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.)

A successful child's party: the signs.

I should have posted this last week, but now is better than not at all.

How does a parent know if their children really enjoyed a party? A child doesn't communicate in the ways that adults do. They may not tell you outright how much they enjoyed themselves or how great it was to have their friends around. Thus, we have to find other ways to evaluate whether or not they enjoyed a particular party.

Last Sunday, I had such a sign. You see, on the Saturday, we had celebrated my wife's birthday party by inviting a number of international and local friends - and their children. Two parties had, therefore, been conducted at once: the adult's party and the children's party. We rather enjoyed our party - but did the children enjoy theirs?

Well, I should tell you that Fintan is normally an early riser. He is often up before me and will be downstairs with a cartoon channel on, often before the rest of the house stirs.

Last Sunday, however, was different. In the morning, there was no sign of Fintan - or Tiarnan, who is also an early riser, though not as early. At lunchtime, there was no sign of Fintan - nor Tiarnan. So then I went looking for them. I found them both asleep in the boys' room. Neither stirred, so deep asleep were they. They were absolutely worn out. It was sweet, to see them sleeping there, so late, for it told me, more powerfully than words ever could have done, how much they had both enjoyed the party of the day before. So much energy had they expended running around with their friends, that they were unable to rise at their accustomed early hours.

I let them sleep and grew ever more amused as the time passed. It was not until past two-thirty that Fintan finally rose, over seven hours past his usual waking time. Tiarnan was even later.

I didn't need to ask them if they had enjoyed the party, therefore. They gave me their answer without even a word being said.

It is funny how sweetness may be found in the most ordinary of parenting events. I found it in an unusually enduring sleep: may you, too, one day.

(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.)

The best party in the world

Fintan, four, is rather fond of drawing and painting. His compositions tend to the well-designed and/or story telling. There is always something in particular going on.

About a month ago, he showed us one painting that was heavy on the dark green and other dark colours - and had been done on dark paper. Off to one side was a large cat.

"It is called Leopard at a Party", said Fintan, to his mummy, Syahidah.

Syahidah looked at it for a moment, drinking in its anatomically correct cat, its well-observed trees and other animal guests and pointed out something she had noticed:

"Fintan, the Leopard hasn't got any eyes."

Fintan looked at his mummy, then, as if she had overlooked something pretty obvious:

"Mummy, it doesn't need eyes: it is dark!"

What a wonderful - and logical - perspective he has on things.

Sadly, that evening, when I came home, I found Fintan on the floor with a pair of scissors. He had cut up his wonderful painting. Perhaps, I thought, he had taken Syahidah's remark as a criticism.

I asked him why he had cut it up. He pointed at a part of it and said: "I wanted to take that bit out." I had an awful feeling that it was the Leopard he was referring to.

It wasn't entirely clear which bit, though - but perhaps, he had become dissatisfied with his own work, once the omission had been pointed out. It was a pity because it was a well-observed painting that got everything just right - apart from the eyes of one who did not need to see.

It seems that Fintan is both creative - and sensitive. Though, of course, I cannot be sure why he decided to cut up the painting. Perhaps he had another creative intent behind it. I, for one, however, would have liked to have kept "Leopard at a Party".

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