Tiarnan's touche.

When does wit begin? Is one quick to counter another's words, always so...or does it develop later on in childhood? Tiarnan gave us a clue, yesterday.

We were going home after an evening out. There was Tiarnan, just turned three a few weeks ago, his mother, Syahidah and myself. It was late and no doubt Tiarnan was thinking of getting some sleep.

"I am going to sleep in YOUR bed.", he said, to his mother, unusually, because he doesn't do that, normally.

Syahidah decided to tease him.

"I am going to sleep in your bed, Tiarnan."

He looked up at her, beginning to wonder at this turn of events, a little smile on his lips.

"I am going to use your blanket.", she continued, to him. His little smile grew broader.

"I am going to drink YOUR susu (malay for milk)", she said, at last.

"Are you a small boy?", he countered, at last, to his mother, the smile still there, but now joined with an appraising look to his eyes.

We both laughed. Touche from Tiarnan...it was the perfect reply to her approach.

In Tiarnan's answer, there is evidence that wit begins, very young, indeed: it is there at the beginning of language, perhaps before language - it is in the character of the child themselves.

Incidentally, despite the conversation, Tiarnan slept where he usually does: in his own bed.

Goodnight Tiarnan, our small boy!

(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.

We are the founders of Genghis Can, a copywriting, editing and proofreading agency, that handles all kinds of work, including technical and scientific material. If you need such services, or know someone who does, please go to: http://www.genghiscan.com/ Thanks.

This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. Use Only with Permission. Thank you.)

Halloween Victory for the kids.

I wrote, some time ago, of an objector, who managed to stop an official Halloween celebration at our estate. His one, anonymous voice, was enough to cancel the event for all of our estate. Warmingly, however, the parents of the estate did not let this official disapproval stop them.

On October 31st, trick or treating went ahead, on our estate, despite the cancellation. A group of parents got together, in resistance to the ban, and formed their own Halloween celebration. A list of houses was put together, which had explicitly given their permission to be "tricked or treated" and everyone got together at the appointed hour on Halloween.

I find it refreshing that, despite the unwillingness of the estate management to hold a Halloween celebration, that the parents themselves should do so. It just shows that not everyone living in Singapore can be cowed by official disapproval. Officialdom had said no to a celebration - but the children wanted a celebration - and so a celebration was arranged. I like that spirit.

Usually, my wife and I would take our children around from house to house, dressed up in various horrible ways, to "trick or treat", on our estate. This Halloween, however, we thought to celebrate in a different way. Ainan, Fintan and Tiarnan, went trick or treating accompanied by adults and their friends - while we went home, to surprise the children who came trick or treating.

Our house was dark. Just a single candle lit the living room onto which the front door opens. The large, wooden door to our home, lay closed, but for a tiny gap, waiting for the children to arrive.

It was funny what happened when they did. Most of them would see our silent, waiting front door and hesitate (I was looking through the spyhole). They would nudge and urge each other forward, and each would, in turn, resist being the first. Eventually, they would muster enough courage to begin to approach.

I would then begin to open the door very slowly - which, to them, would appear to open by itself. This would always stop them in their tracks. One pair even ran away, to leave their lonesome friend rooted to the ground: "You can't run away!" she cried, "Come back!". After much persuasion, they crept back, hesitantly.

The large, dark brown door to our home would continue to open, slowly, creakingly.

The kids would stop, fearful to proceed.

Then, they would see a ghostly figure in the room, revealed: white sheeted and still, lit from below by a single candle, carrying a basket full of sweets.

"Cool!", opined one brave kid, "Cool!"

The ghost would waft forward, slowly steadily, in silence, holding out the basket. Tellingly, some kids could not bring themselves to approach - and would, instead, let their friends take the sweets for them. Then they would hurry away, to safety.

One teenage girl, who should have been old enough to be brave, wouldn't approach at all. "No tricks, right? No tricks!". She looked and sounded nervous.

Her friends took the sweets for her and gave a pat on the head, touched by her sensitivity.

