That Works

Daddy to Harry: Can you spell 'Prestidigitation'?
Harry: I don’t even know what it means.
Daddy: It means magic tricks.
Harry: I can spell 'magic tricks.'

Conversations with a Young Boy

Boy, throwing a ball up in the air in the living room.
Me: Don't throw the ball in the house.
Boy: I'm not throwing it, I'm tossing it.

Me: Throw out the rest of your hot dog if you don't want it.
Boy - from a distance of several feet away from the garbage can winds up to throw.
Me: No!
Boy: But you said to THROW it out.

Boy pushing his feet on back of driver's seat while I'm driving.
Me: Stop kicking the seat.
Boy: I'm not kicking the seat.
Me: Stop pushing on the seat with your feet.
Boy: I'm not pushing on the seat.
Me: Whatever it is you are doing with your feet. Stop it.

Does anyone else have conversations like this? Please tell me I'm not alone.

Today's Dinner Music

Multiplication Rock.

Yup. Guess who picked it?
That's right, Mr. Math - Harry.

Hey, I'm not complaining, there's a lot worse music the kids could be into.
And always remember - a figure 8 turned on its side is the symbol for infinity. Just a little tidbit I've been listening to this evening.

More Cultural References

And how do Harry and Pippi know about Hamlet? I thought it was all because of that wonderful song - The Three Minute Hamlet. And that certainly played a part. But how could I have forgotten this little gem. That's right. Remember when Gilligan's Island performed a musical Hamlet? I could never listen to the song Carmen again without hearing the "new" words.

So, now we will read the real thing - but compared to Seamus' song and the Gilligan's Island version I don't know how well it will stand up.

To Read or Not To Read

After our successful reading of Shakespeare's A Midsummers Night's Dream, and eager for more Shakespeare - my kids have requested Hamlet. They know about Hamlet because they've heard the song "The Three Minute Hamlet" and if you haven't heard the song you should. It can be heard at Seamus Kennedy's myspace page. Listen and be enlightened.

They know that Hamlet isn't a comedy (although the song is pretty funny) and they know lots of people die. But that's the one they want.

So, I bought the No Fear Shakespeare edition of Hamlet and I suppose we can get started.

My question to anyone out there who might have an opinion: Am I crazy for reading Hamlet with a 10 year old and a 7 year old? Maybe I am. Sigh. But, when elementary school kids request Shakespeare plays by name, it's kind of hard to turn them down.

I'll post about how it goes. - Oh, and really - if you didn't go that link and listen to the Three Minute Hamlet. Please do. Go. Go now. You won't be sorry.

An Easter Story

I know that Easter was last month. But we are still in the Easter season - so this isn't really that terribly out of date.

Yesterday, my son's public school teacher gave me a copy of something he wrote in his journal in school on April 3, 2007. It was probably suggested that they write about the upcoming Spring Break.

This is what Harry (age 7, grade 1) wrote:

Spring Break as a Catholic

Easter is a very happy day for Catholics because it is the day that our only lord Jesus rises from the dead. The day after that was the day that there were 12 people who partied with our lord Jesus and he turned water into wine. The day after that Mary his mother welcomed him back to Planet Earth and a bad guy asked Jesus if he was the king of the Jews. The day after that Jesus rose back to heaven with Mary and turned to King and Queen. (This is all about remembering Jesus rising from the dead.)

His chronology is a little off - but he hits most of the main points.

Sandlot Math

While waiting to get up to bat at his baseball game the other day, Harry and some of his teammates were writing in the sand with a stick. They'd write, they'd rub out - serious conversations were going on.

Later Harry came over to us.


Harry: "I'm trying to teach my teammates something but they keep rubbing it out when I write it down."

Me: "What are you trying to teach them?"

Harry: "Four Factorial."

And surprisingly the other 6 and 7 year olds weren't interested. Maybe he should try them again once they have adding and subtracting down.

Outnumbered

Pippi sang "When The Saints Go Marching In" in music class at school. She said she was glad to learn the real words because she used to think it was:

Oh when the saints go marching in
When the saints go marching in
Oh, how we'll be outnumbered,
When the saints go marching in

You know, there's a certain truth to her version.

Discovering the Joys of Mindless TV

I was discussing with my husband the other day the fact that our kids really don't watch TV. In fact, as of Wednesday, they had spent the majority of their Spring Break (which has been a little too chilly for too much outdoor fun) reading and playing the piano.

When I was a kid, I watched a lot more TV than they do. I would come home from school and watch The Flintstones, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island. And other shows like that. Maybe these weren't ground-breaking thought-provoking television shows - but they were harmless - and they were fun.

But then, I realized, that Pippi and Harry don't have access to that much good clean TV. think a lot of these shows are still available on TV Land or similar channels. But we don't have cable - or satellite - or whatever. IWe just have a regular TV with an antenna on the roof. We get the broadcast stations and that's it. The kids have plenty of DVDs if they want to see something particular (like Harry Potter).

Enter AOL and it's In2TV site. Through the marvels of modern technology, we have now introduced the kids to the joys of mindless television. Yesterday, for the first time, they encountered Gilligan, the Skipper and the rest of the castaways from Gilligan's Island. They loved it, and watched three episodes. I think they'll be watching more today.

I certainly don't mind them watching some TV. I don't think they'll become TV junkies - partly because I won't let them have access to my laptop for too long. They like reading too much to want to watch TV all the time. But it is nice to have access to something for them to watch that I have no objection to them seeing.

Maybe today, I'll introduce them to the Flintstones.

