Saturday, March 25, 2006

A father's chronicle (Revisting Newton's Law)

It is a good thing to be a father. And even better to be a father of two kids! I could recall how interesting some of the growing milestones of Theophilus... and how they are unfolded once again in Gracia's life. I get the chance of savouring such moments again (well, with a little twist sometimes).

It was only like yestarday that Theophilus was the one who picked up his toy infront of him and throw it to the floor and watch how it rolls with the curious face of 'Ghee... what's happening here?'. Now, it is Gracia's turn. She is picking her toys and throwing them on the floor. She is curious. I am patient. She probably dropped it more than thirty times (look, I am not counting... but the stretching and bending... is not too good for me these days... getting old... or in engineering term - My back is suffering from fatigue stress, and if I don't take good care of it... it will go beyond the factual point.)

But I like to watch the whole episode. I put the toy infront of her. She picks it up. Look at me. Look at the toy. Place it over the edge of her walker, and drop it off. She bends over and look at the toy. What is in her little mind? Is she wondering why it is not breaking to pieces? Or is she trying to figure out the whole thing about gravity - why is the object moving down and not up like the balloon she saw the other day?

It is a mini-experiment. She is discovering the truth of our world. Data is consolidated. Hypothesis made and re-evaluated. They are turned to axioms. Re-challenged. Re-confirmed. The whole lesson went on again and again till she is satisfied with the conclusion.

I enjoyed the whole learning episode. I never mind the lesson of rediscovery of simple truths. I am attracted by her curiousity and her hunger to learn about this world - it is so different from the time she was 'in mommy's tummy'.

"Strangely", Theophilus could not recall this stage of his development. He could only take it as the truth when I told him that he did the same thing too - dropping toys onto the flow.... only thing he had one more act - he bit his toy after dropping them (what was he trying to check? that they don't change in form when they drop onto the floor?.... ) He is very patient with the little sister's learning. He is not fussed with the dropping of toys. He accepts it readily as part of learning. Just pick it up again. Just drop another one.

Soon, I will get to enjoy the other phases too. Like fussing over which hair-pin to get for her when she goes to school.... Ah.... I like parenting.