Child prodigies: nature or nurture?

Question

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Say for an example your child is extremely gifted in music or playing an instrument.  Do you think that’s something that is just in their nature? Something they would always have an inclination toward regardless of their environment?  Or can anyone be amazing at anything with enough practice?
Bonus- do you think it can be somewhat cruel to put a lot of pressure or a strict practice routine on a child to make them amazing at said skill?

Answer

Both. Nature brings the raw talent but you have to love in the time period and have the resources to nurture that talent

Answer

Both. There are natural gifts but they don’t mean much without practice and the desire to be good at that particular thing. And people can become very good at almost anything if they work hard enough. I do believe that there will always be a difference between someone who got there „just“ by practice and someone who is gifted, especially when it comes to things like music.

Answer

Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers is interesting and discusses this. The idea of 10,000 hours to reach expertise level alongside good timing makes for highly successful people - the outliers of society.

Answer

Man my daughter has worked her ass off in violin for years and god love her she is awful 😂😂😂 so I say it comes naturally either you have it or you don’t but in the flip side she picked up a cello and she can play just as good as professionals( she’s even been offered into special programs for it) buuuut she hates and doesn’t want to play the cello which what ever that’s her choice

Answer

Both. Naturral talent along with training to master the skill.

Answer

As a dancer, either you have it or you don't. I've seen people study dance for years and they lose to people who haven't studied much in competitions.

Answer

I think most of it is nature, it usually comes down to how the brain is wired. The nurture comes in if the parents have the means to help the child pursue what they are gifted in. I think it needs to be led by the child regarding how much they want to practice and really dig into their talent. When parents become too involved it takes something away from the child. It’s no longer about them. And it’s often cruel and borderline abusive.

Answer

I said both, but I feel like that’s really only in the sense that I don’t know that you’d know a child is a prodigy unless they had exposure to it.  Some people have been born, lived and died and never saw a piano, or a book, or math, etc.  
Like, I have one child that is an unusually early self-taught reader, but if he hadn’t seen words until he was older, then who would’ve ever known?

Answer

Prodigies are born, but it takes excellent parents, teachers, an opportunities in order for them to realize their full potential. 
I remember reading somewhere that prodigies, just like everyone else, still need to practice their craft. Otherwise, they get outpaced by the people who do commit themselves to excelling.

Answer

Both. You either got it, or you don't. Someone can practice for hours on in and still not get it versus someone picking up an instrument and giving it a try and does it naturally without much effort.

Child prodigies: nature or nurture?

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