Poll: Are you smarter than your parents?

[hotacidbath]

We're all intelligent in different areas, but both my parents have Ph.Ds in their respective fields while I have a bachelors and no motivation to continue my education. My dad has a smart business/money mind and my mom is a psychologist, meanwhile I'm up to my neck in debt so that I could clean up poop for a living so take that as you will.

 

[Plinglebob]

While in a couple of areas my dad probably outshines me, overall I'm definitely smarter then my parents.

Emotional Intelligence - I outstrip them both by a mile. Neither parent has much emotional awareness and while my mum is definitely better then my dad in that area, she's still fairly oblivious to what others are thinging.

Strategic Thinking/Planning - This is where my dad beats me. While I'm fairly good at planning ahead, I'm rubbish at changing stratagies mid-flow where as my Dad was an IT project mnager for 20 years and never had a project go over time or budget.

Reasoning/Critical thinking - I definitely beat my mum on this, and probably better then my dad, though its hard to tell as I've rarely ever seen him using these skills.

Achademicly - I suppose I lose here as both parents have a degree where as I didn't go to University as I felt it was a waste of time considering I could do a profesional qualification at the local college for less and have better job prospects at the end of it.

I have to say, it was a very sad day when I discovered I was beyond them.

I know what you mean. Pity it happened when I was 10.

When you were 10? I seriously doubt that unless they are mentally retarded and stuck at a low age of mental development, or you were a gifted youngster who started university at the age of 12. It's impossible because mental development would put you in a dependent role to them and thus you would still be learning how to take care of yourself. Everyone THINKS their smarter than their parents at that age, but they are never right. I was 19 before I discovered I was smarter than my mother. 20 when I discovered I had developed further than my sister. And 24 before I found where my father had stunted.

It's a lonely life up here at the top. Very few have the ability to keep up with a half decent conversation. Went on a date once when the girl let me know after that I was to smart and it intimidated her... very lonely up here.

When I was 10 we were watching a documentary on Black Holes (Horizon I think, or Equinox. Back when documentarys were good) and I was the only one in the family who could follow it from beginning to end. I was looking around telling them how I'd thought it was interesting and really enjoyed it, and both parents just had confused looks and said they'd gotten lost. I agree that in regards to sum of knowledge (as well as spelling and punctuation) they still know more then me, but it was that point I realised I could out think them.

 

[Cheesus333]

My mother's not particularly educated, but she is intelligent. And my dad's very knowledgeable, he has a degree in Physics that he's never used in his 25 years of IT work.

As a 16 year old, I can say 'no' with some certainty.

 

[Murray Kitson]

While in a couple of areas my dad probably outshines me, overall I'm definitely smarter then my parents.

Emotional Intelligence - I outstrip them both by a mile. Neither parent has much emotional awareness and while my mum is definitely better then my dad in that area, she's still fairly oblivious to what others are thinging.

Strategic Thinking/Planning - This is where my dad beats me. While I'm fairly good at planning ahead, I'm rubbish at changing stratagies mid-flow where as my Dad was an IT project mnager for 20 years and never had a project go over time or budget.

Reasoning/Critical thinking - I definitely beat my mum on this, and probably better then my dad, though its hard to tell as I've rarely ever seen him using these skills.

Achademicly - I suppose I lose here as both parents have a degree where as I didn't go to University as I felt it was a waste of time considering I could do a profesional qualification at the local college for less and have better job prospects at the end of it.

I have to say, it was a very sad day when I discovered I was beyond them.

I know what you mean. Pity it happened when I was 10.

When you were 10? I seriously doubt that unless they are mentally retarded and stuck at a low age of mental development, or you were a gifted youngster who started university at the age of 12. It's impossible because mental development would put you in a dependent role to them and thus you would still be learning how to take care of yourself. Everyone THINKS their smarter than their parents at that age, but they are never right. I was 19 before I discovered I was smarter than my mother. 20 when I discovered I had developed further than my sister. And 24 before I found where my father had stunted.

