iBeth

A Sign That Christmas Is Around the Corner

Once again, the kids are debating "Is Santa Real?" in my blog comments.  Cute!

Defying the Library Rule, Emma Reads Longest Books Ever

Emma is very, very happy--she just finished reading the longest books she has ever read in all her 7 years:  The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy, Book 1:  The Hero Revealed and The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy, Book 2: The Return of Meteor Boy.  She stayed up way too late to do it, but I didn't have the heart to take her books away.

Emma, a superhero fan, had been pining to read about Ordinary Boy since she saw the books in her school library . . . but she was not allowed to check them out!  Why not?  Because these books are classified for reading level 6.0, and Emma's reading tests showed that she was only at level 5.8.

As soon as he heard about the problem, Daddy went straight to the public library to check out these books, while Mommy spoke with Emma's teacher (it turns out that Emma hadn't told her teacher about the problem). Emma's teacher explained that kids sometimes check out books that are too hard and then they get so frustrated they give up on the idea of reading for pleasure--hence, the rule about levels.  But since Emma definitely is hooked on reading, all agree that she should be able to check out whatever books she wants.  I wonder what she will pick next?

Inspired by Ordinary Boy's uncle, Emma drew up this menu of unusual ice cream flavors.  Mmmm, doorknob ice cream.  I'm getting hungry already.

Amelia Hunts Bear

Are you going on a bear hunt?  Amelia made a map for you. 

Amelia's Eeny Meeny

Should she wear Violet pajamas, or "Shark Team" pajamas?  Amelia used the classic "eeny meeny" method of deciding:

Eeny meeny miney mo
Catch a tiger by his toe
If he hollers, let him escape
Eeny meeny . . . This one!

The kid has a good vocabulary, but I don't think she'll become a rapper.

Embarrassing Teacher Moment

I was answering a question about hyphen use but couldn't think of any examples.  "Well, there's e-mail," I said.  "E-mail has a hyphen.  And . . . hmm.  Can anyone think of another example?"

"What about wet dreams?" a student called out.

"No," I said, "wet dreams does not have a hyphen."

Silence.  "What? I didn't say wet dreams," the student said.  "I said on time."

I don't know what I was thinking either.

Yum!

As Amelia toweled off after a swim, we noticed that she was chewing on something.  Food?  Gum?

Daddy:  What are you eating, Amelia?

Amelia [still chewing]:  Fingernail.

Oh.

Emma Explains Why She Didn't Do Her Homework

Why *don't* they call spelling words "memorizing" words, anyway?

Amelia's Backwards Math

Amelia's grandma, a former elementary school teacher, made a math worksheet for her to complete when they played school.  Four-year-old Amelia definitely understands how to count by twos, fives, and tens.  But she forms many of her numbers backwards.  Her dad and I wondered whether the habit is due to her youth or her left-handedness; a quick web search indicates that both factors play a role.

I'm not planning to make a big deal out of this, but I confess: it sure is cute!

Maybe, though, it is time for us to learn more about teaching a left-handed child to write. 

Daddy-Sized Pizza

We were eating pizza with Grandma and Grandpa, and Daddy wanted just a little bit more.  He cut one piece in half and Grandma said, "There, that's just your size."
Emma was puzzled.  "Grandma, why did you say that was Daddy's size?"
"Well . . . " Grandma began.
Emma continued.  "Because a piece of pizza Daddy's size would be huge!"