While common, it's not so bad. Carlsen has a good family and he wasn't pressured to do anything. Polgar sisters were raised as chess players, but they all say only positive things about their childhood. 9 y.o Tihon Chernyaev is close to the level of Fide Master and plays competitively, but it's more of his obsession, and his mother just helps and encourages him without any pressure (that's from her own words, so could be wrong).
mindgam3|7 years ago
> his mother just helps and encourages him without any pressure (that's from her own words, so could be wrong)
For the record, almost everyone says only positive things about their childhood, including people who have been abused. The notion that "family is good" is so powerful that breaking it is one of society's biggest taboos.
Similarly, I have not met a single overbearing parent who doesn't act outwardly like they are nothing but supportive.
This doesn't mean that everyone is lying. Just that you need to take these things with a grain of salt. If abuse was always on the surface, visible to everyone at a casual glance, it wouldn't be nearly so prevalent.