Memories of a childhood: the parents' view.

What will I remember of my children, when I am older...when I have become the grandfather, I knew as a child?

I think I will remember the times my children showed the perspective of a child, the times they revealed their growing characters, the times they were simply sweet in action, thought and feeling.

A few days ago, we were shopping with Tiarnan, 28 months, in tow. We had brought his stroller with us, to help us convey him at those times when he didn't feel like walking and we didn't feel like carrying him. Of course, as anyone who has pushed a stroller will know, using one is not entirely without its problems. In particular, there is the little matter of stairs...

Tiarnan had a characteristic way of dealing with stairs, when we approached them. He wanted to do it himself. He took hold of one end of the stroller - and, in the guise of helping him a little, we took hold of it at two other places, too - and proceeded to carry it up the stairs (and later down the stairs).

It was funny watching him at work. He is a small boy...a toddler of two. Yet, he took a hold of the stroller with fierce determination and exerted all his might to carry it (as seen by the strain in his face and the earnestness of his expression). So, our little Samson carried the stroller up the stairs - doing so, all the way, without letting up. We could see that it was an effort for him - but he was determined not to give up.

When he got to the top, he set the stroller down and punched the air with one little hand: "I am so STRONG!", he declared, "I am SO strong."

Indeed he was.

It was a fun afternoon in the company of our diminutive Titan. He managed to help us carry the stroller up and down every stairs we met. He just wasn't going to let us struggle alone with it, without his help.

Seeing him shouting jubilantly about his strength - and the image of his straining body carrying the (comparatively) giant stroller up the stairs and two memories I think I shall recall in my later years, as being typical of the young Tiarnan. It is already clear that he likes to take up challenges and battle on, with determination, to their completion. These may be either physical or mental - but it is the physical ones that are particularly funny to watch, because he is just so small. (However, don't tell him that...for he is "so strong").

Before my kids, shopping was just shopping. Now, it is an adventure. That is a good change, I must say.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, five years exactly, and Tiarnan, twenty-eight 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, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind)