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The boy who knew too much: a child prodigy

This is the true story of scientific child prodigy, and former baby genius, Ainan Celeste Cawley, written by his father. It is the true story, too, of his gifted brothers and of all the Cawley family. I write also of child prodigy and genius in general: what it is, and how it is so often neglected in the modern world. As a society, we so often fail those we should most hope to see succeed: our gifted children and the gifted adults they become. Site Copyright: Valentine Cawley, 2006 +

Saturday, May 17, 2008

I am not a Chemist.

The headline is an important statement that must be understood, if Ainan is to be understood.

It has come to my attention that some people assume that Ainan's interest is an echo of my own. I have had people assume that I am, in fact, a Chemist - and that Ainan's pursuit of the subject is just him either aping his Daddy or being indoctrinated by him. Neither proposal is true. Ainan chose Chemistry, it was not chosen for him.

When I was very young I, too, was interested in Chemistry. Yet, I didn't introduce Ainan to it. It never occurred to me to do so. Ainan introduced himself to Chemistry. He taught himself at first, without any influence from either of his parents. In recent months, he has begun looking at other sciences, too. This, again, is his doing - a need to explore more widely, as well as deeply (for he continues to explore Chemistry). Again, it is Ainan that is leading - he is the one who lays down his own fields of interest and begins to address them.

I was a type of scientist once - a physicist. So, if I were forming Ainan's interests it would be to that subject I would have led him. I certainly would not have led him to a subject other than my own prior core interest.

So, Ainan is a Chemist because he wants to be one. Ainan is exploring other sciences, now (including Physics) because he wants to explore them. Ainan is his own path-chooser.

I address this issue because I was surprised to learn that even relatives of mine made the assumption that Ainan was doing what I wanted, rather than what he wanted. Frankly, I was surprised at that for many reasons - not least of which is that I think it is impossible for a child to perform at a high level in an externally chosen area. They would not have the drive to mastery if it was imposed from without: their own curiosity must be the guiding force.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and five months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and ten months, and Tiarnan, twenty-seven 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, niño, gênio criança, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

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posted by Valentine Cawley @ 9:00 PM 

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Valentine,

It was a relief for me to read this:

"Frankly, I was surprised at that for many reasons - not least of which is that I think it is impossible for a child to perform at a high level in an externally chosen area. They would not have the drive to mastery if it was imposed from without: their own curiosity must be the guiding force."

My dad would disagree. His prodding wasn't necessary because I was so gifted that if I had the support I needed in the areas I was interested in, and the help with my dyslexia that I needed, I'm sure I would have impressed him. But instead he wanted me to be gifted in the areas in which I was dyslexic and failed to value my gifts.

They never wrote in the baby book they bought, so they had no occasion to realize the necessity of taking me to a developmental psychologist or pediatrician regarding my advancement and asynchrony - so he never knew I was gifted and dyslexic.

The consequence of his approach is that he never got to enjoy being impressed with me as you must be with Ainan. That was what he wanted and his efforts were self-defeating, so he never got it.

Good call as usual, Valentine!

May your entries stand as examples for the sound parenting of gifted kids for a long time.



- Kathy

1:35 PM  
Blogger Valentine Cawley said...

Thank you for your encouragement Kathy. It would be good to think that my efforts were of consequence to gifted children and their parents, everywhere. It would give them an impact beyond the small circle of my own family.

I am sorry to hear that your parents didn't quite understand what you were and what you needed. However, I am confident that you are coming to an adult adjustment to your nature and needs. It is never too late to make that adjustment and to lead a more fulfilling life.

Best wishes to you.

8:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Valentine,

Thanks for the reminder that I can always make my life better.

I think that if you wrote a parenting book it would be very interesting and very useful to other parents of gifted kids and I bet you would provide very sound information.


- Kathy

1:14 PM  

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