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Friday, June 11, 2010

Mad Science

We have completed week one of Operation: Summer Learning, meaning we went to the library and checked out some books on simple machines. All week long, we've been reading about levers and pulleys and wedges.

Although this appears to be the overzealous efforts of a mother that really needs to get over herself and her precious snowflake of a child, I swear to you, he loves it.

One of his books talked about the siphoning of the water in a toilet tank, and, I shit you not, we spent a good forty minutes watching the water do its thing with each flush.

While we drive, he asks the best questions---about day and night, about the different colors of the sky, about the mechanism of my stick shift.

I have to start reading up, because I'm presently making up about fifty percent of my answers.

He reminds me of my brother, who was a bit of a mad scientist himself. He used to run around the house in a costume lab coat, mumbling about "gigawats." (Thank you, Back to the Future).

Owen, well....look for yourself.

Yes, that's my child wearing lab safety goggles at his school beach trip.

As an English major, I hope he continues this scientific (and profitable) line of thinking.

After all, he may be selecting my nursing home someday.

28 comments:

Formerly known as Frau said...

hee hee good thinking Mom! I love that you are being the fun mom this summer....I was never that mom ....I'm sure my daughter will be in therapy some day because of it. Science is so not up my alley...maybe it is genetic. Have a wonderful weekend with your cuties.

Anonymous said...

Brilliant! Hysterical! Adorable!

Angie Muresan said...

Don't feel bad. I make up more than 50 percent of anything I say. To kids AND adults.

Amy H said...

Check out Steve Spangler, he has amazing experiments. Max's preschool teacher went to one of his conf. and came back with amazing things. Some people think she is crazy but she sets up simple battery curcuits with large digram pictures and they totally figure it out and she teaches 3 year olds. She also sets up a fix it shop where they do anythign but fix things but they take apart old computers stereos and such she just leaves a bunch of screw drivers and staftey glasses out and they go HOG wild! It takes fine motor skills to take things apart!

Coby said...

I absolutely love it! I love how inquisitive Owen is, and how you're nurturing it. Even if you're making up half of it! Good job, Momma!

June said...

May I just "Ditto" what Coby said?
Thank you.
Ditto :)

Unknown said...

LOL, yes we are getting to that stage too where i'm doing my reading! I can't be saying, 'go ask your dad' all the time! (he's the science/math guy, me english)

LOVE LOVE the monkey shirt!

Beth Zimmerman said...

I don't know if they're still available but when my son was younger we had this *Incredible Machine* software and some other ... I think *Gizmos & Gadgets* that he could sit at the computer and play with levers and springs and whatever else to his little heart's content!

Another piece of learning software that we really enjoyed using together was Zoombinis. Fun way to learn some math skills.

Lothiriel said...

Cool!!!

I want to be a fun mom!!!

cheatymoon said...

Love the English major comment - am also one. Relegated to teaching (and using words like relegated). I was so hoping my child would be a math natural so he could support me in my old age as a rocket scientist, but so far... notsomuch.

Sweet photos too.

Stephanie said...

LOL Love it....nothing better then following their lead. Well, unless that lead is into a toilet? Cuteness!

Adoption of Jane said...

But he is a precious snowflake of a child! Tafari has that same shirt, but his says Silly Monkey on it!

LB said...

LOL! Maybe it's a boy thing. My daughter could care less, but my son is astounded by the inner workings of our septic system. I even went so far as to google an image of a septic system. He loves telling folks how it goes from the toilet, to the pipes, into the pipes in the street, and to the city sewer where it's cleaned and sent back to the toilet. (That last part I made up, but it sounds logical!)

Bekah said...

Love this! God bless public libraries!

Debbie said...

I think kids do love to read books and learn. It's only when our society tries to tell them that isn't "cool" that they quit that love for learning and adventure. Good for you!

Tracie said...

LOL! My oldest is a lot like this, too. He has always kept me on my toes.

J said...

What a little smartie pants! Isn't summer the best?

Minivan Lover said...

I'm totally stealing your idea about how to deal with the summer weeks. Owen is a precious lab goggle wearing snowflake! :)

Marla said...

Great post, Nancy!

There is an award for you over at Butts and Ashes!

Jenny said...

They are adorable. You are a nut!

Claudya Martinez said...

As long as he doesn't become a mad scientist.

Traci said...

Good for you. I have to admit that the first couple of weeks of summer have kicked my butt so we have done little of value. BTW, I totally make up half my answers too. Then I go to wikipedia or the like to check my accuracy. When I'm totally off, I try to casually introduce the correct info!

Joanna Jenkins said...

Oh my, my, my. That is just great and Owen is adorable in those goggles.

Yeah,
jj

Anonymous said...

Ha! I totally love that Im not the only one making up answers!!

Gretchen said...

No, your brother used to stick a fork in the electrical outlet searching for a gigawatt. I'd watch your boys VERY carefully!

Aunt Becky said...

Oh now, he's clearly MY son! I love me my safety goggles!

Bethany said...

one of the reasons I can't be a mother is because i don't know any of the answers to those type of kids questions. like why is the sky blue, simple science stuff. and well i'm afraid of math homework. so good luck with all that. i laughed at you making up 50% of it.

Bethany said...

and damn that boy is cute!