z")
**BlackKnight** , there are some school districts that calculate GPAs over the 4.00 line, particularly for AP classes. Nonetheless, he was being an ass; but his daughter might have actually had a GPA of 5.00. _snort_ Yeah, sure, riiiight. I think parents who brag like that are praying that you don’t find out that little Johnny actually HATES soccer and athletics in general, is actually a terrible, terrible pianist, and only gets the grades he does because they and practically do his homework for him. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/8 "2001-08-01T04:56:27Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by rastahomie \* > \*\* > I want to hear from parents of unexceptional kids. If your child is a C student, a lousy athlete, not talented in any way, or not particularly attractive, please post here._\* [sub]Disclaimer: I have a kid, and I think she is smart, creative, and attractive. Others have been known to agree with me.[/sub] Gee, not talented in _any_ way, huh? Any way at all? I find it hard to come up with any adults who fit that category, and the ones who do–well, their parents probably know them better than I do, right, and can come up with _some_ sort of redeeming quality. Most people have some sort of talent, and people who love them are probably most likely to notice these traits. It might be tough for Janie’s parents to overlook the fact that she isn’t the brightest student, for example, but she is an excellent cook and she does a wonderful job caring for her baby brother. Not the subject of bumper stickers, no, but they probably wouldn’t post on a message board that their kid was “unexceptional”. I think these bumper stickers are also subtle advertisements for schools. “Hmmm…Johnson Middle School must be pretty good. They have a lot of honor students!” Many schools need all the good publicity they can get. **BlackKnight** , isn’t there a 12-point grading scale that some schools use? (“D-”=1, “D”=2, “D+”=3, etc.) In that case, 5.0 would be…a “C” student! ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Nekked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/46a35a/32.png) [@Buck\_Nekked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Nekked)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/9 "2001-08-01T05:04:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FairyChatMom \* > \*\*My take on the stickers - they’re there for the kids. It’s not embarrassing like being hugged by Mom and Dad in public, but it’s still obvious that Mom and Dad think ya done good. It’s along the lines of artwork on the fridge. > > At least, that’s one mom’s opinion. \*\* IMHO, If we all had moms like you, the world would be a better place. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/10 "2001-08-01T07:11:15Z")
Well, my stepdaughter is very talented when it comes to falling down - she falls down at least three times a day, and me and the wife joke that one day CPS is going to take that child away from us due to her clumsiness. She doesn’t have any other talents worth mentioning…doesn’t read yet and she’s 6, can’t remember the words to songs, can’t draw well…wait, I just remembered she can dance fairly well. Unfortunately, she picks her moves up off of BET and MTV and they won’t do her any good until she’s 18. ---
**Author:** ![Phlip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Phlip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlip)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2001, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/11 "2001-08-01T12:26:09Z")
My sister had a 5.0 all the way through high school. Just thought I would point out that it IS posible. I had a 3.0. hehe ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/12 "2001-08-05T19:24:38Z")
Lucy: [looking at Linus’ report card] You got a C in history? That’s only average! Linus: So what? I’m an average kid in an average school in an average community. What’s wrong with being average? Lucy: Because you’re capable of doing much better! Linus: That’s the average answer! Lucy: You think being average is enough, don’t you? Well it isn’t! What shape would the world be in today if everyone settled for being average? Linus: What shape IS the world in today? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/13 "2001-08-06T13:56:39Z")
**Rasta** , I guess that you don’t have children. There is a built in switch for parents that normally gets activated when babies are born. This is called the _ohmigodtheyarecute_ switch. The sole purpose of this switch is to keep parents from killing their small children, since their main duties as they are small are defectation, urination and otherwise disgorging the contents of their wee stomachs. Also, all newborns look like Winston Churchill, but this switch makes parents of newborns see them as “precious”. Unfortunately this switch is never reset so they always remain precious in our eyes. Often even if they turn out as serial killers, performance artists or Republicans. - Mother: Aww, look at little Johnny, he is so cute when he tortures his puppy that way. Father: Yep, I bet he’ll turn out to be a doctor someday. \* ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/14 "2001-08-06T19:02:28Z")
This reminds me of my High School Trig teacher. He used to say that if everyone in the class got an A on the test, then he should make the tests harder to make the scores average out to a C. This is one of many reasons I don’t believe in the current grading system in the US. Why couldn’t he just accept that everyone completely understood the concept being tested and just move onward? BTW, speaking as a parent, I do believe that my children are smart, but I know they are not “Gifted” in some way. Sure they have each have their special talents, but they are doing what is expected of them at their age. None of them will be getting their undergrad at 8, nor will they be getting their Ph. D. at 12… and I’m perfectly happy with that. I just hope they grow up to be happy doing whatever they decided to do. Isn’t that really what all us parents want for our kids? ---
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/15 "2001-08-06T19:10:02Z")
In Lake Wobegon, “all the women are strong, all the men are good looking and all the children are above average”. Pretty much like that in real life too… ---
**Author:** ![Rosebud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rosebud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rosebud)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2001, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-of-average-children-post-here/74382/16 "2001-08-06T20:01:23Z")
No kids here yet, but I agree with **FairyChatMom** about the bumper stickers. The schools I went to growing up didn’t offer them, so my own parents didn’t have them on the car, but other nearby districts did make them available and I never understood the backlash “My kid beat up your honor student” mentality. Academics were the only things I really excelled at in school (huh, go figure!). I was in the orchestra but was no musical prodigy, and I was never on a sports team. Had my parents used one of the “honor student” stickers, it would have been because they were proud of me.