Number skills...

I read somewhere that we should start inculcating mathematical skills in a child right from when he is 3 months old...
I scorned at the statement then....
But friends...dont be a fool like me..There is an element of truth behind it...the main reason being that they can only listen to you then ...and cannot stump you with out-of-the-blue answers...
A few excerpts for your proof..

Excercise 1
Amma- Achu, what comes after 3?
Achu ( with genuine interest)- 3 na?...( Then goes into deep thought.. or so his mother thinks.. coz he stares into her face .. widening his eyes...without even a blink..)..
A minute or two passes...
Amma- ( patting him in encouragement) Yes Achu.. come on...
Achu- Shut up and let me concentrate...
Another two minutes..
Amma-What exactly are you thinking?...My question was what comes after 3...
Achu- ( fully irritated) This you should have told me before.. See.. now i have to count all over again...
Amma-( Swallowing hard and holding her breath for a second ..)-OK.. Ok...just tell me the number that follows three...
Achu-( with a very serious enquiring expression..) Tum ko kya lag raha hey?...3 ke baad kya ho sakhtha hey?
A thud and a scream follows...


Exercise 2
Amma- What comes after 20
Achu - ( In a flash of a second)-40
Amma- With an unusual patience- No Achu --its 21
Achu- ( in a heavy bhojpuri accent)..Kyon ..40 phir 20 se pehle aatha hey kya?

Exercise 3
Amma-Circle the biggest number-2,6, 8
Achu- 8.. and promptly circles it
Amma- Excellent Achu- Now do this 4,7, 1
Achu-1... and hurriedly circles it.
Amma- How did you conclude that 1 is bigger than 4 and 7
Achu- Log zyada tharah biggest number last mein hii likhthe hein..

Sometimes.. in desperation...i turn to his father for some help..which is totally denied ..with the excuse that the damage has been caused by the 23 chromosomes inherited from the mother( experimentally proven.. and he has sufficient valid data to support the hypothesis)..and so the responsibility of fixing it too lies entirely with the mother....
Well...so be it...