--- description: Our schools and workplaces claim to love creativity — but the research shows they don’t reward it. In fact, they punish it. “…students with the... title: The Reason Your Child Might Be Less Creative image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9e0009ca6c041f52/6987644e524fc0f8bbdea3b1/creative-child.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Psychology](/tag/psychology/) ## Psychology Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Reason Your Child Might Be Less Creative by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 6, 2014 5:01 AM CUT  Boy with box covering head and homemade toy robot Boy with box covering head and homemade toy robotGetty Images by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 6, 2014 5:01 AM CUT Our schools and workplaces claim to love creativity — but the research shows they don’t reward it. In fact, they punish it. _“…_ **_students with the highest GPA’s were the ones who scored lowest on measures of creativity and independence…”_** _“…_ **_supervisors judged their workforce the way teachers judged their students. They gave low ratings to employees with high levels of creativity and independence…”_** Via [How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547564651/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547564651&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Teachers often say they love creative students. [They don’t](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/12/do-teachers-love-or-hate-creative-students/ "undefined"): --- > “” --- Are you a creative person? Want to be a CEO? Good luck. [You’ll need it](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/02/does-being-creative-harm-your-chances-of-beco/ "undefined"): --- > “” --- (To learn the secrets to increasing your child’s creativity, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/what-are-the-four-principles-that-will-lead-y/ "undefined").) **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/10/schools-workplaces-kill-creativity/ "undefined")**_._** **Join over 130,000 readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined"). What To Read Next: [How To Raise Happy Kids – 10 Steps Backed By Science](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/happy-kids/ "undefined") [Good Parenting Skills: 7 Research-Backed Ways to Raise Kids Right](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/11/good-parenting-skills/ "undefined") [How To Have A Happy Family – 7 Tips Backed By Research](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/10/how-to-have-a-happy-family/ "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3559171/reason-child-less-creative/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3559171/reason-child-less-creative/"},"headline":"The Reason Your Child Might Be Less Creative","datePublished":"2014-11-06T05:01:55.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:00:27.655Z","description":"Our schools and workplaces claim to love creativity — but the research shows they don’t reward it. 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