Computer software and the child

Do children need computer training? Today, I was struck by the absence of any such need, if my children are anything to go by.

Ainan, 7, sat at the keyboard, using a drawing program for architectural use. I was struck by the fluency of his movements, as he selected functions, drew, selected further functions and modified the result and so on. It seemed just so natural to him. There was no hesitation, no picking at wrong keys or functions - just a fluid expression of the thought he had and the result he wanted.

"How do you know how to use this program, Ainan?"

He kind of shrugged. "Just..." and trailed off, not communicating the mystery, perhaps mystified himself at the ease with which he was able to use the computer software.

I remember my own childhood with regards to computers: there weren't any - at least not until I was much older. "Space Invaders" - the first real computer game craze (apart from those simple tennis games) came along when I was eleven years old. So, seeing Ainan so at home with computers - as if they were a natural extension of his thinking, made me feel somewhat surprised. No child of my time had been as Ainan is with regards to computers.

Truly, the children of today are not as we were: their skills differ, their minds differ - and the world they will give rise to, as adults will differ too. Looking around, further afield than my own family, I can't help but wonder if their world will be a lesser world, not a greater one in some ways. For along with their gains in certain areas - such as the use of technology - there seem to be losses in other areas.

Perhaps I am just getting old to feel so!

But for Ainan and my other children, at least, computer technology looks to be little challenge at all to use.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and ten months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and three months, and Tiarnan, twenty 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, the Irish, the Malays, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)