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MOAAIS I. STEIN

Even the MusesHad Parents

An unexpected observation in reviewing the literature on gifted,talented and creative young people (Stein, in press) is therelative lack of data on the characteristics of their parents andhow they interacted with the youngsters. This confirms thepoint made by Groth (1975) about mothers, and with respectto both parents'in a more recent review by Colangelo andDettman (1983). Colangelo and Dettman say (p. 20). "AI·though the importance of parents is seen as a key factor in thedevelopment of all children, discussion of the role of parentswith their gifted children has been superficially treated:'

Superficial treatment ofsuch important relationships deprivesus ofa complete understanding of the developmental historiesof contemporary gifted children. It also deprives us of theopportunity to test hypotheses based on the life histories ofcreative adults, where our knowledge comes from secondarysources, or even if it comes from the adults themselves, ourknowledge is affected by the vagaries of their recall. Parentsmay have similar difficulties, but at least we come closer tolearning about the importance of early developmental historyif we talk to them.

In this context it is well to remember that even the Museshad parents. Calliope, Clio, Erato, Eurerpe, Melpomene. Poly­hymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia and Urania were the daughters ofZeus and Mnemosyne. With such an unique combination ofpower and memory it is not surprising that their nine daugh·ters should have presided over epic poetry, history, lyric andlove poetry, music. tragedy, sacred song. dancing and choralsong. comedy and astronomy.

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Even the Muses Had Parents

Mere mortals may rarely, if ever, have such illustrious parents.Nevertheless, it behooves us to study the parents of gifted,talented and creative students on the contemporary scene tolearn their interests, goals, aspirations, motivations, cognitivestyles, personalities and character of their interactions withtheir children. This could help us understand how these chil­dren develop and possibly to clarify some ideas people haveheld throughout history about the early Jives of creative menand women.

REfERENCES COLANGELO. M. & DETTMAN. D. F. A review of research on parents andfamilies of gifted children. Exceptional Children. 1983.50.20·27.

GROTH. N. J. Mothers of gifted. Gifted Child Quarterly. 1975. 19.217·222.

STEIN. M.1.Gifted. talented. and creative children: studies in excellence­a sourcebook. NYC: Garland Publishing (in press).

Morris I. Stein. Professor of Psychology.Address: New York University. Research Center for Human Relations. 6 Wi'lsh·ington Place. Seventh Floor, New York. New York 10003.