Sorry, but this is just getting ridiculous. Children should restrict their participation in activities and learning at the appropriate level because they might make someone else feel inferior?! This is advocating cutting down tall poppies.
It's one thing if advanced children are ostracizing or putting down others who don't perform at the same level as them, but all we're talking about is allowing children to try to perform at their level in an informal setting and--ideally-- make some friends while doing so!
I hate to break it to the posters who have stated this fear, but life is full of people who are better than we are at various tasks. This is how it should be, because no one person is infinitely resourced! Learning to appreciate a diversity of abilities and interests is part of living in a civilized society. An advanced child in any field needs to learn to hone his abilities with grace and modesty, but that by no means should mean denial of self to avoid hypothetically making others feel inferior.
Very well said! I truly agree with everything you said. But in my oppinion this would apply for children who are a bit older. We are simply discussing appropriate response to a 4 year old being denied a library class with set age restrictions that far exceed the age of the child.
