The Myth of Child Prodigy

The Myth of Child Prodigy

For a long time, Child Prodigies are regarded as geniuses assured to lead a successful life. What people do not realize is that the majority acquire their above average knowledge and skills at a tender age through constant practice and discipline. In fact, the family is mostly involved in hyping the prospects and sustaining the prodigy status of a child. Numerous parents are responsible for enrolling children in advanced institutions where a special attention is given to them to nurture their talents and to keep the dreams alive. However, when child prodigies learn of their ordinary mental capabilities and talents, many are disappointed, lose focus, and burn out. Malcolm Gladwell is a Canadian prodigy that was regarded as a child prodigy. In his Bring the Family address, he confirms that prodigies spend their childhood practicing and mimicking successful adults in their areas of specializations, which is impractical and inapplicable in their later life (Wargo 1).

            Gladwell’s loss of a major race at the age of 15 confirmed his worst fears that he was just another ordinary athlete. Despite hundreds of hours of specialized training to nurture his talent, he still could not deliver to the societal expectations. As a result, it became clearer to him that his immediate family and the society have overrated his abilities and talent. It dawned on Gladwell that he was not one of the best in the country, but his success depended on the efforts, dedication, and practice invested, just like his peers. The sportsman’s childhood glory and prowess were not replicated during his adulthood as had long been expected by speculators. However, his is not an isolated case because most children regarded as possessing extraordinary skills and brainpower end up losing their steam after their teenage years. It is an anomaly that has unsettled psychologists for a long time as it threatens to annul or redefine the entire concept of prodigy.

The majority of alums of specialized institutions are not Pulitzer-prize or Nobel Prize winners because the isolation shuts out the prodigies from an all-round development needed in understanding and development of a practical solution to human problems (Ruthsatz 421). In the article, Gladwell is convinced that child prodigies are gifted in learning and find it hard to transition to gifted doers as adults. On the other hand, non-prodigy individuals can adapt smoothly to the adult lifestyle because of their ease of relating to ordinary lifestyle and events, thus guaranteeing their success as adult geniuses. The knowledge is important to psychologists as it enables them to devise strategies to combat non-attainment of expectations by prodigies in adulthood.

The article is also important from a psychological standpoint because it opens a new field of knowledge. Psychologists’ focus should shift towards understanding the core factors that contribute to the phenomenon exhibited by Malcolm Gladwell and other child prodigies that fail to sustain their extraordinary status as skilled athletes, artists, philosophers, or scientists. The knowledge begs the question whether the prodigy phenomenon is misconstrued or scanty information is available to aid the gifted young learners. If the later is true, a solution needs to be sourced promptly (Wargo 1). On the other hand, efforts should be made to eliminate cases of underestimation of the capabilities average children as suggested by Malcolm Gladwell.

In summary, it is clear from the article that child prodigies experience difficulty in adapting to adult lifestyle, where success is measured by practicality rather than theoretical know-how. Many child prodigies are disappointed to understand that they are vulnerable to failure just as the ordinary children or adults. It is especially so because prodigy institutions do not shed light on this possibility hence rendering the students vulnerable to burnout.

Works Cited

Ruthsatz, Joanne, and Jourdan B. Urbach. "Child Prodigy: A Novel Cognitive Profile Places Elevated General Intelligence, Exceptional Working Memory and Attention to Detail at the Root Of Prodigiousness." Intelligence 40.5 (2012): 419-426.

Wargo, Eric. "The Myth of Prodigy and Why It Matters." APS Observer 19 (2006): 1. Print.