Pay attention

As a parent it’s important to have at least a clue about what your kids are into. Or up to.

It’s a good idea to have at least a clue about what they’re watching on tv, listening to on their MP3, or googling on the internet.

It might also be a good idea to know what it is they are doing in the back of the van. Or what they might be playing on their Leapster. Otherwise you might end up in a situation similar to this:

MamaTea was quite proud of herself for having gathered the eclectic mix of “stuff” that would help her to carry out a little ditty on telling time. She thought it might be beneficial for Iggy (6.5) and Ooky (5.5) to know that out in the big wide world, there are clocks with hands…and they can be a bit on the tricky side if your only exposure to time has thus far been digital.

Technology, ain’t it great?

So she drags out the stuff one day, all geared up for the creative excitement to begin. She gives her schpeel and hopes to see a bit of light flickering from behind the eyes of either child in the room. She blabs on for a moment about time and clocks and blah dee blah. Then she waits.

Nothin'. Absolutely nothin' but a blank stare from the Iggster.


What is it? she wonders. Did I not explain it well enough? Should I slow down?

Iggy: I already know this stuff.
MamaTea: No…we haven’t done this stuff yet. We haven't talked about this yet.
Iggy: No, mom. I already know this stuff.
MamaTea: Oh yeah, where did you learn about telling time on clocks with hands if there are no clocks with hands anywhere in this house?
Iggy: (sighs) Its on my Leapster.
MamaTea: (silent with blank stare)
Iggy: On the Jedi Math game. I learned this stuff a long time ago.
(Iggy then demonstrates he can actually tell time on a clock. With hands. Cripes.)
MamaTea: Oh yeah? Oh yeah??? Well then, how many seconds are in a minute?
Iggy: 60.
MamaTea: Minutes in an hour?
Iggy: 60.
MamaTea: Hours in a day?
Iggy: 24.
MamaTea: Days in a week?
Iggy: 7.
MamaTea: Days in a month?
Iggy: Seriously, Mom? Do we have to do this? Ok. It depends on the month.
MamaTea: Months in a year?
Iggy: 12.

Ok. Well. Class dismissed?

That, my friends, is how MamaTea wasted a lot of time preparing a telling time unit, simply because she wasn’t aware of what all was on that Jedi Math game…which Iggy frequently entertains himself with in the van.

And I thought I was such an involved parent. ;)