She Doesn't Have the Vocabulary

This year we tried skipping Athena ahead a grade so she could enter a 2nd grade class in an Advanced Learning Program at a magnet school in the area.  Her teacher wasn't thrilled about the idea. She told me that they tested Athena and that she just didn't have the necessary vocabulary.  Right.  Two days ago she correctly used the word "etched" while explaining to Dimitri that scientists can't read your thoughts just by looking at your brain.  And yesterday while eating hummus I had blended up for dinner she held up a whole chickpea and said,

"Look who emerged from the blender unscathed!"

No, this 6-year-old's vocabulary is definitely not there.  ;)

Brain Battle Athena vs Dimitri

(Age 5) Dimitri: I think someone is going to steal my brain when I die and find out how many math problems I know.

(Age 6) Athena: Dimitri! You can't read a brain.

Dimitri: Yes you can. Someone, I don't know, like Charles Darwin had his brain stolen after he died so they could learn all the things he knew.

Athena: That isn't possible.

Dimitri: Yes it is. Scientists can do it. I read it in a book.

Athena: Was it a fiction book or a non fiction book?

Dimitri: It was non fiction.

Athena: Show me some evidence.

(PAUSE...)

Athena: Dimitri, nobody can take a brain, and like, knot through the slimy parts of the brain and see what you saw. Your brain cannot be read. Your thoughts are not etched on the outside of your brain.

Dimitri: There is a scanner. That can scan brains. (PAUSE...) The book said Charles Darwin was so smart, the doctors stole his brain after he died. And all of the other stuff was real so that must have been real. And besides-

Athena: Besides shut up.

Dimitri: YOU shut up.

Athena: shut up shut up shut up Mr. Shut up.

Spelling

In March 2014 I started asking Dimitri, who was 2 at the time, if he could spell a few words for me.  I was surprised to find out that he could spell quite a few words!  So I made a list of all the words he spelled correctly.

more
food
look
for
the
to
box
dad
mom
cat
red
shoe

Just recently I asked Dimitri (now 3) to spell a few things for me, mainly out of curiosity.  Here is what he spelled:

band
fit
him
tack
sad
list
have
will
skin
photo
sitting
happy
puppy
jumping

Random Quotes From My Kids

Sometimes I write down the funny things my kids say.  Here are a few quotes I found in a note on my phone from May 2014.  (Athena was 3 and Dimitri 2)

*mumble mumble* "I'm talking to the consonants!" -Dimitri

Me: "Let's get outta here!"

Simultaneously:

Athena: "Outta??  Outta??"

Dimitri: "It's OUT OF."

"Ducks can hatch. But I can't hatch." -Dimitri

Me: "Dimitri do you want some chocolate banana shake?"

Dimitri: "No! I'm reading!"

"Mom, are you willing to share your figs with me?" -Athena (This was a favorite phrase for awhile. "Are you willing to..." It was hard to say no to because it was so cute and sweet and made me sound like a monster if I refused.)

From Spring 2015 (ages 4 and 3 now)

*singing*

"I'm so beautiful

No one's as beautiful as me

Cuz I'm so beautiful

And oh so pretty!" -Athena 

"If we go on a half a mile walk it would actually be a mile because it would be half mile out and half mile back." -Athena

Let's Play HOA

Yesterday little Athena suggested that we play a game where she goes to our HOA board and tries to convince them to let us get solar panels.  She had watched me leave in a flurry to go to our HOA meeting on Monday to relieve their fears about allowing solar panels in our community.  So we played!

I sat at the head of our coffee table and played "Mr. Nelson," Athena was me, and Dimitri was the representative from our solar company.

"Why do you want to get solar panels, Ellie?" - Me
"Because they're good for the earth and then we don't have to use nasty coal plants." -Athena
"What do coal plants have to do with it?"
"Coal plants make electricity for our houses and put nasty crap into the air."
"So, how do solar panels make electricity?"
"They use the energy from the sun"
"Ok, well, that sounds really good but what if people think they're ugly?" - Me
"Well," Athena responded as she pulled out my petition, "these people said they don't think it would be ugly."

I laughed.  I hadn't realize how attentively she had been listening to our solar power discussions.

Bringing out the Genius

I came into parenting with the belief that the right environment and nurturing could turn any child into a gifted child.  Now I believe that genes probably have something to do with it, but I still think giftedness can be coaxed out of children.  If nothing else, you'll develop a deeply meaningful relationship with your child.

Bringing out the genius in your kids is more about your mindset than your method.  Here are a few important principles that have set the foundation for my method of parenting:

1. Don't belittle your children.  

When the father of Malala (the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize recipient) was asked why his daughter is so strong, he replied, "Because I didn't clip her wings." (see his TED talk here)  Children are born with their own unique set of gifts, strengths and talents that will manifest naturally if they are not held back by their parents.

I have seen parents acting like they believe their children are insane, idiotic, or out to get them. That mindset will clip your children's wings for sure.  It'll generate criticism and contempt which creates an environment that is unfit for learning, creativity, and growth.  

2. See your child for the amazing beings they are.  

Human beings are incredible! The things people are capable of doing are astounding, whether the person is gifted, mentally or physically handicapped, or wonderfully average.  Think of what the most intelligent animal in the world is capable of: mimicking voices, communicating with sounds, creating basic tools, doing tricks.  Human children- even as young as a year old- are capable of vastly more than this.  The human brain is phenomenal.  Remembering this helps me to see and appreciate the incredible things my children do and the amazing beings they are.

3. Nurture curiosity and a love of learning in yourself. 

Our kids see us reading, spending money on audio books & spending time listening to them, asking questions & seeking out the answers, and getting excited about things like trips to the planetarium.  They learn to value these things because we value them.

4. Never try to force learning.

I remember watching a father try to force his young son to talk.  The boy was, in the dad's mind, plenty old enough to be talking.  As the dad engaged in a battle of wills with his son, the son closed off more and more until the dad, angry and tired, finally quit.  Force only breeds resistance and resentment.  We always keep learning fun and light especially with young children.  If they decide they aren't interested anymore, we move on.  We neither clip their wings nor push them off a cliff to try to force them to fly.

These four principles have helped us create an environment in our home where are children feel safe to take risks, try new things, and pursue their interests.  

Amelia Earhart

Who Was Amelia Earhart?
Ben and I are always looking for great books to share with our kids.  We knew about the "Who Was" series and were excited to see that we could buy them on Audible.  We've been listening to Who Was Amelia Earhart when we go places as a family.  One Sunday afternoon we were nearing our destination and the story was coming to a close.  Amelia had broken numerous flight records, fought for women's rights, and died after nearly flying around the entire globe.  The narrater ended the story with an inspirational message- something like "Amelia Earhart showed that if you work for your dream, you can do anything you want."

To which Athena replied matter-of-factly, "Except fly around the world!"