VietNamNet Bridge – Child prodigies have become famous, but their continued success is due to their hard work and effort.

Do Nhat Nam.

If you type Do Nhat Nam on Google, the search engine gives 691,000 results just after 0.27 seconds about the boy prodigy.

Born in 2001, he received a Cambridge English exam certificate before he entered the first grade. After that, he got a Starter certificate and then Mover certificate after taking tests administered through the Cambridge English testing system (part of Cambridge University) when he was in the first grade.

At the age of seven, Nam completed the translation of “Sun up, Sun down – The story of day and night”, a book with stories about ultraviolet rays, the smallness of the moon and sun’s eventual disappearance.

He was recognised as the youngest translator in Vietnam in March 2009.

Some other writings of Nam were published later, including his autobiographies “Toi da hoc tieng Anh nhu the nao” (How I learned English) and “Nhung con chu biet hat” (The singing letters). He has also translated “How successful people think” by John C. Maxwell, Charging up, and Next Level of living by Linda McLean.

Unlike many other child prodigies, who were stunted just after a short time of shining brilliantly, Nam continues to display his talents.

Phan Thi Ho Diep, a lecturer of the Hanoi University of Education, the mother of Nam, said Nam has a normal life like many other children. He learns hard and spends much time on play. Being a seventh grader at the Newton International School, Nam has fulfilled the curriculum designed for ninth graders.

Like many other celebrities, Nam receives compliments from teachers and friends, and incurs criticism from the public. The boy has been described as a “little old fellow” with statements “that should not been spoken by a child”.

However, the criticism did not make Nam sad. “He was calm enough to overcome shocks and difficulties. It was because I warned him before about the two sides of being a famous person,” Diep said.

Prodigy with deep knowledge of history

More than 10 years ago, Quach Minh Phat in Vinh Loi District of Bac Lieu Province, was called by locals a child prodigy because the boy could read when he was 20 months old.

Phat, who is now 11 years old, still excels. He has been an excellent student over the last six consecutive academic years with learning records much more brilliant than his friends.

Leading a peaceful life in a small house on the side of Highway No 1A, the title “child prodigy” granted to him by locals has in no way affected the boy.

Phat said he likes learning history and he is best at this subject. The boy surprised reporters, who met him at home, when he freely talked with them like an adult. He had deep knowledge about social issues and raised a lot of questions about news reporting and news about the East Sea situation.

Both Phat and his father said they did not think much about the word “prodigy”.

“I am better than my friends in some fields, but I am worse than my friends in other fields,” he said.

NLD/VNN