Raising children to be champions/exceptional

Early Learning Early Learning General Discussions
1

I have been reading up on this subject… some parents of sports stars have written books on the subject.

Which makes me wonder how much is nature and how much is nurture…what percentage is genes, what is environment. I think it’s mostly environment… and parental effort.

Look at Bindi Irwin, the Croc Hunter’s daughter. She’s full of confidence and a great TV presenter etc, but probably wouldnt be anything like that if her father was a computer programmer.

Miley Cyrus… wouldn’t be Hannah Montana if her dad wasnt a performer who steered her down that path.

Shirley Temple had a pushy mum. Is that good or bad? Gymnasts in some countries are pushed to be great to give themselves and their families a chance at a better life, maybe in a better country.

The Olsen Twins… what great marketing… how many identical twin girls could have been billionaires like they are but they are not, because their parents didnt market them.

How did Dakota fanning get to be such a talented actor at such a young age? Haley Joel osment? What causes it?

Are we failing our kids if we dont try to give them opportunities for fame, wealth, stardom? I feel sad that my son cant be in a cricket team because of access arrangements… some weekends can be spent hours away. He seems to have a talent there. I feel bad that i havent got my daughter into modeling…she wants to be a supermodel…but I’m not sure which agencies are reputable…they all seem to be after your money!

2

Their parents might have given them exposure but they couldn’t have made it unless they THEMSELVES loved what they are doing … so I guess the best thing to do as a parent is to expose your child to as much stuff as possible, until one of them sticks :wink:

3

I think some of the parents just had one idea from day dot and went with that… possibly living their own unfulfilled dream trhough their child maybe… Britney and jamie-lynn spears were raised to be stars, the tennis twins were raised to want to love tennis and music, tiger woods seemed to be led to golf golf golf. perhaps they thought, best to get them to be a master of one trade early, not a jack-of all-trades but master of none.

4

I just remebered that I once read that Nobel laurate Ahmed Zowail’s (Egyptian Scientist) mother had a sign on his bedroom door reading “Dr. Ahmed” ever since he was a kid :wink: (Dr. being the greatest acedemic acheivement she imagined he could get)

5

I’d have to agree with that, except that when doctors specialize and become dr drs they become Mr again… dont know what happens to female specialists!!

Even a PhD in any subject sounds impressive!

The book is by Wayne Bryan, and is “Raising your child to be a champion in athletics, arts and academics”.