My toddler cousin (grandson of N and J) was very advanced for his age. I held him on my knee as he spoke eloquently of his varied academic interests. He then expressed interest in the family tree and, in particular, how he was related to me.

I found a large sheet of computer paper and started to write out our relatives’ names. It soon became apparent that this was a pointless exercise because – aged 2 – my toddler cousin could not yet read.