February 4, 2026
Prodigy Panic, Parent Drama
Child prodigies rarely become elite performers
Prodigies rarely rule: readers split on “start at 4” vs “let kids be kids”
TLDR: A new piece argues child prodigies rarely become elite, and early “hot-housing” helps less than you’d think. Commenters are split between “start absurdly young or don’t bother” and “burnout and personality matter more,” making this a must-read for parents, coaches, and anyone betting on the next Tiger or Djokovic.
The article says child prodigies seldom turn into elite stars—yes, even with heavy early training—cue the comments section lighting up like a tennis final. One camp rushed the court with legends: Novak Djokovic picked up a racket at four; Tiger Woods was swinging clubs before kindergarten. To them, starting early is the whole game. Another camp waved the caution flag: burnout is real, the science is mixed, and raw talent doesn’t guarantee adult success. stevefan1999 dropped a study link as evidence.
Key Points
- •The article contends that child prodigies rarely become elite adult performers.
- •Early intensive training (“hot-housing”) can help but is less effective at producing elite outcomes than often assumed.
- •Novak Djokovic began playing tennis at age four.
- •At age 12, Djokovic moved from Serbia to train at a tennis academy in Germany.
- •Djokovic won the 2008 Australian Open at age 20, later adding 23 more majors and setting the record for time ranked world number one.