The science fiction, fantasy fan.

Tiarnan, two, is already showing certain traits that I possessed as a child. The mystery of it is where it all comes from - because I am not really showing these traits as an adult, so he has no real model to draw them from.

Yesterday, Tiarnan, was invited to choose videos at the video store. He was very sure of his selections: he chose 10,000 B.C, The Road to Terabithia and Eragon. Now, as anyone should note, these are all science fiction/science fantasy titles. He ignored all other genres in the store - except he also wanted to get out a dinosaur documentary DVD - but he had already seen that so Syahidah, his mother, vetoed it.

I found his selection very interesting since, as a child and teenager, I had been drawn, primarily, to science fiction and science fantasy in my reading and, if I had the chance, film watching. So, Tiarnan, given complete freedom of choice, is replicating my own childhood choices. I read much science fiction (sci-fi), as a complimentary activity to my interests in science. Thus, my childhood life of the imagination was one that extended my more down to earth interests.

With Tiarnan, it seems he is naturally drawn to that which is more imaginative, more outside the norm of human experience. He is, for instance, a great fan of Ben 10. He has also shown a liking for science, such as is his exposure at this tender age.

To me, this tendency to echo the childhood of the parents is interesting: it seems that basic dispositions of character and interest may also be found in the children. Perhaps much more is inherited than one might suppose.

Tiarnan is a child of great imagination: it has a great effect on him, but I shall post of that another time. It gives me great pleasure to note, though, that his interests are reflecting my own childhood interests. As a father, this means that I can share with him, what once I enjoyed so much, and so come to enjoy it again, in a new way, perhaps a deeper way, as I see him explore territory I so used to explore myself.

Then again, it makes it quite easy for me, as a parent - because I already have such familiarity with his area of interest and so have much to give him, in that regard. This is the kind of luck every parent could do with.

I am looking forward to introducing him to the works of Tolkien, later on - for those were a memorable discovery when I was a kid. No doubt they will be for Tiarnan, too.

I think I have got some videos to watch, now...

(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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