Quote:
Originally Posted by nostatic
In today's world, there are so many digital sources of information and learning, any kid can keep themselves intellectually challenged. Or even better...learn a musical instrument or paint or draw. For the geekiest/brainiest of students, learning to make art will probably serve them better than skipping a grade or taking another math class.
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Great perspective. My father and his brother were/are so stupidly smart it annoys me that their talent skipped a generation.
Bored as they were, they turned their energies into cars and boats, built them nearly from scratch. Motorcycles as well.
We were enjoined to skip both our kids. The answer was no. Homework done? Go fish, ride, wander the farm, draw, find lint. The whole notion of "gifted" was frankly a notion I refused to let creep into their little craniums. I made sure they had pedestrian, Manual Labor is Not a Cuban Jockey stuff to do.
My son is a very good musician. I tell this story because it is telling: He had a band concert a few weeks ago, he plays very, very well.
On the ride home I told him how cool it was to watch him play. "I'm bored with this BS, Dad...I see it on the first pass and have to play the eff'ing song a thousand times so some of the others can get it right. I want to quit."
My response was unless he is planning on getting his own place, he'll play the next two years, period. There are lessons to be learned in the margins, much to be garnered from being a part of team.
Sorry for the diatribe. They are great kids.