As they see the World!

When I was in high school - back in the day of horse and buggy - I excelled at math and English and music.  At least that's the credits I give myself looking back.  However, I took the weeniest science courses I could to skate by with the minimum.  When I got to college and discovered I had to take two lab science classes, I did not deviate from my previous strategy, taking Weather/Climate and Astronomy.  I never cared for science.  That gene, apparently, went to my elder brother who became a doctor.  So far, this has nothing to do with grandbabies, but trust me, it will...

Aidan (4) and Josiah (3) are precociously starting with their homeschooling!  Guess who their science teacher is!!!  Yep, the science superstar - Granma!  Fear not, their medical or rocket science futures are intact, as long as I switch subjects before their knowledge of quarks and leptons surpasses mine.  Of course, my knowledge only extends as far as spelling.  Let's not talk about my spelling prowess...

So I've been teaching the boys about how the earth rotates and how the moon reflects the sun.  We are making progress with experiments involving a mirror and a flashlight, taking turns being either the sun or the moon (or the director of the experiment - resulting in being "blinded by the light").  From week to week, I'm always so thrilled when something appears to have "stuck."  (What's that word, Josiah? - "Rotate"!)  How long does it take the Earth to rotate, Aidan?  One day!  Good answers!

So just when I'm starting to think maybe I missed my calling...  Reality comes calling.

So, Aidan, where is the sun?

It's up in space.  (Check!)

Where is the moon?

It's up in space, too.  (On a roll!)  Hey, Granma, where is the Earth?

This the Earth.  We are standing on it.

No, Granma, that's the grass.  The Earth is round and it's up in space.

Oh, my. 

Aidan, do you know what Q-U-A-R-K spells?