Curiosity Feeds A Child

Today I overheard, or rather, eavesdrop a conversation between a senior consultant to her junior staff. It started off with food, weather, common family issues and children. Then she talked about her experience bringing up her children; their antics when they were young.

Have you ever wondered, how the aborigines reached the Australian continent, all the way from Africa?

What interests me was how parents; in the midst of juggling family and career, often forget to encourage and satisfy their children's incessant questions. Children are creatures who are full of wonder and curiosity. She shared; once her young daughters have asked their father about why humans have different colors and features. Their father who is a practicing surgeon, obviously tired after a hectic OT schedule; had brushed off their question; "Why do you ask such a stupid question?" They went to their mother; obviously not happy about it. Then she gave them an easy answer (like I too, always did); "You see that trees have different features and colors. Flowers too. That's why humans are also different." You see, that answer should satisfy an average child curiosity. Secretly, she felt proud because she had given them an early exposure on biodiversity. However, they asked her again, "Then how come people from the same continent or temperate has similar features and color? For example, why all asians have similar features? The tree and flower in Asia have different color?" That was a tough one. Their mother said "I don't know. Maybe we can find out about it." So, the following week all of them read up about human evolution, anthropology and modern human migration hence understood why the different color.

The highest point of Mount Everest or Chomolungma; 8840m  above sea level.

Once they asked her about what granite is and how it differs from limestone? I would have asked my children to look up on the net themselves. But she took the tasks finding out the fact with them. Indirectly, today I learned about rocks from her. Granite is a type of plutonic igneus rock formed from underneath the earth, as a result of constant pressure and heat. While limestone is formed from the bones of dead mollusks and marine creatures. Then they asked her, if Ipoh  produced a lot of limestone, does that mean that Ipoh was once covered by sea? I mean, wow...To think of it that way. I also learned today that the tip of Mount Everest; which is the highest point of earth, is covered by limestone. It means, a billion years ago, the whole earth was once covered by sea. I know that fact. But to hear it from this perspective sounds, wow!!


I never have thought rocks study could be so interesting. So now I know where that Dragonglass Obsidian came from. All this while I thought it was a mythical rock created from the imagination of George R.R. Martin in his masterpiece A Game of Thrones he he.. Do you know there's a section in Kinokuniya which advertises and sells many types of exquisite rocks and ancient fossils? I also learned about it today.

My favorite character in AGOT. But he died prematurely :(
Note the spiky throne and the mighty sword; Ice. Both are made of obsidian which are sharper than steel.

Well, when I was in standard three, I have written a few unpublished books and short stories with own illustration. (I sold them off later in need of cash.) I used to read encyclopedia and literature books during my pastime. But I was nothing compared to these children.


I'm impressed of how genius her children are. And I am more impressed with this mother who has put a lot of efforts to together learn new facts with them.

This kind of active thinking are not taught in school. In fact, her children are not popular among their teachers. They are labelled as noisy, even rude, for asking too many question. Well, I shall let my teacher friends comment on that.

Indeed, we need to fulfill our children curiosity and cultivate it in the ones who lacks curiosity. But how to cultivate active thinking in the children when their minds are filled with garbage? Do you know what that garbage is? It is cartoons from TV program, computer games, games from gadgets, internets.


She added; it is not how many As your children score. But how much good values, perseverance and self respect your children have. They will turn out fine if they have all that. How to ensure that? "If something is good for you, do it. Even though other people is not doing it. Do it, no matter how hard. If something is bad for you, don't do it. No matter how fashionable it is, no matter how easy to do it." Instill it in yourself. Then, instill it in your children.