Yarn and Hooks

Recently Pippi decided that she wanted to learn how to crochet. So, I gave her a few lessons and she practiced her chain stitches and moved on to single crochet and then decided to tackle a granny square. She's got those double crochet stitches down just fine now - I think we need to work on evening up the sides now. But, looking good so far.

















And of course, Harry couldn't be left out of the equation. He wanted to learn too. He practiced his chain stitches, and then demanded to be taught single crochet. He's making a doll blanket for one of Pippi's dolls (one of the small dolls, I think.) He thinks the doll will be very happy with the blanket. I'm sure it will.

Giving Something Up for Lent

I suppose I should have posted this last week - but - oh, well.

Every year I make the kids give up candy for Lent. First of all - it's an easy thing for them to see and notice that they're doing. There have always been exceptions - if they go to a birthday party and get candy - they can have some (but the rest gets saved for the following Sunday.) And we don't keep candy in the house during Lent - that makes it easier too.

But this year, Harry decided that he wasn't going to give up candy for Lent (he still won't get much, because I won't have it in the house - but he feels free to scarf the candy from his birthday goodie bags whenever he feels like it - it will be gone soon). He decided to give up TV for Lent.

Now, I've mentioned before that my kids don't watch much TV. Pretty much just DVDs. And pretty much a DVD only gets watched if Harry puts it in. Pippi very seldom decides to watch anything without being prompted by her brother.

So, I made sure he realized that this meant no Harry Potter DVDs. He did. He was cool with that.

I figured this was fine - but I wouldn't give him a hard time if he lapsed. After all, he's just seven.

Pippi said she would give up TV too. I asked her if she would even think to watch TV if Harry didn't turn it on. She said no. I asked her if that was much of a sacrifice then. She said no. So she's giving up candy (which is a sacrifice for her) and striving to say more prayers at bedtime.

So, Ash Wednesday - we had someplace to be with Pippi and Harry couldn't come. We arranged for him to stay at a friend's house. I figured this would be it for no TV. Certainly the other little boy would watch and so would Harry.

But, No. We get to the house and Harry is busy reading - the family he's staying with is watching American Idol. But he told them that he was giving up TV and wasn't going to watch it. Hmm! I was impressed.

Then at school, his teacher wants to show a video about Abe Lincoln. Harry announces he gave up TV for Lent. His teacher lets him work on something else while the kids watch the video (oh, and his little friend announced that she gave up TV for Lent too, and did the other project with Harry - her mother, when asked, said that he daughter was NOT giving up TV for Lent). Okay. Now, this was impressive. But - um - watching video for school shouldn't really count as TV as far as I'm concerned. But you know what - I'm letting it go. He's making the sacrifice and I'm proud of him.

And as far as giving up things for Lent goes - our priest - at the Ash Wednesday service said that someone asked him if she should give up chocolate for Lent. He said, not if it's going to make you cranky. Give up being cranky instead. Wise words indeed.

The Literary DTs

I've never seen any one go through severe withdrawal from a controlled substance. But after telling Harry he had to stop reading the 3rd Harry Potter book before he finished it last night (because it was 10:30 and he is 6) I think I have a vague inkling of what it might be like.

He had convinced himself that he had to finish reading the book in January. So the simple suggestion of finish it in the morning was not good enough.

At first he just tried to be sneaky. We took the book away. He got it and sat back down to read. He even came in my room where I was trying to read and hid under MY covers with his book (hiding from his father, you understand, who obviously was going to find him there!).

Then we put the book out of reach.

The boy developed super human strength. He was hysterical and I couldn't contain him.

He announced his whole body was insisting that he read the book.

He was going to be sick if he didn't read the rest of the book.

We were firm in our "No" - after all - it was approaching 11 PM - and the boy is SIX!

Then he started bargaining.

He would go to sleep, if we just let him read to the next chapter.

Just four pages.

And then he would go to sleep.

No. (because of course: 11 PM and six years old)

I sat with him, I sang to him, I prayed with him. He calmed down.

I promised him, I'd return the book to him after he was asleep, so he could read it when he woke up in the morning.

He finally fell asleep.

I put the book near his bed.

First thing this morning - he started using the typewriter and working on the story he's writing.

Ummm - what about the hysteria, the book that needed to be finished?

I guess the pangs of detox were over, and he could finish it at his leisure now.

Sigh.

Don't Put Away Childish Things

Ever since Pippi turned ten, Harry has been concerned.

Those double digits that his big sister now sports are a bit much for him.

"Pippi's getting too grown up," he tells me.

"Why?" I ask.

"She's not childish anymore," he says.

Hmmm - this about a girl who will give a big burp and laugh about it, who would much rather have some one get her a drink than pour it herself, who loves to play with her toys (almost as much as she likes reading); the girl who doesn't care what she wears, has no interest in make-up, nail polish, talking on the phone or pop music. This is the girl who is not childish anymore?

But then Pippi protests and says that Harry has always been too grown up. (She's been saying this since he was a toddler.) "But you're like a teenager," she complains.

He is very independent minded - but since he can't yet consistently tie his shoes or remember to flush the toilet - I hope there will be some improvement on that score before his teen years.

They are both who they are. Neither too old or too young.

They're not growing up too fast and I like that.

I wouldn't change them for the world.

Innovative Snowboarding

So, what do you do when there are three inches of snow, two free hours because of a delayed opening, a snow board and no hill? You improvise and snowboard down the slide - until your mother tells you this is a particularly bad idea.