Fintan and the "Crocodile"

Fintan, three, is a very visual child. Sometimes this leads to surprising moments.

He was watching television with his mother, Syahidah, the other day and she began flicking through the channels, in rapid succession. She came to one channel and said, on seeing the image on the screen: "Oh look Fintan, this will be good, it is about a crocodile."

Fintan said, at once: "No mummy, that is not a crocodile, that is an alligator."

Syahidah stopped her channel hopping to let the channel play. Sure enough, a moment later the commentator referred to the creature as "an alligator".

How on Earth did he know and see the difference between them? Most adults I know wouldn't be able to distinguish them, at all. In fact, I don't think I could.

(If you would like to read more about Fintan or his brothers, including Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, seven, then please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)