Comment by throw4847285
4 days ago
To be honest, I just saw a really phenomenal dark comedy routine about somebody who was adept at socializing with adults at 6 or 7 and I've been thinking a lot about that dynamic and the dark side of being a precocious kid. I wasn't that extreme, but I related to some of it, and then I ended up projecting that onto your description of home school kids. And yet, this guy wasn't home schooled. I think those are totally separate issues. Would be an interesting separate topic, though.
I went to a brutal and oppressive public school in a 3rd world country yet I was able to interact with the adults around the age of 11-12. I was always one step ahead of my 3 years older sister. I think a lot of this was I was jealous of her getting attention from thrme other adults and especially my parents from an early age. I self learned how to read and write when I was 4, exactly at the same period she was learning at school.
This resulted in quite a bit of psychological problems for me, since I always thought my peers are stupid. You start to isolate yourself, and this trying to impress adults changes form into trying to impress your boss etc.. My parents had no idea of course, so no use to blame them. But fir my own kids this is something I'm trying to keep an eye on. I think it is possible to distinguish what is genuine and what is for getting positive confirmation and attention. The best measure is the capability to entertain yourself. If a kid is able to not get bored when with adults without interaction they have a healthy amount of self confirmation.
So the show I saw is not yet available in a recorded format, but I recommend checking out Gary Gulman's comedy special The Great Depresh. And if they do ever record the live performance I saw, I really recommend you check that out. Somehow both funny and extremely enlightening, and right on topic with what you're saying.