Children and Christmas Celebrations.

It is long since Christmas could make me jump with excitement, and anticipation - but today I was brought back to that time, by watching my children.

It was time to open their gifts. The children had risen early and huddled around the tree - but refrained from opening them: they just looked. It was not until we rose that they allowed themselves to pick up their gifts, one by one and begin to unwrap them.

If I were to pick one memory of today, to take with me into the future, it would be a single snapshot image. It would be of Tiarnan, so excited at the prospect of opening the gifts, which he had foreborn to touch, these past few weeks, that he could not open them. He was so consumed with the thrill of it that he jumped up and grabbed Syahidah's legs, encircling them with his arms. He held on tightly, suspended above the ground. In that moment did I fully understand how exciting this was for him. He did not know what to do with the excitement that he felt and could not express it in any better way, than that movement. I was touched.

He finally let go and set about opening his gifts, periodically jumping in excitement or smacking the table, as each wonder (to him) was revealed.

The other boys were also excited, but their response was somewhat more mature and less expressive. It was Tiarnan, twenty-two months, who showed best the spirit of the day.

I feel that it is moments like this that my young children will recall when they are adults, themselves. It makes me smile to know that they will remember this day.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and no months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and five months, and Tiarnan, twenty-two 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.)

Merry Christmas 2007 everyone

Merry Christmas, to everyone, everywhere.

Christmas in Singapore is different from the Christmases of my youth. I would like to say it was snowing here and that we were having a "White Christmas" - but that is something I have not seen since childhood. Christmas here is an equatorial affair, with ever present heat and humidity - but I am used to it.

However Christmas is, where you are, whether it be snowy, or raining, windy or sunny, I hope you all enjoy the festive season.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and no months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and five months, and Tiarnan, twenty-two 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.)

The life of Reilly

"The life of Reilly" was a phrase not infrequently uttered when I was growing up. Today, the phrase came to mind on hearing of Fintan's latest antics.

Fintan had gone to a kids party, in the run up to Christmas. Like many a kid of his age (four) he is rather fond of cars. So, on spotting a car, he duly hopped into it, raring to go. Unfortunately, cars fit for four year olds happen to come without engines. So, there he was, sitting in his car, wanting to race around, but without any horsepower to do so.

The situation didn't last long. He may have lacked a car engine, but he didn't lack the kind of appeal that commonly goes with an impressive sports car: within seconds four girls of his own age volunteered to help him. They gathered as one behind his car and began to push him around the house, while he steered.

It was very funny to see how he solved the problem of no engine. He got himself an engine, Fintan-style - in the shape of four helpful young ladies.

They tirelessly pushed him around the party until he had had his fill of driving.

Thank you, girls, for giving Fintan such a welcome. Merry Xmas to you all.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and no months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and five months, and Tiarnan, twenty-two 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.)

Tiarnan and the Christmas Tree

Tiarnan is now eleven months old. It is a simple matter to realize that this is his first Christmas. He had never seen a Christmas tree before, but when he did, he was most taken by it.

Our tree was rather tall - about eight feet - in dark green plastic, real trees being both expensive and unimpressive in Singapore being, generally, on the small side. We had decorated it in baubles and sparkling chains - and, most interestingly, from Tiarnan's point of view, in coloured lights that flashed on and off in varying rhythms.

On the first day that he saw it, he stood for a long time, studying it, looking it up and down, a happy, bedazzled expression on his face. When it came to time to go to bed that night, he did something very sweet: he waved his hand at the tree, in rhthym to the flashing lights. This could have had two meanings - one to say goodbye, the other to recognize the blinking of the lights, since his hand was opening and closing in their rhythm.

Yesterday, he saw his beloved tree again. We had taken off all the baubles and the lights and the chains - and packed its branches upwards ready for storage. Again, he looked long at it. This time however, he was not impressed. He shook his head emphatically from side to side - as if to say: "That is not how it should be." I think he was a little forlorn: his beloved tree was no more.

Christmas in Fintan's words

Fintan, three, had something to say after opening his Xmas presents:

He let back his head and bawled at the top of his voice: "Thank you Christmas!"

Sweet.

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

Merry Christmas to the world

Merry Christmas to everyone, everywhere.

When I was a child, there was often snow around Xmas, but now that I live on an equatorial island, I am going to the beach.

Today will, therefore, be a time of sand and sun beneath the palm fronds, with the sea lapping at our feet. An odd Xmas for one brought up in England and Ireland...but it is to be my family's this year.

So, however you spend your Xmas, I wish you a merry one.