As I've mentioned before, Son loves rules. Not the kind he has to follow, but the kind that the world has to follow. Like gravity. Anything that provides a schema for how the world works--whether it be Santa Claus or kangaroos whose parameters we're defining--is good by him. And like all inquiring minds, he likes to intuit or extrapolate rules from what he sees. Which makes for some pretty fabulous science thrown around at our house.
Descriptive Axioms
"The captains of pirates always have hooks. Every captain has a hook."
Which came first, the hook or the Captain's rank? Does it matter?
Warnings and Judgments
"Smoke is dangerous for everyone. But some people just do it. Some people just put smoke on a stick."
How do they get that smoke on that stick? They just put it there.
Mastery of Knowledge
[fondling a bag of Cheetos, which he has been forbidden to sample until finishing his dinner] "I love Cheetahs. Cheetahs are dessert. They're not food."
I'm sure the lightening-fast hunters would not characterize themselves as food.
But deductively, are they necessarily thus dessert? A ponderable question...
But deductively, are they necessarily thus dessert? A ponderable question...
Tests of Mama's Hypotheses, which always involve rigorous application of the Scientific Method.
Him: bounce...bounce...bounce...bounce
Me: "No jumping on the bed, please."
Him: bounce...bounce...bounce...bounce
Me: [sharply] "SON!"
Him: bounce...bounce...bounce...leaping bounce off bed...two-foot landing with hands triumphant in the air. "See. I didn't break my head."
It seems so irrefutable.
We spend so much time teaching. Yet for all the definitions I offer, all the ways I try to stimulate their minds with creative, thoughtful, engaging topics, there are these moments of hilarious clarity. What can one possibly say in response to a conclusion so carefully drawn from experience and experiment? I am left speechless in the face of preschool science.
6 comments:
It's all very logical isn't it? Why can't be all be that way!
Personally, I think Son is GENIUS.... it means that I can now eat all the dessert I want.... since only food has calories, and dessert isn't food, right?
Yes, logic and genius. The two words that I would immediately apply to rules of the world. :)
MT,
check out this blog
I used to have it in my sidebar but when I got rid of the famous ones this one left too. I think you'll like it.
Hey, thanks, Mrs. F -- I love to check out new ones...more fun with my morning coffee!
Back to say, you're totally right, Mrs. F -- I LOVE this one. I'm all inspired with some new ideas now...
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