Is your kid not destined to make the Honor Roll? Don't despair, a child with average intellect only makes life easier.
Momlogic's Andrea: Why is it that parents insist their child is a genius? Some kids are just average and honestly, that's okay. Not every kid needs to be able to rattle off all the state capitals like a trained monkey. If your child is "gifted," bully for you, but if not, here are some advantages to having a kid who's not taking home straight A's.
Amp Up Your Vacation Fund
Reports say that by 2010 the cost of sending ONE child to a four-year Ivy League school could approach $300,000. A kid who can only get into community college? Priceless.
He's a Super (Intelligent) Freak
Kids who have high IQs have a hard time relating to their not-so-sharp peers. Your kid, although not on the upper echelon of smarts, will probably be better off socially if they can recite all the lyrics of the latest Jonas Brothers song than knowing the molecular makeup of a genome genes.
It's the Sleep Stupid!
Statistically, smarter kids need an average of two hours less sleep than their less brainy counterparts -- especially as babies and toddlers. Apparently, they find it difficult to "switch off" from their immense sensory intake. Whatever. All we know is a couple more hours sleep is WAY better than a kid who can knock out Mozart's Concerto 21 on a violin.
Failing at Helping with Homework
A smart kid means smart homework -- and a kid with a high IQ has an abundance of the stuff. To keep up, some parents of highly intelligent kids have to hire tutors -- for themselves.
Take the Test of Boredom
Instead of kicking back with a cool one at your kid's soccer games, parents of smarties are shuttling them between debate club finals, chess matches and science club events -- most of which are a big yawn. Watching a kid hit a home run at softball wakes you up, watching them debate the principles of economic theories puts you to sleep.
Amp Up Your Vacation Fund
Reports say that by 2010 the cost of sending ONE child to a four-year Ivy League school could approach $300,000. A kid who can only get into community college? Priceless.
He's a Super (Intelligent) Freak
Kids who have high IQs have a hard time relating to their not-so-sharp peers. Your kid, although not on the upper echelon of smarts, will probably be better off socially if they can recite all the lyrics of the latest Jonas Brothers song than knowing the molecular makeup of a genome genes.
It's the Sleep Stupid!
Statistically, smarter kids need an average of two hours less sleep than their less brainy counterparts -- especially as babies and toddlers. Apparently, they find it difficult to "switch off" from their immense sensory intake. Whatever. All we know is a couple more hours sleep is WAY better than a kid who can knock out Mozart's Concerto 21 on a violin.
Failing at Helping with Homework
A smart kid means smart homework -- and a kid with a high IQ has an abundance of the stuff. To keep up, some parents of highly intelligent kids have to hire tutors -- for themselves.
Take the Test of Boredom
Instead of kicking back with a cool one at your kid's soccer games, parents of smarties are shuttling them between debate club finals, chess matches and science club events -- most of which are a big yawn. Watching a kid hit a home run at softball wakes you up, watching them debate the principles of economic theories puts you to sleep.
More from Andrea:
- Surprise! My Kid Wore a Pee Shirt to Preschool
- Review of My Toddler's Pretend Restaurant
- My Toddler is Kind of and A**hole
- Toddler Sad to See Bush Go Bye Bye
- Mom's 41 Seconds of Hell
- What Moms Think About During Sex
- Take A Tour Inside a Mom's Car
- Thanks for Nothin' Melissa and Doug!
- Division of Housework Calculator
- My Kid's Nap Interferes With My Life
- Help Me Pick My Kids Religion
- How to Raise a Spoiled Hypocondriac
- I Forced My Kid Into Her Carseat WWE Style
- Ice Cream Meltdown
- Top 5 Worst Kids Songs
filed under: kid logic
Email16 comments so far | Post a comment now >>
I like gifted kids - I find most are just as good at sports and socializing…as they are at academics. Well rounded kids are a-okay. They can have it all.
- foxymama
this is stupid. its a parenting article but its not about parenting at all. it’s about how having an average child makes your life easier.
- Anonymous
thanks for this! I’m always worrying about whether my kid is smart enough. Guess I can relax.
- Momto3
Intelligent kids get ignored and shunned ALREADY—as you pointed out in this article. So, why not create awareness instead of more isolation for those who might actually change our world…even if they don’t know a Jonas Brother song? Just a thought.
- Not helping
I just want happy kids. Where’s that story? A child under too much pressure is not happy, but neither is a child who cannot keep up in school. And no, a C average isn’t “keeping up”. Give me a solid B child who can get into some kind of college, even a state school, and I’ll be fine.
- allena
I have a very, very smart kid and a very, very social kid. I worry that my above-average in smarts one is lonely and sad. We all just want our kids happy… which makes us happy. Interesting piece.
- Anonymous
Couldn’t disagree more. Nothing good will come from praise for mediocrity in our society. After all, our current president was a “C” student, and look at the mess he’s gotten us all into.
- Nate
I couldn’t disagree more, either. Stating that it’s more important socially to know song lyrics than science is the exact reason why this country is failing so stupendously in every field. We’re going to be one of the next third world countries if we keep up at the rate we’re going. Being satisfied that your kid isn’t interested in learning could be dooming them to failure in the future. We should all be so ashamed.
- Lynette
I’d rather my child be GOOD than smart or average. There are some very intelligent evil people and some very stupid thugs. Smart or dumb is not the issue for making the world a better place, what you do with the resources you do have is the issue. Thanks for the thought provoking article!
- a mom
As the mother of a gifted 9 year old I have to say that the person that wrote this has no idea what they are talking about. Yup, it’s hard work but guess what? My son wants to cure cancer! Will he? Maybe, maybe not but he has a desire to use his above average brain to do some good in the world. I think that beats him living in a garage apartment till he’s 30, partying and being a bum.
- Gilly
I was at the bookstore today and saw a book called “How to raise a gifted child”. If there are so many “gifted” kids that there are books written about how to raise them, then aren’t they average?
- Joanne
I just thought it was funny… Mine are only 1 and 2 so I have no clue yet about how smart they will be.
- Mandi
this is really dumb
- Anonymous
Everybody’s different. The article seemed to be tongue in cheek rather than a treatise on parenting. Get over yourselves. Be grateful for your kids and try to set a good example;talk about what can be achieved by hard work and be happy in life.
- janescience
finally someone who got it! the article is supposed to be humorous, tongue in cheek. let you kid be whatever he is and don’t force them into your dream. i had four gifted children and one average as in C student. he is as successful as an adult as the others and married w/children and lots of friends.
- dee
LOL I’m a gifted kid, and this made me chuckle.
- jane