Once the sweets had been taken, the ghost wafted back into the room and the door began to close slowly, creakingly upon them. Children's eyes would follow the movement of the door, as if hypnotized - and then they would turn to leave, looking back, several times.

One group of boys could still be heard, walking away into the distance, shouting: "Cool! That was cool!"

Neither the door, nor the ghost, spoke a single word.

That was how we celebrated Halloween.

My thanks go to Syahidah, the "ghost", who had covered herself in a white blanket for the occasion. Lighting design by Syahidah. Self-propelled door by Valentine, creaks, by Nature.

We had a great time, successfully spooking quite a few kids, which, I think, should be the aim of Halloween.

I am glad that our estate has enough spirit not to be suppressed by the naysaying of one, childless, anonymous curmudgeon.

The children of the estate had a great time...my thanks to all the parents involved in arranging our Alternative Halloween Celebration. In particular, I would like to thank Karen McDowell and Christine, as organizers of the evening.

Special thanks goes to Syahidah, for suffering the heat of her costume and being such a scarey ghost.

(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.

We are the founders of Genghis Can, a copywriting, editing and proofreading agency, that handles all kinds of work, including technical and scientific material. If you need such services, or know someone who does, please go to: http://www.genghiscan.com/ Thanks.)

The incredible disappearing Daddy.

A couple of days ago, perhaps in remembrance of my days as an actor, I changed my voice, for Tiarnan and spoke to him, in character.

This quite perturbed him. He looked up at me and slapped my legs with his hands, not hard, but complainingly. "I want Daddy!", he demanded.

I thought this very revealing. For him, once my voice changed, I was no longer his Daddy, I was someone else.

I did it again - and got the same reaction and the same demand: "I want Daddy!"

I stopped doing it, lest I disturb him too much and became, in voice and manner, as I had always been for him, his familiar Daddy.

He seemed to go along with the intention of my change of voice, that it should be accepted as another person. I wonder, then, if he understands, perhaps without being conscious of it, what an actor does? After all, he perceived my change of voice, as being that of another person. It is an interesting speculation, at the least.

It is not the first time he has reacted to a change of manner or appearance in this way. When he was five months old, he responded in a very similar way to his mother when she put on a green face mask: "I want my mummy" he had said, crawling afterwards, in somewhat of a panic.

So, for him, a change of voice, or a change of appearance, denotes a change of personhood, in some way.

Funny enough, he himself, has been known to act - but more of that another time.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and one month, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and seven months, and Tiarnan, two years exactly, 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, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Tiarnan's ancestral instinct

A musical compilation CD was playing today, in the background while my wife, Tiarnan and myself were in the room. The songs came from different parts of the world and different traditions. Tiarnan listened as he played.

Suddenly, an Irish tune came on. I am unsure whether Tiarnan (who is half-Irish but has never been to Ireland), had ever heard any Irish music - certainly he has never heard it in my presence before. His reaction was electric. He stopped what he was doing at once and started jumping about, relatively rhythmically. It was as if he was trying to invent the jig, in response to the sound of one.

Throughout the song, he danced his "jig" which, since he had never seen a jig, was not actually one, but definitely the intent to dance was there. His excitement was beautiful to witness. His smile was broad, his movements fast and energized. Truly, the Irish music seemed to have him under its spell.

He danced on until the very last note - and then he stopped. Once the Irish tune ceased, so did his dancing - for the song that followed was not from Ireland. Sweetly, he stood still and clapped the recorded musicians, once they fell silent, applauding their efforts.

This made me wonder about why he danced to such music. It was as if there was in him some ancestral instinct, some recognition of where he had come from and who he was. At least, so the timing of his actions tell. It could, of course, just be that the Irish dance music is naturally energizing and exciting and he picked up on that. However, he did not dance to any non-Irish tune. Furthermore, it is rather poetic to think that he might instinctively recognize his origins in the music - that it might call to something deep within him. Anyone who had seen the way he had danced to it, would wonder too at his connection to the music and the land of Ireland.

