Fintan, the athletic child

Fintan, three, is a robust child. He has a stocky build inherited from his father and has been known, since young, for his surprising strength. That, however, is not what I wish to talk about.

A couple of months ago, Syahidah, my wife, went for a jog. Fintan insisted on coming along. His mother argued that he should stay at home, since she would be running and he would not be able to keep up. Still, he insisted on coming. Syahidah resigned herself to being unable to jog as she wished, with a three year old tagging along, and let him join her.

When she got to her "track" - a waterside location, along which she could jog up and down both sides of a waterway, with bridges crossing it - she started off, at a gentle pace and Fintan jogged along with her. She thought he might fall behind, but he didn't. Seeing that he had no trouble, she adopted her usual pace and jogged in her accustomed rhythm. Fintan jogged along with her, his shorter legs having to stride somewhat more often - but still he kept up with her. She wondered how long he would be able to do this...so she kept jogging and he kept up alongside her. So, her run went on, with Fintan keeping pace. He never faltered. He never fell behind. He never complained - he just kept pace with his mother. In the end, she ran her normal course - without having to accommodate Fintan at all. He ran with her a distance that was enough to leave her well-exercised - and which, assuredly, must have been quite far for such a young child.

Knowing Fintan as I do, this performance was as much a product of his determination, as of any athletic endowment. It should be noted that he hadn't run with her before like this - and so his ability to keep up was not the result of consistent training. It was the product of whatever native stamina he possesses - and a determination not to fail to pace his mother.

There is in Fintan a strong heart - of both kinds: the heart of the body and the heart of the mind.

(If you would like to learn more of Fintan, three, or his gifted brothers, Ainan Celeste Cawley, seven years and four months, or Tiarnan, fourteen months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, baby genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted children and gifted adults in general. Thanks.)