Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion wow... All 7 siblings in college by age 12?

Every single one was passionate about something to commit to the course of study and earn graduate degrees. All were homeschooled. What do you all think of this?

http://www.today.com/moms/meet-brai...ege-age-12-2D79669284?lite&lite=obinsite

I think that the parents are delusional if they truly believe that "any child" can be made college-ready by age 11-14.

But yeah, for those that can, I don't see the harm. Obviously. (This would explain DD's college transcripts, I guess...)


Of course-- they seem to make the rounds every graduation season for the past three or four years, this family...


and it doesn't escape my notice that they are selling Teach Your Baby to Re---- oh, uh-- I mean whatever it is that they are calling THEIR book. "How to Grow Your Own PG Child."

That's not really dissing a family that does right by their kids like this... it's just... if the media came knocking and asked US what our secret sauce recipe was? (And.. um-- sometimes they have, actually)

We politely demur and thank them for their positive interest, but it's idiosyncratic and private-- and about OUR KID, not our "method."

KWIM? Our "method" has always just been about doing what seems right for our child. Nothing more and nothing less. Ergo, I have no real statement to make to America.

Earlier thread
http://giftedissues.davidsongifted....9108/Interesting_Story_About_Gifted.html

It's great that your kids are capable. And by all means write a book. But the way they have titled and publicised it tells me they want to "methodize" (yeah I made up my own word there!) the process.

And while I do believe that many many kids out there could be finishing school earlier than the regular 18, I don't think that every child in the world would be ready by 12.

I think they are forgetting that not every child has a more capable academic ability (or interest). And while they may stress the focus of allowing kids to find their own passions, many many more parents will assume that they need to push harder when their kids are not making the grade.

I read this in a magazine a while back, seemed like the parents were not willing to admit that their kids were gifted. 12 gifted kids, otoh, is quite a few, so perhaps they do have something to share, or perhaps a few of these kids are a bit stressed out living up to their siblings.

Yes, what are the odds that every kid in that family would have an innate ability level that high? It would be a fascinating academic study. Is it nature or nurture or a combination of the two? If we did actually know if the kids are "gifted" this would be something to take to the school system and say "See, look at how much gifted kids can actually do when given the opportunity? And they are HAPPY."

I do find it hard to believe that all of them are PG and none of them feel pushed. They have probably all learned to conform to what is "expected" of them even though it may never be said outright.

Interesting. I'd like to read "Hannah the trailblazer"'s account of starting college courses at 12 and her PhD at 26 - was the time in between spent trying lots of subjects and identifying her true passion, or is there an angsty story in there?

I do think one way some perfectly nice people cope with having a PG child is to assert agency and decide anyone could be in their situation. And then, if you think that, writing a book is a reasonable thing to do.

Any positive press about kids successfully accelerating is good, imo. That they emphasize the importance of kids being encouraged in their interests is nice, too.

Because the kids all school together even through their online college degrees, I think they experience a much more natural village type learning experience.

Is it so idiosyncratic or mysterious? The average IQ of the children of two PhDs is probably in the 120s, and they are much more likely to have children with IQs >= 145 than parents with average IQ of 100.

Education isn't really about "trying lots of subjects".

You generally have to pick your target before you have any idea what you are doing because of the systemic constraints, and then stay on track.