wisely

joined 7 months ago
[–] wisely@feddit.org 1 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

You can go too far in the other direction and burn out an intelligent child for the rest of their life.

There is some balance between allowing them to build confidence with some A's among their peers, and then also being challenged to get that C they didn't think was possible.

Nobody can always function at 100% anyway and both experiences build different skills. It's like how you can't lift heavy weights all day every day. You need down time and stretching as well as aerobic exercise if you want to be able to make full use of the strength.

[–] wisely@feddit.org 3 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I just wanted to add something to my earlier post. It may be that playing a guitar is highly noticeable. You can't practice often without everyone around you hearing it. Even if you became skilled, there is the expectation of performing in front of people, and most intelligent people feel they need to perform at the top level.

Drawing however allows you to practice in private and present only your best work. Which allows the ego and social standing to stay intact. Everyone has an identity that they make for themselves but often it limits them to always stay between those lines, especially in front of others.

[–] wisely@feddit.org 19 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (8 children)

This is a common trap for intelligent people. Because of years of everything being easy you have that expectation for every situation. You never learn how to challenge yourself. Additionally your identity and social status was built on always being capable and smarter than others around you.

When suddenly you run into something that actually takes study and dedication, you just don't know how. Studying and persistence are learned skills. It's also embarrassing and causes you to shy away. Things seem impossible if you have no experience of being challenged. Depression and avoidance takes over.

Before you know it you're middle aged and never did any of the amazing things that everyone expected of you as a child prodigy. Potential was capped at the level that requires no effort.

[–] wisely@feddit.org 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

[–] wisely@feddit.org 19 points 1 week ago

Back in my day kids only had two biological parents to disappoint them.