I changed the channel to escape the negative war news, only to be surprised by the return of The Voice Kids, the most famous show for discovering children’s singing talents in our Arab world, which has been stirring controversy since its first season.

The most common opinion I hear around me is that children will not be able to handle criticism, doubt, or rejection from the judges, and they will not be able to endure the consequences of losing, not to mention the disasters of social media, where a single word sent by someone biased or mentally unstable could destroy a child.

While I agree, why does no one fear at the same time the "price" of praise and admiration? Why does no one ask whether a child can bear being placed on a high stage, having dazzling lights focused on them, and being told, in front of the world, that they are talented, amazing, and exceptional, far ahead of their peers whose voices resemble nails on a chalkboard?

For some strange reason, whenever I watch The Voice Kids, I am reminded of an incident involving the late Lebanese writer Said Takieddine.

In 1923, Takieddine wrote his first play, If Not for the Lawyer, which succeeded brilliantly and continued to be performed for years in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, and South America. The young man from a small town then began preparing a second play, but fate had him meet the great thinker and writer Amin al-Rihani in Beirut. Al-Rihani, intending to compliment him—may God forgive him—greeted him by saying, "Welcome, genius."

Takieddine admits: "I left stunned by ‘Welcome, genius.’ Morphine put me to sleep for a whole year without producing any literature, as I abandoned my plan to write the second play. A year of life wasted on a phrase of praise." He even asks himself sarcastically, "What is left of literature, Said, now that Amin al-Rihani called you a ‘genius’?"

The detail that matters is that at that meeting, Takieddine was only eighteen or nineteen years old. No, he was not a child like those you see wrapping their tiny fingers around the microphone on The Voice Kids, but he was barely a young adult. No, he was not a child, yet the word "genius" scattered him completely. So imagine what happens to those even younger, with less awareness, when the audience applauds them and the judges stand in awe.

Why inject children with what Takieddine called "morphine," which is more dangerous than any criticism or attack? Why inaugurate their artistic journeys with the inevitable praise, admiration, and exaggeration at an age when they will not know how to handle it? Do we not fear for them laziness, complacency, arrogance, early burnout, and wasted years, just as happened to Takieddine?

The worst part is that praise can make some children extremely anxious about failure and not meeting expectations. They fear losing this "privilege" and then hesitate to take risks or face challenges. How, I ask you, can a child artist continue their path if burdened with these worries?

Have mercy on them, I beg you.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Annahar