It looks like I will have to play him some more Irish dance music. I think we have ourselves a little leprachaun in the house - or half of one, anyway.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and one month, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and seven months, and Tiarnan, two years exactly, 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, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

How to measure the world

Fintan, four, has a certain view of his Daddy. Today, a little bit of that view became clear.

We were in Takashimaya shopping centre one floor up from the ground, looking at a Christmas tree that stood in front of us, above us, and below us. Our floor meant we were level with its mid-section.

Fintan looked at the tree, looked upwards and downwards and remarked:

"The tree is bigger than Daddy!" His voice was filled with wonder that there should be anything in the world bigger than Daddy.

I was touched. For him, I must seem to be a giant indeed - and for him, I am the basic unit of "bigness" against which all other big things are measured. An object is only truly big, if it is bigger than the biggest person he knows: his own Daddy.

(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.)

Online video interview with the Cawleys

There is an online video interview, on an internet news portal catering to the Chinese market, but in English, apart from commentary. It might be of interest to you.

It is found at:

http://omy.sg/common/media/vodcast.html?playlistPath=http%3A//omy.sg/news/hotnews/200711/20071107_001_whizzkid

It consists of an interview with myself, some footage of Ainan (not interviewed directly since he is rather camera shy - like many a seven year old, of course), and Professor Tim White of the Nanyang Technological University who is very familiar with Ainan and his gifts.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and eleven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and four months, and Tiarnan, twenty-one 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.)

A nation of hidden talents: Singapore.

On Thursday of this week, my wife and I went to a strange kind of party, in Singapore. It was a kind of party I had never been to before.

It was held in someone's HDB flat. HDB stands for the Housing Development Board. It is the government provider of public housing to about 85% to 90 % of all Singaporeans. For those of you who have never been to Singapore, most people here live in apartments in towers of twelve or more stories (some are very much taller). So, this was a normal Singaporean home.

Most people sat on the floor, there being insufficient seating for the, perhaps, 30 or so people in attendance. For the first hour and a half, people mingled and talked, getting acquainted. But then, at about 8.30 pm, something unusual began to happen. One by one, the guests got up to stand to one side of the room, and sang.

I didn't expect much from this, for I had seen the Singapore Idol (a local version of the American Idol) and noted that, although they laboured under the belief that they could, most entrants to that show, could not sing well at all.

Yet, I was surprised. The evening passed in a mixture of classical, pop, rock and country songs sang with passion, love and attention. Some of the performers were nervous before an audience, showing both their youth and inexperience. But some were polished performers, very much at ease. Some of them irritated, somewhat, by preening and admiring themselves as they sang. I am not going to speculate on the cause of such behaviour. But others surprised in other ways: by just being damned good.

One girl, in particular, shone. She was of a delicate build - very, very skinny, in fact, and not at all tall. She introduced herself by saying she had "Never sung this song before" - at which everyone laughed a little, perhaps believing otherwise. Then she began. There emerged from her mouth the most assured, powerful, well-pitched and agile voice I have ever heard in live performance. Quite astonishing. The song she sang was a classical one. Clearly, she had practiced this song endlessly - despite her claim at the outset. The ecstatic applause she received was well-deserved.

There was a very tall man, too, who sang classically and rather well.

What I did note, however, was that those who sang particularly well, could only do so with classical music. They were unable to handle pop or rock. (That included the star singer described above - she was much less assured with a pop tune). Perhaps this is why none of them has ever appeared on Singapore Idol. There was one girl, however, who was comfortable with pop: the one who preened.

I learnt something sad, yet hopeful about this particular gathering of singers and musicians. They exist because they are outside the mainstream. They are unable to open the doors to the few opportunities that exist in Singapore for musical talent - and so, they come together regularly, to sing, at these "secret" soirees.

Singapore is a country that, historically, has had few outlets for creative or performance artists, to express their abilities. It has been a society focussed directly on activities that are more certain to produce an economic return. In this manner, it has been, for much of its history, a city without a thriving culture. In recent years, there has been some effort to change this, the government having recognized that, without a healthy culture, there is not a healthy city. The missing aspect of the arts, is something that diminishes the city's allure for foreigners - and locals alike. So, it has begun to encourage the growth of a local arts scene. Yet, there is much work to do and too few real opportunities for those who would follow an artistic career path of any kind. Quite simply, there is not enough work to make a living, for those who aspire to such a life.

