You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once. ~Polish Proverb

Friday, October 24, 2008

Life's Little Mysteries...

Having kids is like having a walking, talking, 20 questions machine in your back pocket. It's rare the day that I don't get a wondering type question from the kids. Really, I have to admit, I love it. I love hearing their questions because I know they are questioning the world around them and using their brains.

Gwynie doesn't ask as many questions as Brady though, she just seems to piece together her own answers by observation. For example, when she was 2 she asked my father in law if pigeons have belly buttons. He thought about the best way to answer the question and she just answered herself by saying, "Well of course they do, they get it from their umbilical cords!" Seriously people, my daughter thought of this at 2. She made the connection to a belly button and an umbilical cord and reasoned that all animals had some form of cord and so therefore must have some residual effects from said cord. Now, I've never really looked to see if that's correct, but all the same it just shows the power of a kids mind.

Brady however loves to question everything, but its not the typical kids question of "Why is the sky blue?" or "Why is the grass green?". Yes these are very good questions, but his questions though are somewhat unique like, "Why is the engine of a car in the front and not the back?" or "What are the ingredients in cement?". The most recent questions I've had I just didn't know the best way to explain them so I gave my paltry answer and then followed it up with a "Let's Google it when we get home".

So here are some of Brady's recent questions, and an answer to one of them:

"Why does the moon sometimes look like a banana?"

"Why does it only snow when it's cold?" followed by "What is snow made out of?"

And my favorite:

Brady: What are snakes made out of?
Me: Uh...snake skin?
Jake: *smacks head with hand* You mean scales.....

Now, I must not be giving great answers because the other day Brady asked me a question and as I opened my mouth to speak he held up his hands and said, "Wait, wait, wait, wait.....I'll just go Google it" and proceeded to the computer room. Hmm...

So which brings me to my next thing, the kids love using the computer (under our supervision of course!). We have Gwynie go to this Math website and practice her times tables and division each day for 15 minutes. It's setup that you do 5 minutes of times tables three times in row which they say helps the kids retain it better because its strictly memorization, not problem solving. So Brady thinks that he has to do his "homework" each day, which consists of visiting the Thomas the Train website and doing the puzzles and coloring pages. Somedays I just giggle and he cracks me up that he is so serious about it, but I let him do it because I know that will help him when he is older. If I can teach them now to do their homework right after school, and actually DO IT, then I think we won't have homework issues in the future.

Ok so this is getting really long, but I just wanted to jot this down so that I can remember this for later. My kids really are just so amazing and wonderful. I know you all are like, well duh she thinks that they are her kids, but really they are just so freaking awesome. They are just two of the most easy going kids you will ever meet.

2 comments:

doni said...

So glad we found each other in cyber space. Your kids are so cute! I look forward to checking in on you and your cute family!

wood0306 said...

Very Cute!!! What is the website that you use for Gwynie and her times tables. I haven't found one that is 5 minutes, I have been looking. Let me know.