Are You Smarter Than...

Evan recently went through a phase of interest in the T.V. game show, "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader". Since he's in fifth grade, it was interesting to see how much easier the questions were for him to answer than his parents.

When Evan was in pre-school, we had the pleasure of having a set of sisters live with us. The oldest was fifteen and she had a phrase that she liked to use on me when working her teen-age wiles: "Don't let me outsmart you!" That was my warning that she was planning, preparing, scheming... nothing really bad, this girl still makes me proud today - but that's another story.

In the past weeks my awareness of being outsmarted has been heightened as my kids seem to be throwing down challenges to see if I'm really smarter than a fifth grader, or second grader, or sixth grader, or seventh grader, or ninth grader.

Daughter knows because she's been repeatedly reminded, that she may not wear rings or bracelets to school (necklaces are fine) because they tend to come off and may become a distraction or lost. As we get out of the car at school one morning I notice that daughter seems to be struggling to take off her seat belt, only to discover that she is trying to adjust the bracelet that she has 'hidden' in her underwear so that it won't fall out as she gets out of the car. Outsmarted that second grader!

Son has spelling homework every night to study and review for a test each Friday. After several weeks of below passing grades, we adopted a vigorous, new study routine. Monday night went fine, Tuesday night was a bit of a struggle. On Wednesday son comes home and says, "Oh, my. I accidentally forgot my spelling list at school." "Oh my," I replied, "good thing I saved the paper we used yesterday to practice the words." Smarter than that student!

Daughter has been volunteering to hand out snacks in Sunday School class. On week one I commend her for being helpful. On week two I hear that she has volunteered again, and other daughter says she is giving everyone a double snack. By week three I have deduced that my volunteer is interested in receiving a double portion for herself and by being generous with the whole class, she can be generous with herself. This one took me a little longer, but I outsmarted my other second grader.

One of the kids takes great joy in instigating: causing siblings to fuss and fume, lose their tempers, yell and scream; then takes satisfaction when the sibling reacting is the one to receive a reprimand. Sometimes the stealth of this child has worked, but the established pattern has blown that cover, and I have proven to be smarter than that child, too.

At our house, breakfast is served every morning before school. While having a conversation with a teacher, information was shared in an innocent manner regarding one of our son's habits of purchasing breakfast at school each day. When confronted, our son initially denied it until I suggested that we e-mail the teacher to clarify the information.

It certainly helps to have the eyes and ears of our village out there. The look of amazement on a child's face when they realize that mom knows what they've been up to is priceless. It is a gentle reminder to them that honesty and respect are always worth it and that yes, I am smarter than them.