Some of this group are, however, working together to launch two musicals, in Singapore, later this year. I wish them well.

(If you would like to read of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and eight months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and one month, or Tiarnan, eighteen 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, genetics, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, creatively gifted, gifted children, and gifted adults in general. Thanks.)

Tiarnan interprets for daddy

The day before yesterday we were walking in a park-like area in the evening. The only available light was that thrown by nearby buildings across the darkened expanse of tree and grass.

Into this expanse, Tiarnan, fifteen months, who was walking beside us, pointed and said: "Tidur" (if I have the spelling right - I have mispelt it before as "tido").

I knew what that meant and I searched for the animal that it must have been referring to. Though I peered as intently as I might, I could see nothing in the gloom that might correspond to this "tidur".

"What is tidur?", I asked, Tiarnan, thinking another question to the one he logically answered.

He turned at once, in seeming exasperation, at me and said, sharply: "Sleeeeeeep!", in a tone that it made it most clear what he thought of my question: surely you know THAT one, daddy, he was essentially saying.

It was a revealing moment. It showed that he knew my language preference, knew which word to use with Daddy - which for others. It also showed his growing mastery of language - for him, the question had so obvious an answer that it exasperated him to hear it asked.

It was funny to see him take that stance and tone with me. Refreshing.

I never did get to see the sleeping animal he had pointed out: I think his night vision/visual perception must be better than mine.

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

Tiarnan of the smile

Tiarnan has a wonderful smile - all angelic and endearing - but that is not the true wonder. The true wonder is that he finds so many reasons to smile.

This morning for instance. I woke to find him awake and sitting between us, looking at me. He gave me his big, funny smile - but said nothing. He was happy to share this waking moment with me. His smile has its own character: it is a broad smile, showing his teeth and his nose wrinkles when he does it. It makes him look very cute - and handsome. He just looked up at me, unmoving, then looked at his mother, still asleep. He began to watch her sleep. Then, as if on cue, her eyes opened and the first thing she saw was Tiarnan, looking down on her. He gave her his biggest of smiles and bounced excitedly on the bed, at having caught her awaken. He then looked from one of us to the other very content simply to share the early morning moment, of his parents waking.

I don't know what he was thinking - but he seemed so happy - and that happiness made us happy too.

Sometimes I don't know how I was ever content before I became a Daddy.

Thank you Tiarnan.

The power of the unconscious

It was four months ago, now, when Tiarnan was but ten months old, and I haven't found a moment to tell the tale, until now.

We had become accustomed by that time, to see Tiarnan go comfortably down the stairs on his own. After all, he had first tackled the stairs successfully at five months and so we had come to see little reason to fear his meanderings up and down stairs: he had clearly mastered the skill.

That morning however, as I was talking to my wife, Tiarnan approached the stairs, a few metres away, in the background. Some uncanny feeling alerted me that all was not as it should be. There was something about his gait, about his angle and speed of approach that concerned me. Just as he stepped out into the air, it became clear that he had misjudged it - he was falling down the stairs, headfirst.

I don't know what happened in that moment. Some old part of me awoke. A more youthful part. A very much faster part of me that I had thought lost long ago, in my teens, aroused itself. I leapt forward with a speed I did not know I still possessed, crossed those few metres and reached out with my left hand and closed my fist tight about his shirt, as he fell down the stairs. To my astonishment, that of my wife - and no doubt that of Tiarnan himself - I found myself clutching my ten month old baby with his face suspended above the steps, inches from contact. He had not struck the stairs at all. All that movement of body and arm and snaring of baby had happened in a time too short to consciously observe - and yet there he was, floating in space above the steps, held by my reflexively tight fist.

It has been many years since I had moved like that - many years since I thought I still could. Grateful to whatever within me had saved him, I set Tiarnan down on the ground above the steps. He was completely unharmed.

Had he fallen down the steps headfirst, he might be another Tiarnan today - one very much lessened by the incident.