It's a lonely life up here at the top. Very few have the ability to keep up with a half decent conversation. Went on a date once when the girl let me know after that I was to smart and it intimidated her... very lonely up here.

When I was 10 we were watching a documentary on Black Holes (Horizon I think, or Equinox. Back when documentarys were good) and I was the only one in the family who could follow it from beginning to end. I was looking around telling them how I'd thought it was interesting and really enjoyed it, and both parents just had confused looks and said they'd gotten lost. I agree that in regards to sum of knowledge (as well as spelling and punctuation) they still know more then me, but it was that point I realised I could out think them.

I am going to leave this conversation there. My previous statement covers my thoughts.

 

[Jewrean]

In some ways yes and many other ways no.

 

[HooterNanny]

Well, I like to think that I am. Does that count?

 

[blaqknoise]

In some ways, yes, in others, no.

When it comes to music, computers, history, current events or anything else I take a lot of interest in, then I am smarter.

When it comes to math, medical stuff, or anything like that, then they are smarter.

 

[brunothepig]

It's pretty difficult to say whether one person is smarter than another. Talking levels of education, my dad never went to University, my mum did. So I'm beating one of them so far...

 

[Wicky_42]

No. Well, I'm much better with tech generally, but Dad keeps surprising me, finding out about things I didn't know existed :/ Found out about the Tor network months before I saw it referenced anywhere else, for example. Mum may be worse at maths, but she teaches psychotherapy internationally - I think that makes up for it, lol.

So no, no matter how arrogant I may have been, I'm not smarter than them. Probably. Could do with being less lazy and more motivated, then I might have a shot, lol.

 

[pearcinator]

My mum has a bachelor degree (teaching) and dad has a masters degree (chemistry and business)...

so...no they are way smarter than me. Im in 2nd year university doing a bachelor degree in teaching.

 

[General_Potatoes]

My mum, yes. My dad, no. I can't find a way to be smarter than him. Neither can my brothers. And some of them went to uni.

 

[Operative1980]

I'm as smart as my dad, maybe a little smarter but not sure. But its not done me much good because I have the personal drive of my mum. so i never get round to do anything productive.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

My mother's pretty bright, but at times there's some things, but those feel more from her upbringing then intelect.

My father, kinda didn't make it to Grade 5 if I'm correct, so he has trouble spelling words, reading(he tends to read aloud) and other things, but he is pretty profiecient in what he needs to do, wich is take care of chores, drive and somehow he can fix a computer better then anyone I know.

 

[ccdistancerunner]

I am a lot smarter in a bunch of situations. My parents have high school educations whereas I have completed college. My father's a janitor, and really doesn't excel at anything besides basic math. My mother does patient billing for a medical company. She isn't good at anything. So I'd have to say yes I am smarter. And I already have a plan set out for the next 10 years. The only thing I'm lacking is a career other than Shift Manager at a McDonalds. It's rough out there kids.

 

[TehCookie]

Nope, they have more life experience and common sense. Also my parents have opposite skills so even if I'm better than one in a subject the other is usually better than me.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Erm... I wouldn't say so. Both of my parents have university degrees (my mum being an English teacher, my dad being an aerospace engineer). I wouldn't say they were smarter than me though, because they have more experience in everything. My mum is very artsy, and my dad is quite the opposite except for his guitar playing, I like to think I've taken bits of both.

 

[DesiPrinceX09]

I'm smarter than my mom (maybe), as for dad...not so sure. Mom never attended college but dad has a masters in business administration and accounting and he has traveled a lot so he has a lot of cultural and geographical knowledge. Just like many people here, my parents aren't too great with computers; especially my dad, although my mom knows a few things. My dad has and still does own many businesses and has been the manager for prestigious car dealerships in California, Texas, and Florida so I'm pretty sure all that makes up for his lack of computer knowledge.