Intellect of Children

67

Most of us, most of the time, underrate our children as far as intelligence and critical thinking is concerned. But given a chance, more often than not, they come out with amazing answers and solutions to a problem. Such a thing happened recently at one of the Children Homes for the under-privileged when I went there for my regular once-a-week gossip-play session.

Towards the end of my one-hour inter-active discussions, the children wanted to know my date of birth having found out my age and the year of birth. When I evaded the answer, they persisted. I then said, ‘Well children you will have to work it out. The first clue is that my date of birth contains two-threes.’

Soon there were murmurs and then discussions. One girl said, ‘Sir, the date cannot have both the threes, thus one must be for the month.’ Once I said ‘Yes’ the result was instantaneous. More than one voice was heard almost in unison, ‘It is March, the third month.’

‘Well done,’ I said and added, ‘Now the second clue. Out of the possible options, the one that figures in the middle (the mean) is my date of birth.’ Amidst the ongoing interactions and discussions, one girl said, ‘Sir it is 13 March.’ When I said, ‘No, it is not correct. How did you work out?’ she gave the logic that there can only be three possible dates namely 03, 13 and 23.’

‘You have to think more,’ is all that I said. ‘I got it sir,’ said another girl in excitement. ‘There is one more option as 30th.’

‘Yes, you are right but then what’s the answer? Do you remember that my second clue was that my birth-date is in the middle of the possible options. Now you have four options, so which is the middle?’ I asked.

There were some more murmurs and discussions and then I heard a voice, ‘Sir, it is 23rd and I am absolutely sure about it.’ Looking at the girl who was just about 10-11 years of age, I said, ‘You are absolutely right my dear child. But explain to others as to how did you figure it out?’

‘It is simple sir. As you were born in March month, there are five options namely 03, 13, 23, 30 and 31, and the middle one is 23.’

‘That’s impressive,’ hardly had I said, when I heard a voice, ‘Then we deserve a treat, sir.’
‘Yes, you all deserve a treat and you shall have one,’ I said to which there was a query, ‘When Sir?’
‘On my birth-day,’ I responded. Amidst the laughter and the giggles, I heard another voice, ‘That’s too far away Sir! Can’t it be earlier?’ I smiled, and then getting up from the chair, I patted her on the head and said, ‘Why not. But for that you would have to think of a way to get the date arrive faster and earlier.’

‘We will let you know when you come next Sir,’ was a confident reply. Somehow, I was sure that the children would think of something plausible. Well, there is a reason for such a belief. With my three decades of interaction with young and adult children, I have come to accept the fact that their minds are more fertile than ours, the elders!

Wg Cdr DP Sabharwal