I watched this programme last night called Child Genius. It's like a running documentry and they revisit the kids again every few years so that they can study their progress. This one boy was 13 and had an IQ of 170. I think that's the highest IQ you can get. Watching something like that is the surest way to make yourself feel very very dumb.
One of the families on the programme had about 4 kids, all of which were "extremely gifted and talented". Their parents totally creeped me out though. Whereas most parents probably just congratulate or buy their children a small present when they pass their 11+ (I got a book), these parents celebrated it as if it were Christmas. They spent hundreds of pounds on presents for their children everytime they did well in something. Just by watching them on TV, you could sense the pressure that the kids were under. Imagine if one of the kids hadn't passed their 11+? Would they be shunned by the rest of the family?
The boy (13 year old, 170 IQ one... I forgot his name), he said that while he's young he gets praised for being so intelligiant but when he grows into an adult everyone will forget about his high IQ level. Instead of a genius he'll just be a "clever person". It was almost sad to think that. I mean...I'd love to be a genius but I think I'd prefer even more to be where I am, getting Bs in my GCSEs and forgetting everything new that I learn.
Onto good news...my Grandad is getting better! They transferred him to a smaller hospital and he'll probably be home soon. Everyone thought he would die. He had an illness that 99% of people would die from. Now he's sitting up in bed, bored stiff, wondering when he can go home. Nice to see him back to his usual self again.
Maya x
