KUALA LUMPUR: A three-year-old Malaysian child has set new records for identifying flags from 195 countries, accomplishing this feat in just three minutes.
While most children her age are occupied with their toys and games, Jeimithra Vasagam is able to identify all 44 flags in just one minute and all 195 flags in an astonishing 3 minutes and 5 seconds.
The achievement earned her recognition in four record books, including the Malaysia Book of Records, India Book of Records, Worldwide Book of Records, and Jackhi Book of Records.
Jeimithra's journey to this remarkable achievement began at an incredibly early age, according to her mother, Dr Mathi Vathani, 28.
"Before she was even one year old, before she even started speaking, I showed her pictures of flags and asked her to identify them. This is how it all began," said the mother.
Dr Mathi's passion in Geography, History, and travelling was the motivation for introducing flags to her daughter.
Despite her daughter being a fast learner, Dr Mathi said she did not push Jeimithra too much. She restricted herself to teaching her daughter only five flags per day.
"It took her only three to four months to learn and memorise all the flags. I went through the continent one by one. I finished Asia, then I went to Europe, North America, South America, then the Oceanic and lastly Africa because it was the toughest," she added.
Talking about her daughter's interest in learning, Dr Vathani said, "She's more inclined to education than playing".
Dr Vathani said she uses flashcards and other educational tools, with limited screen time, ensuring her children did not get hooked on digital devices.
Having mastered flags, Jeimithra's next feat is learning the periodic table.
Dr Vathani has been training her to memorise the periodic table, and Jeimithra has memorised 52 elements so far.
Jeimithra's disciplined daily routine consists of school, piano practice, and, and of course, flag recognition, periodic table elements, and more.
Dr Vathani provides her child with a balanced and healthy upbringing, adhering to a strict diet and providing an educational environment that promotes her interest.
She shared some diet tips for ensuring optimal child health and development.
Jeimithra was breastfed until she was three years old. Dr Vathani believes it significantly affected her child's progress and development.
"Paediatricians always say that breast milk contains calcium and more vitamins. Formula milk, even when they say there's no sucrose there will still be a sucrose content," she said.
Dr Vathani also advised parents to restrict their children's intake of sugar.
"Sweets make children very hyperactive. Until two years of age I didn't give my kids any sugar or salt. Only natural sugar from fruits," she said.
Dr Vathani also urged other parents to also be cautious about exposing their children to excessive screen time and sugary treats.
She emphasised the importance of allowing children to explore their interests and not get locked into a single path, encouraging them to be adaptable and versatile.
Jeimithra has also recently applied for the prestigious Guinness World Records and is currently awaiting her application review.