Have you ever wondered if intelligence is inherited or acquired? Recent research has revealed that a mothers’ genetics influence her children’s intelligence, and a tight bond between mother and child reflects in the IQ. What’s the chance to become the parent of a prodigy? One in 5 million! Every parent would love to know if their children are gifted and with above-average intelligence. But most of them are not ready to take on the challenge of raising a prodigy. So in this article, we will learn together how to raise an intelligent child.
As parents, we are very proud of our children and sometimes we tend to put them up on a pedestal and sacrifice everything for them. Our children are the smartest, the prettiest and the most adorable. But according to BrainStats, Americans have an average IQ of 98. The highest concentration of gray-matter seems to be in Asia. No wonder why the Internet is full of videos with little virtuous Chinese pianist! Hong Kong and Singapore have an average IQ of 108, while most countries in Africa fall below 70. So, there seems to be a strong link between one’s intelligence and the socio-economic environment.
Genius toddler signs
The first signs of prodigy-hood can be seen around the age of two, before you are able to get your child tested. Not sure if your child is a prodigy? Inspired by Mensa’s checklist and without the help of a genius child test, here are a few signs you should pay attention to:
Talks a lot. Your kid started talking at an early age and speaks in full sentences, phrases, and even metaphors before 15 months. Most kids start talking in their 18th month of life, while toddlers usually don’t utter more than 20 words.
Astounding memory - your toddler remembers things you’ve already forgotten.
He/She is very curious and eager to learn more about everything - how many questions start with Why?
Shows interest in many subjects and arts like music or painting.
Good attention span - your toddler can stay put during a 90-minute movie.
He/She focuses intensely on one area of interest and has accumulated a lot of information on one particular topic.
Knowledge of the alphabet and being able to read at an early age.
Intolerance or superiority feelings in the presence of other children.
Having a sense of space and time, and paying attention to world events.
Aim very high and impose themselves very high standards.
Has a developed sense of humor.
Comes up with new rules for a game or even invents new games.
Feels more comfortable around adults or in solitary pursuits.
Fast learner. They are years ahead of their peers.
Being able to distinguish between good and evil, or to say that something is unfair
What happens when gifted children grow up?
Now, do you look at your child and realize that all the books you’ve read on parenting are simply bogus? Well, we don’t want you to freak out, but your gifted child might not be the best in his field when he grows up. In an Op-ed published in the New York Times, Ellen Winner, a psychology professor at Boston College, argued that not all gifted children become experts in their talent field as they grow up. You see, most prodigies are good at something already invented. A genius is a person who invents something with a tremendous impact in its area of study or even globally.
Why so many child prodigies fall short of their potential as they mature? One explanation is that they lack the social and emotional skills to adapt in society. Besides, practice makes perfect, but it doesn’t innovate. So, most prodigies never make waves because they prefer to be the best in their field rather than follow an uncertain path that could make them the next Nobel Prize winners. As Charles Bukowski once said: “The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.”
So lay back and enjoy the amazing skills your child has acquired, invest in his talent but don’t push him/her too hard. If your prodigy really wants to follow that path in his life, let him/her do so naturally. Otherwise, you may find yourselves in an empty nest later while your prodigal son wanders in his pursuit of happiness.
Genius child test
Here is a question that the educational system constantly demands an answer to: “Who is the smartest student?” But shouldn’t teachers do a genius child test on the first day of school to get a better picture of their class composition?
One of the first attempts to measure one’s brilliance was the Binet-Simon scale first used in 1905. A decade later, Lewis Terman, a psychologist from Stanford University, introduced the American version of the IQ test. Have you ever thought about genius child tests? Today, there are several standardized tests used to assess different sides of human intelligence. In the English-speaking world, these tests are the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, as well as the updated Stanford-Binet. Similar tests are the Cognitive Assessment System, Differential Ability Scales, Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities.
The grades students receive are both a measure of their intelligence and their ability to memorize things. Both grades and IQ tests fail to measure emotional intelligence, creativity, and drive. Also, IQ tests can’t measure how severe ADD, Autism, and Asperger's syndrome may be in a person. Your decisions both as a parent and as an individual should not be based entirely on the test results.
What is the IQ of a gifted child?
115-129 - mildly gifted child
130-144 - moderately gifted child
145-159 - highly talented child
160-179 - exceptional child
180 - exceptionally high level of intellectual prowess
“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits,” once said Albert Einstein. So, it seems that human intelligence does have a limit. The average IQ is between 85-115. The further away from the median value of 100 your child falls on either side of the bell curve, the higher the need for special education.
How to raise an intelligent child?
Gifted children may need more educational resources to quench their thirst for knowledge or to acquire new skills. Homeschooling could also be taken into consideration. This was the path chosen by Akiane Kramarik’s parents. Now 24, Akiane is a self-taught painter. She started her career at the age of six, she painted Jesus at the age of eight and two years later she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Her life story is the epitome of the American Dream. Akiane is also one of the few art prodigies who stick to their passion and turn it into a blossoming career year after year.
While your child’s talent could be overwhelming for you, as a family, never quit investing time, energy and money in your child. Parenting a prodigy is not easy. Of course, their gifts can be rewarding, but often they don’t fit in, so most public schools are not stimulating enough for your kid. Private schools, while very open to embrace and nurture a gifted child, could prove out of reach for many families.
Prodigies need a lot of love and understanding. Their childhood years could be harrowing, and they could feel lonely at times, marginalized and even bullied. Another way you can ensure your child will stay on the right track is to make sure he/she doesn’t fall in a dangerous entourage. The last thing any parent would want to find is that their children dope. Befriend other parents with gifted children of a similar age, or look for summer schools or camps for gifted students where your child can make new friends.
Keep in mind that high grades in school do not guarantee a high salary. They might be correlated, but if you look at your high-school colleagues, you will see that not all those who scored in the top 10 percent have higher-than-average salaries or commissions. Prepare your kids for the economic reality they will soon face and invest in their financial intelligence. Talk with them about the home buying process and the best type of loan for a home. Help them adopt better money habits before their first paycheck!
Is intelligence inherited or acquired?
There is still a lot of debate on this topic, but it is largely accepted that environmental factors may be correlated with genetic factors. Since human intelligence is limited and this field of study so deep and complex, new studies will continue to agree or disagree that our parents’ genes determine our IQ. Right now, some may argue that a mother’s genetic information is more responsible for her child’s intelligence. Others may say that the parent’s contribution is negligible and the IQ depends on everyone’s life experience. For example, it is known that Phenylketonuria affects the brain and could reduce the IQ with 10 points on average. Iodine deficiency is also known to have a negative impact on IQ - this deficiency causes a reduction of the IQ with 12.5 points on average. So, our IQ is not carved in stone and can be improved. How to raise an intelligent child? Send your child to a music charter school! Studying music in childhood is proven to increase one’s IQ. Play a Dual N-Back Game regularly - it improves working memory and fluid intelligence. Last but not least, play all the games published in the Boost Your IQ book by Mensa.
Feel free to add more interesting ways in which we can increase our IQ by leaving a comment below!