We played Genetic Roulette and class and I was assigned: Genius. My son/daughter will grow up to be a genius. Here is my small essay response. Comment on whether you agree or disagree with me.
My child will most likely grow up to be a genius.” they said. It meant that I would have a lot to think about when it came to raising my child. I would need to invest in schools, and brainier toys than the ones I had originally considered.
In the article, 15 Signs You’ll Raise a Genius by Anneli Rufus, it says “‘Language is crucial to children’s learning and the language they get from the television is not tailored to their individual needs.'” and I agree which is why I never planned on having a television in my household until later on in life, and even then it would be monitored T.V. time. Knowing my child’s genetic fate before hand will ultimately not affect the way I parent. Yes, every now and then I will be facing different problems than another parent with a normal child. The only thing that I would have to change would be the private school; to one that can keep up with my child mentally, socially and emotionally.
The support groups that I could join if I ever needed to is a MENSA group, and I could find other parents whose children were in the same category as mine. Which would help to set up play dates, because it may or may not be difficult for my child to get along with other children because of their giftedness. It will make them upset when they’re trying to explain something and no one understands them. Kids need kids their own age, they can’t keep spending time with adults when they’re young. The American MENSA support group helps with it.
The way I would raise my child would be the exact same way I would raise any other children. In the article, How to Raise a Genius by Nicholas Wienstock, he gives tips on what not to do, and what to do. The first tip he gives says to not over structure the child’s life and I understand that. There will be some routine but I wouldn’t make it an extremely strict one. I understand that children need to breathe too. The second tip says to provide as many learning opportunities as possible, and I would. It also says to not label your child a genius, or expect them to be popular. Which is normal for all children, some kids like each other because they share the same favorite color. It’s normal. I’ll be happy as long as my child has at least one good friend. The last thing he lists is to not sacrifice “educational” upbringing to give your child a “normal” upbringing which to my mind is not even an option in any child’s life. Education is everywhere so there is no reason to try to cut it out of their life from the beginning. Children need to learn to grow, even gifted children.
I would bring them to a school that supported them academically. I had already planned on sending my child to a private school, the only difference in knowing that they are going to become a genius in the future is that the school would be one for the gifted. I would purchase toys that helped them not become bored, and spend time with them playing and listening. In my opinion, I wouldn’t need to sacrifice anything, but if I need to take out a second mortgage or anything to help my child pay for school I would definitely do it to help my child succeed in their life. It would be my duty as a parent.
Works Cited
“American Mensa, Ltd.” Gifted Youth. American MENSA, n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.us.mensa.org/learn/gifted-youth/>.
“Profoundly Gifted Children Services and Programs by the Davidson Institute.” Profoundly Gifted Children Services and Programs by the Davidson Institute. Davidson Institute, n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.davidsongifted.org/>.
Rufus, Anneli. “15 Signs You’ll Raise a Genius.” The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast, 24 Oct. 2011. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/24/smarter-kids-and-how-they-got-that-way.html>.
Terman, Lewis M. “PDF Genetic Studies of Genius.” Genetic Studies Of Genius Volume I Mental And Physical Traits Of A Thousand Gifted Children : Lewis M. Terman : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive. Stanford University, n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://archive.org/details/geneticstudiesof009044mbp>.
Weinstock, Nicholas. “How to Raise a Genius.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 8 Apr. 2001. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/08/magazine/08GENIUS.html?pagewanted=print>.
“What Is Gifted?” NAGC. National Association for Gifted Children, n.d. Web. 22 June 2012. <http://www.nagc.org/>.
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