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.