I am thankful that it did not happen.

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

Fintan draws mummy and daddy

Yesterday, we gave Fintan, three, a piece of charcoal and a piece of paper to see what he would do. He decided to draw his parents.

First, he drew mummy. He gave her eyes which looked like eyes and a mouth which looked like a mouth. The eyes had lashes and the mouth had teeth. He did not draw a stick figure stereotyped face as most children draw - but actually sought to render what he saw before him. It might have been better if we had given him another medium rather than charcoal for he tended to smudge what he had drawn - but the results were very interesting. He actually produced a recognizably human face.

Daddy's face was less complimentary - but again he followed the "draw what I see" mode and came up with something in a style of his own.

What was particularly interesting was the manner in which he tackled the task. When it came to me, he held the charcoal in his hand and looked at me for a long pause, as he took in what was before him, before he began to draw. He was very much performing as the little artist deciding how to approach his subject. He drew with earnest but with speed and clearly enjoyed what he was doing. Perhaps he will be an artist like his mummy, one day. It would be nice to think so.

We didn't direct him in how to draw, but let him draw as he pleased: that way we had a chance to see how he saw the world - and not how we wanted him to see it. It is better that way, I think. It is more true to the child.

Interviewed on Channel News Asia

Last week, I was interviewed by Channel News Asia, regarding developments in private education in Singapore.

The interview was not long - about two minutes - and would, no doubt, have been edited. I didn't catch the interview, but I am told it went out over the weekend.

Channel News Asia is the Singaporean government TV news arm of Mediacorp - the Singapore government broadcaster. All broadcasters in Singapore are state owned. The Channel has a "footprint" of twenty countries in South East and North East Asia as well as the Middle East. Thus, audiences in those countries will be just a little more familiar with me this week, than last.

Perhaps that explains the stares I got on the bus yesterday. It seems that people actually watch the news around here!

Tiarnan recognizes his "Daddy".

About two months ago, when Tiarnan was eleven months old, he caught sight of his brother Fintan's new present.

The present was something intended to comfort Fintan: a pillow in red and blue, with a picture of Superman on it, as the rugged jawed demigod that we all know and love.

Tiarnan looked at the image on the pillow and, at once, said: "Daddy!"

I wasn't there to witness the moment - but it is still one that I will never forget. People talk about the younger siblings of a prodigy having a lot to live up to...well, what about the father having to live up to expectations like Tiarnan's?!

Now, where did I put my costume...

Do gifted children learn quietness?

Most people familiar with gifted children will have noticed that many of them are introverted. They prefer the riches of their inner worlds to the paucity of the outer world. Yet, how much of this is innate, and how much is learned behaviour?

As a young child, there was a marked discrepancy between me and the children around me. Looking back now, I see a gulf that was unbridgeable. At the time, I had no idea why the children were the way they were. Unsurprisingly, I thought of them as very simple creatures - though it appals me to write that childhood thought here, as an adult. Yet, I think it is important to introduce that thought - for perhaps many parents reading this, here, may have gifted children who are thinking that daily about the other children they meet. What effect does this disparity of mental development have on children?

One effect that could develop over time is the observed "introversion" seen in such children. If the other children don't understand when the gifted child speaks their mind, eventually such a child might very well learn not to speak their mind at all. A conditioned silence would develop which would be very hard to penetrate. Something of this kind happened to me as a child. I became an observer who didn't express the fullness of my thought: for I anticipated that such expression would be unwelcome. Perhaps the same phenomenon is unfolding in Ainan's life.

Did you feel this way as a gifted child? Do you think your gifted child feels this way? Is their reticence a learned behaviour? That is my theory anyway...your thoughts would be welcome.

(If you would like to read more of my gifted children, Ainan Celeste Cawley, seven years and three months, a scientific child prodigy, Fintan, three and Tiarnan, thirteen 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, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, the creatively gifted, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Belated Happy Valentine's Wishes

Here is a belated Happy Valentine's to all around the world. I was a bit busy...it was my birthday, of course.

Best wishes all.