Ever since April when we stopped watching tv on school nights, I have been reading a chapter book to Numbers 3, 4 and 5, who all share a room, at bedtime.
This summer we read Super Fudge and Because of Winn Dixie.
Super Fudge was a little bit painful for me, but they loved it.
We just finished Because of Winn Dixie a couple days ago.
Back in my teaching days I read that one to my fourth graders and I loved it, and I thought Number 3, 4, anf 5 would, too.
They did.
The book is about a young girl, Opal, who has never really known her mother, who lives with her father, and who has just moved to a new town.
It addresses quite a few touchy subjects (single parents, alcoholism, death, to name a few) but in a developmentally appropriate way.
At the end of the book there were a bunch of discussion questions.
The night we finished, I figured I’d ask a couple of them.
Number 4 is a little bit annoying when it comes to reading books because she has this bizarre photographic memory and she remembers almost everything the first time hears it and can repeat it verbatim.
Every time I asked one of the questions, she shot her hand up in the air like she was in the classroom.
She knew every single answer.
Number 3 was getting increasingly frustrated with her.
One of the questions asked something about the mom.
I don’t remember the question, but it led to a discussion about moms in general.
And I don’t remember exactly what was said, but at one point Number 3 said something about Opal having a mom.
Number 4 said, “Opal didn’t have a mom.”
Number 3, being extremely literal, said to her, “Everyone has a mom. ”
“NO!” said Number 4.
He looked at me.
I told her, “Technically he’s right. Everyone has a mom because moms are the ones who give birth to the babies.”
“Burn, sizzle, fry” said Number 3, triumphantly.
To which Number 4 replied,
“NO!!! NOT IF YOU’RE A SEAHORSE!
SEAHORSES DON’T HAVE MOMS!!!
THE DAD SEAHORSES ARE THE ONES WHO GIVE BIRTH!!!”
“Mom, is that true?” he asked me.
I didn’t know.
So I Googled it.
Number 4 was right.
“How did you know that?” I asked her.
“From reading,” she replied. “I learn everything from reading.”
Poor Number 3.
He just exhaled, looking visibly deflated at the return burn, sizzle.
I felt bad for him.
Nothing sucks worse than when your little sister knows more than you do.
Unless, of course, it’s your daughter who knows more than you do.
That’s pretty annoying too.
lol!
Eric Carle wrote a wonderful book about the stay-at-home daddies of the aquatic world called, appropriately, Mr. Seahorse. It’s a great gift for new dads
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mister-Seahorse-World-Carle-Philomel/dp/0399254900
Zefrank made a video “True facts about the seahorse”
Beautifully told. I hope I can be one in my next life.