Tiny Beards and Science Project Hell

The other day I remembered something that Aidan said a few years ago. He was playing soccer at the time and had a wonderful couple of coaches that developed really great relationships with all the boys. One of the coaches had some facial hair on his chin. I think it might be called a soul patch? It looked like this:



Anyways - Aidan was discussing his coach with me and said that he really liked his "tiny beard". I love that kid!

This week Sid had a science project due. WTH? Third graders? Science projects? Are they serious? Yes, I enjoy and promote the idea of a child learning the scientific experiment process. But I wholeheartedly feel like a worksheet would have been just as effective - and less taxing on my pocketbook and watch. I would rather take my child to a science museum, a book store, a nursery (plants that is), our backyard, our kitchen or sit and watch the discovery channel than funnel my energy into a project that isn't going to "ribbon" and then explain to my child that "winning doesn't matter" when it most certainly does to a third grader in our NOW NOW NOW society.

NOW that being said I am not of the school of thought that wants every child to get something just for the sake of getting something. However, I also hate to see my child's feelings hurt. Nothing much is black and white anymore. This is Sid as a mad scientist.



So science fair is over. We won't find out how he was graded till later. Ahhh. That's nice. Let's postpone the excitement.



Do you have any science fair projects to share?

Tonight, as I type this, I finally hear quiet in the house. My children have drifted off to sleep. I never know how I will find them when I check on them before bed. They will usually be in the same bed, but at opposite ends. While I craved bunk beds as a child, my boys could care less about sleeping on the top bunk. There was talk before bed tonight of the floor possibly being more comfortable than their beds. This was due, I think, to the fact that their sleeping bags are out and even though I really couldn't see the idea forming in their head, I could almost see the light bulb going off above them.

I imagine tonight that I will find them, curled up in sleeping bags, in the middle of their "mythology school" fast asleep. They have taken it upon themselves to school the unsuspecting neighborhood children about all things related to Greek Mythology (No - thank YOU Lightening Thief). If they teach school any thing like I did when I was their age, there will be a time out corner, a strict behavior policy, and really great snacks. I can only hope that the neighborhood children's parents won't get too upset with my children teaching theirs about the polytheistic system of the ancient Greeks. My oldest son, Sid, has already had an interesting conversation with our Catholic neighbor's son.

Zeus - where are you when we need you?