LOL, KJP.

On a day when DS15 is dealing...again...with fallout from his disastrous freshman year (yes, Virginia, teachers will give an F for the quarter), he receives an invitation to the NUMATS ceremony. He did no prep for the ACT other than taking a practice test (from a Kaplan book, where he found an error in their answer key). He took the ACT back in 6th grade, too, and while he didn't qualify for the ceremony then, he did quite well and we were glad to see his score rose 3 years later.

He doesn't usually care about this kind of thing, but on this particular day, he appreciates the boost. Thanks, NUMATS!

It's enough to give a parent metacognitive whiplash, isn't it?? I find the old Sesame Street song running through my head at such moments, where if I didn't laugh about it, I'd cry:

One-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-other-ones....

I'm so glad that you both got such a needed boost to morale!

At dinner last night:

DS4: See mama? I made a pattern. (He describes the pattern of food.) It goes around and around. Just like the water cycle!

Me: Yes! Water rains down from the clouds, goes into streams, then rivers, then the oceans, then back into clouds. Around and around.

DS4: You mean it evaporates, mama. It doesn't just go back into the clouds. It evaporates.

Me: Yes, yes it does. Of course.

DD4.9 quizzes her dad on something. When DH replies correctly, she seems surprised. So I say," DD, have you ever stopped to think that maybe your parents are as intelligent if not more intelligent than you are?". To which she promptly replies," As intelligent, yes."

Dentist recommends waiting a year to see orthodontist. Child insists on going now. Child is correct.

LOL! Does anyone know a good metacognitive chiropractor? I think this will be the title of your memoir

Me: Hey, how was school? Learn anything new?

DS6: I learned how the people of Pompeii were irresponsible dog owners and that if the poor Pompeii dog were not tied up, he might have at least had a chance to run away.

Me: Is your class learning about Pompeii?

DS6: No, I read a book about it during class today.

...while driving in traffic.
DS3: I want lizards and beetles for dinner! Mmmmm
DD5: mom, can lizards fly?
Me: um, no I don't think so.
DD5: pfft, uh, mom, what about those lizards who spread their ribs out and use them as structure to glide?
DH: guess you just got told! (Laughing)

I've mentioned a time or two that DD was anxious about getting the teacher she dubbed "the vampire" for the second year in a row. DD named her because "She sucks all the fun out of school!"

We went to the meet-and-greet last night. DD found out her homeroom teacher was a new teacher. Yay!

Once there, we found out that they're doing something new with 5th graders. They'll be splitting them up in two groups. DD's class will have language arts and social studies with her homeroom teacher. Then they'll move next door for math and science with another teacher.

Naturally, that's the vampire.

DD digested this surprise quickly, and responded with, "That's fine. Some of the other 5th grade teachers are mean."

Looking on the bright side? Who is this child, and what has she done with my daughter?