Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Free tuition at US public Universities?

Reading through, if your child has potential, you are giving them options. If your child doesn't succeed in world terms, then they didn't have potential and you are a horrid parent for pushing them?

Lang Lang told the story of how his father walked with him at a year old and would draw notes in the sand with a stick to start teaching him music. And also how he almost quit in his teens because it is the teens and hormones come into play but his father pushed. He is now Lang Lang the world famous musician and many debate his natural talent and style compared to others. But even though he was pushed along the path, he is very grateful for the outcome and glad he is not just the average person out there.

Lang Lang's mother was for many years the primary support of the family and was separated from father and son for long periods. Yet if Lang Lang tried to spend any time talking with her when they were home -- talking, that is, instead of practicing -- his father responded with the most appalling outbursts. When Lang Lang studied at Curtis, his father modified his behavior at home only to the extent of throwing shoes at the boy's head for committing finger faults. The pianist uses words like "stupid," "lazy," "ruin," "fool" and "idiot" to recount his father's various encouragements and "punish," "yell" and "scream" to describe the way in which they were delivered.