How smart are your children?

BY DR. LEO LEONIDAS

About three weeks ago I gave a talk at Mix and Match, a popular restaurant-conference center at Kalibo, Philippines. My audience is the Aklan Women, an advocacy group that promotes women and children's welfare.

My talk is about How to Make Children Happier and Smarter.One of my audience in Naj, the smartest three year that I have met. His mother and aunt were there. After my talk, I showed him my magic ball.

I was curious how he stayed for my talk without misbehaving. To my delight, I found out he was the boy who was interviewed by Korina Sanchez and Mar Roxas about a year ago at a National TV program in the Philippines.

How smart is Naj?

When he was interviewed by Korina, he was asked about the Philippine presidents. Naj enumerated all of the past and present Pres. starting from Aguinaldo to Gloria. (I think 14 of them.?)At 24 months old he can identify 23 flags of Asian Countries. Knows parts of the body, 18 saints through pictures, kinds of transporation, and different lines and shapes.

He can sing Bahay Kubo, Lupang Hinirang, My Toes, My Knees, Hawak Kamay, Religious Songs suchas alleluya, santo, etc. and Fo Fa Syllables.He counted 1 to 10 in Tagalog.

At 29 months old, Naj wrote the Letters of the alphabet, number 1 to 100, his name and read more than 200 words from a Book Reading and Speech Made Easy. He also played computer games -- Michey in Numberland, Hangaroo, Turtle Odyssey. At this age, he was able to identify 48 Flags of Asian Countries.

I visited Naj and his family yesterday at Kalibo. He is a fast learner with great memory. I gave him a book for children and he was able to read the first paragraph in English.

Then I demonstrated to the Mom and Aunt how to teach simple fractions.With my simple drawings and the concept, Naj easily got the meaning of 1/2 and 1/4.I have many happy and smart patients whose parents followed my methods in Maine.

Naj is the smartest of them all. I really wish I was their physician.Brod Mark (with a 15 month old boy), other brods, and friends with a baby or toddler, please make Naj your benchmark. I think you can do it if you follow the principles that I have been talking about in my e mails and talk at the University of the Philippines.

May you practice PEACE (Positive Environment Around Children Everyday) in your family.

We are starting ABBBI this week at Lezo, Kalibo, and Altabas. (Aklan Baby Brain Booster Initiative). This is a program that will be done by rural health nurses, midwifes, and Public Health Physicians.

I have created the teaching modules and hand-outs.The goal of ABBBI is to create as many 24 months old chilren talk with at least four-word sentences and read and do simple addition and subtraction by four years old and be socially acceptable (reducing hyperactivity).