In my last post about Germaine, I bitched about memory versus intelligence. See, I am not the type of mother who does flash cards and send my kids to all manners of enrichment classes. Not that they are crap or anything, it’s just not my style. Nevertheless, Germaine started to read when she was 4.

Anyway, my point is this. Do you think the big shots and entrepreneurs got to where they are by mugging? Memorising facts? Dead ringing ten year series?

Nope. I believe they journeyed along with creativity, an ability to think out of the box, street smarts and most importantly, intelligence.

My boss can’t remember his own schedule, his credit card numbers, his anniversary (!) and the likes, He needs me to remind him of such things. Me of the superior memory. And of course his earning capacity is many times of mine.

I look at the kiddie shows on television and they kind of sadden me. Spelling competitions, Brainiest kid (again, emphasis on memory of facts) etc.  Why don’t they have one where the kids have to come up with business ideas and compare profits? Or in case you think, shucks, she’s such a monetary bitch, then a show where they come up with practical inventions which they then have to build.

And the people in charge say that they are nurturing the children to think out of the box, to be creative, to be thinkers.

Gawd.

PS: We saw an ad on television the other. It’s about Oreo cookies. Three little girls poured the remains of milk into three glasses for themselves and tried to dunk the oreo. No go as the milk’s not enough. The first thought I had was, use a cup with a wider brim lah.. Ger went, what’s the problem, just pour the other two into the third one and all share that glass!

So it was.

Seems my daughter might be more intelligent than I am.