The effect of chocolate on the young.

My boys, like most boys, are partial to chocolate (and sweets) of various kinds. So partial are they, that they have devised various ruses to overcome my ration-minded ways.

Yesterday, Tiarnan, two, sidled up to me: "Can I have chocolate, Daddy?"

I looked down at him, as he did his best to be appealing, open-eyed and big of smile.

I could have said, no, but I relented.

As I turned to walk towards the kitchen, I noted that Fintan, five, had moved in behind Tiarnan. Was this, then, a ploy of the two boys - to send the cutest first, to ask permission...and then for the other to join in? We would see.

I opened the freezer, in which the Secret Chocolate Supply is kept. Two expectant faces looked up at me as I reached in. I stopped, then, in mid-reach.

"There is no chocolate for good boys...", I began.

Disappointment flared in four eyes. Two faces threatened to be crestfallen.

"Only for bad boys."

Disappointment turned to hope in each eye.

"Are you bad boys?" I enquired, knowing them to be good ones.

They nodded, at once, in unison, with the utmost passion and declared, in choral tones: "YES!"

I had to laugh. They were like a little comedy duo, who moved as if all had been planned to act as one - but I am sure it was not a matter of forethought, just a matter of rapport.

I gave them each a chunk of chocolate. Two happier "bad" boys, you have never seen.

(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.

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