<p>The kid is only 8 - how many OTHER talents must he pursue at this age?</p>
<p>Sure, the website may be a little over the top, but it is far from being exploitative. Sorry but this little blog that most of the world will never see is not exactly overkill on “publicity” and I am not sure there is anything “obvious” about it. As I suggested earlier, it is possible that the parents are a little “awkward” or “socially inept” or “quirky” themselves, given their own background and genetics (in which case they may actually be rather clueless about how the rest of the “millions” of people who must be viewing this site are viewing it and them. </p>
<p>But, “strange and creepy”??? Even if this kind of publicity is not “necessary” why should it make someone a creep? And how do we know whether it has a positive or negative effect on this child? I’d rather reserve judgment until I knew them a little better or understood their world from their perspective.</p>
<p>I certainly agree that there are many parents of PG kids who would not act this way (perhaps the ones who were “fortunate enough” to not be born TOO nerdy or quirky themselves, ie were born “normal”). But there are others who do act outside the bounds of what our social lens currently considered to be normal, and to varying degrees. Are these parents truly abnormal enough that they deserve to be judged and hanged - without even a trial, rather than viewed with even a semblance of compassion, respect or understanding for who THEY are themselves? </p>
<p>(gosh, now I wonder how many people have ever thought my S is creepy? I know many have probably thought he was strange…for that matter, does it make ME strange or creepy if I do not hold the same views as some of the other posters on this thread? ;))</p>
<p>His parents remind me SO much of the parents of another child prodigy, who maintained a running blog in a very similar vein. I can’t remember the name. There was a long discussion about him on CC a while ago.</p>
<p>First, THANK YOU Marite, and all of you who have posted so thoughtfully and compassionately about this issue.</p>
<p>Please, everyone, walk a mile in this family’s shoes before indulging in wholesale condemnation.</p>
<p>Why take an AP exam at age 8? First of all, for the same reasons a 17 year old does–college credit, and value for college apps or scholarship apps. Also, in cases like these, for outside validation of talent and the need to nurture that talent, Institutions aren’t always friendly to the needs of these kids, especially if it is only the parents who are making the claims. Also, placement in higher level classes or as a diagnostic tool. And, for the practice of taking a high level exam–major math skill is not necessarily compatible with standardized testing. We all know our kids need to learn that skill.</p>
<p>Why competitions? The math competition world can buy time (sometimes years) by giving kids an outlet for honing math talents/interests short of full time college or grad school. It may also offer a social outlet for these kids–it can be a good place to find like-minded, tolerant, smart, closer-to-age peers.</p>
<p>J</p>
<p>(parent to a child who took the BC calc exam at age 9, just a few months older than this child. AP exams can be a valuable tool in these situations)</p>
<p>Scansmom, I am not on a witch hunt against people whom society deems to be abnormal.</p>
<p>But realize that I have several problems with the publicity, which I have already brought up. For one, it doesn’t matter that “no one” visits the blog or the media was local (and not all of it even was). What matters is that it exists at all. The first problem is that they are labeling him a new Mozart, all-American genius, etc. He is PG, but let’s not overrate his abilities please. He is an incredibly accomplished mathematician and pianist, but not so rare or gifted to justify the titles given to him BY HIS PARENTS. That’s all. Second, I don’t think that the parents are doing a service to their child with the publicity and their attitude. At best, they are not letting him speak for himself (if you have questions about Magnus, contact HIS PARENTS) and appear to be using him as a way to validate their parenting, and at worst they are.</p>
<p>Letting him speak for himself? An 8-year old? Even a PG one? This is nuts. When my kids were this age, If anyone had questions about them, darn right I would want people to contact me and not them. That’s what parenting is about.</p>
<p>“Letting him speak for himself? An 8-year old? Even a PG one? This is nuts. When my kids were this age, If anyone had questions about them, darn right I would want people to contact me and not them. That’s what parenting is about.”</p>
<p>Okay, I guess our families have different approaches. I’ve seen the kid on Fox (it’s on Youtube). He’s capable of answering questions for himself. The parents seemed to be control freaks and incredibly domineering. I question their motives, given the nature and attitude of the press. Disagree if you want. Condemn me for condemning them if you want. But I still feel the way I do, and so far no one has explained why my opinion is unjustified.</p>
<p>If I were them, I would focus more on finding ways for Magnus to do what he wants (he is clearly “normal” enough that he can prepare for math competitions himself), which he probably is doing right now, and finding ways for him to give back than creating blogs and contacting the press about his accomplishments.</p>
<p>If you disagree, which you probably do, that’s perfectly fine. I find this child to be endowed with great talents. But he is not unusual enough for the fanfare.</p>
<p>I realize that youtube is a very 20 year college student research tool, but if you will all watch the youtube video, you will notice that the charming child can’t articulate a sentence. He can’t speak. And his dad is hovering over him the whole time. The child didn’t say “I don’t have any friends my own age” he said “I don’t have any friend except my parents.” Huge difference. I am not trying to “cut” Magnus down, but his parents are doing a huge disservice to him by “advertising” him and keeping him away from social interaction (and English, apparently). Do you think he will still think his parents are wonderful when he goes online at 15 and see what his father has set up in his website? Or the youtube videos?</p>
<p>I think that fostering gifted children is a great thing to do. As someone who was also reading at 3, I wish that my parents had had the means to do so (I grew up in extremely impoverished circumstances), but I do not claim to be as smart as Magnus. What is a problem here, and I think that Baelor has been trying to say this, is the way his parents have marketed him like he’s some kind of product. The father hands out business cards for the website, is the CEO of the website. Why does he need a website? On youtube you can see that the child can’t even articulate a sentence to adults, never mind his social interaction with children. This is not “normal” for even gifted children unless they are autistic, and indicates that his parents are failing to develop his communication skills. I imagine that he won’t be happy with his parents once he is old enough to understand what is going on, and once he gets access to a computer.</p>
<p>Consolation: too bad texas137 has left this board; she could tell a lot about “competition-based homeschooling”… Well, I can tell you why my son took the tests and participated in competitions, although I can’t write as well as texas137… </p>
<p>First of all, it does make sense to take AP tests as soon as one has mastered the material. Why should he wait? Why take test several years later, when you are already doing completely different stuff? And of course, the official validation helps a lot, especially if a kid wants to return to school or to take classes at an university.</p>
<p>As for competitions, they help an unschooler learn to deal with deadlines and pressures (unschooling parents are criticized for “pampering” the kids, you know…) . Help him find like-minded peers. Help him leave his comfort zone… </p>
<p>BTW, the website has changed a bit since yesterday. It’s quite possible that the parents are reading this thread. In this case, if I may… I think the kid would benefit greatly if he’d find a group of PG peers (maybe online, through Davidson); and he could engage in interaction with other math-lovers on atrofproblemsolving website. There were other tips in the thread “Child Prodigy in the UK”. Good luck!</p>
<p>Yes, the website has changed, did they have the parents phone numbers in there before? I think it said to contact them at the bottom. (I guess they have changed their phone numbers as well.)</p>
<p>yes either they or someone who knows them has certainly been following this thread, of course he was just in the news and googling his name will bring up this thread. But suddenly this “abnormal” child appears so much more - well, normal (for a gifted child, that is!! ;)</p>
<p>Yes, interesting that they removed the link to the newspaper article originally posted as well as the “contact the parents”. Obviously, the article stirred a lot of debates…</p>
<p>"Why is it that we are reading the same text differently?
BTW, my kids did not “give back” when they were six, alas… what about you? "</p>
<p>It is our responsibility as adults to impart this altruism into the children of the next generation. For example, when you see your neighbor’s eight-year-old eating glue, sit down and have an earnest discussion with him about how his glue-eating activities need to be balanced with a healthy dose of giving back to the community.</p>
<p>The only things I think are weird about this story are that the parents created a website about Magnus and describe him as “a true genius” with a “brilliant and stunning intellectual achievement.” Ugh. It is also weird that they scanned and linked his AP score report for everyone to see. Gag. Isn’t that his private property/information?</p>
<p>To clarify: I don’t think there’s anything innately <em>wrong</em> with competitions. I can completely see how competitions can add a dimension to an unschooler’s educational experience. Competitions are lots of fun for lots of kids. (Marite: I am also fully acquainted with the fact that some kids–like mine, for example–approached standardized testing in 7th grade and thereafter completely without fear. I never suggested that the competitions are some kind of torture for the kid! I always rather enjoyed standardized tests myself.) </p>
<p>I do think there is something wrong if competitions are the <em>focus</em> of your education. (Perhaps I have an overly romantic view of the virtues of less structured exploration at an early age. I recall Richard Feynman’s autobiography, in which he described how his father encouraged him to observe nature for himself, for example, rather than memorizing the names of birds.) I don’t see learning as something that needs to be constantly validated by competition. (For the record, I also oppose highly-organized sports at an early age that focus on competition and cutting “lesser” players at the age of 6 or 8. There’s a great book on the subject called “Just Let the Kids Play” by a former NBA player.) This is a philosophical position that obviously not everyone needs to share. It may be that the media coverage is giving this competition-obsessed impression of the LaDues, and that it isn’t true. I take a dim view of the way the media in general deal with giftedness in kids, so it wouldn’t surprise me. (Which is only one reason why I think people who court publicity are misguided. But that’s their choice.)</p>
<p>I understand completely that taking the AP exam could be useful if they are planning to enroll the kid in a formal class somewhere. I said so. That doesn’t seem to be their reason, but again, who knows. I think that posting his actual score report on a web site is weird, but YMMV. </p>
<p>I also said upfront that I have great sympathy for parents trying to meet the needs of a PG kid. I completely agree that a great thing that they could do for him is see if he can become a Davidson Young Scholar, and have the opportunity to hang out with some intellectual AND age peers.</p>
<p>Nothing of real consequence?? Nothing of real consequence?! Perhaps for your kids that was true, but mine, who eagerly anticipated taking the SAT (and wanted to take it again a year later), is off at camp now with others who scored well on the SAT at a young age. He and many other CTYers (TIPsters, etc.) would be very happy to tell you that being around other very bright kids is most certainly “of real consequence.” Being able to meet other SET kids is “of real consequence.” Having kids to socialize with who are also very bright is “of real consequence.” None of the adults in my kid’s life are going to provide the socialization that other kids provide. I would say that is “of real consequence!”</p>
<p>Comment 53, me thinks you have a personal connection:) </p>
<p>Anytime a child has an intellectual difference it creates a parenting challenge. We are all on this board because we struggle through this most amazing, but scary job of parenting.</p>
<p>I would seek contact and support from parents who have been or are in similar situations. Going this alone is not easy. Having an amazingly gifted child is something to celebrate, but brings many challenges with it. </p>
<p>Alas, personally I did not have this experience…and have thanked God everyday for my quasi-normal kids, with other learning challenges and somewhat over social:)</p>
<p>The goal, I would hope, would be to guide every child through life using their strengths to bring them success, yet preparing them for the bigger world where everyone must someday survive the judgements and navigate the pitfalls.</p>
<p>Magnus parents are obviously new at this and finding their way, just as all of us have had to do. Be kind.</p>
)</p>
We had several “prodigy” discussions lately here on CC: