One of the first things Liam and I did when he was he on Saturday was to play a game on my computer, on a website called KidsDinos.com. You choose a category of dinosaurs and are given a screen that is sort of like Wheel of Fortune. You see a picture of the dino, and a big square contains blanks for the letters in the dino's name.
When we came to one of the pictures Liam recognized the dino by the picture, and called out "Micropachycephalosaurus"! I wasn't sure how to spell it but we made our way through it and darned if he wasn't right. I counted 23 letters and 9 syllables, and the name just rolled off his tongue like it was the easiest word in the language. All I could do was to shake my head in wonder.
There was a dinosaur that had "raptor" in his name and I commented that a raptor was a bird, whereas the dinosaur was too big and didn't fly, so why the "raptor" part. He told me in very distinct, quiet tones, "Grandma, he had feathers". He was correct, and many dinos had feathers even though they weren't bird-like.
We had a great time playing games, watching a dinosaur video, making a trip over to In-N-Out Burger, and so on. His dad came to get him on Sunday morning, and the house became so quiet it seemed weird.
Joe just stopped by with his two girls for an hour or so. Alyssa is giving her Ancestor Report on Friday - about me, the oldest ancestor she knows - and needed some pictures.
I am nearly crazy trying to kill and pull the weeds and grass in my yard. I'm out there every day and it doesn't seem like I've made a difference. I clean up one area, and by the next day there are more growing. I've tried vinegar as well as an Ortho weed killer, and hate to go to Roundup but it may come to that. What I need is a micropachycephalosaurus, which was a fairly small plant eater.
I thought I was over my spell of "drop-itis", but at lunch I was closing the container of sour cream and it dropped. Fortunately it hit the side of the cabinet and bounced off, splashing sour cream on the floor in various spots, but the container landed top up. I figured since the rim never touched the floor meant the sour cream left in the tub was ok to eat. I used it on my tacos at lunchtime, and will have to splash it all over vegetables & cheese for dinner! I have tried to be so careful to not drop anything, but here I go again!
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So, why is it that youngsters can learn all about what they like, but say it is too hard to learn history or math or what ever bores them? The older I get the more I get interested in different things. Of course, I am stubborn and prefer to think all that I believe is true.
ReplyDeleteYou have to believe that all you think is true, until proven otherwise or at least challenged by something better. I didn't like science as a teen - high school was the first real science taught - it started with botany taught by a really bad teacher, and I never did like science. I think now I would love it (although I could skip botany). I was always interested in history, geography, English, and boys.
DeleteLiam is one smart kid. To know and be able to say that word is fantastic. Kid sure can keep us amused can't they.
ReplyDeleteHe sure is smart. At 5-1/2yrs old, he reads like a 2nd grader, at least. The kids are all fun to be around, and then I can send them home!
DeleteTook me awhile slowly going over the syllables of that big Dinosaur 'M' word to finally have it roll off my tongue easily.
DeleteMost of the names are not as bad as they look, but as you say, Al, it takes a few tries. To hear a 5-1/2 yr old say it like it's an everyday word is kind of shocking.
DeleteGreat kid there, not to even get tongue-tied. I don't even know how you wrote "Micropachycephalosaurus", maybe you copied and pasted it, like I did!
ReplyDeleteHappy Trails, Gypsy.
Thanks for your comment, Penny. I hope you are doing well.
DeleteI just kept at the name, syllable by syllable, and it became easy to say. It is really a pretty interesting topic.
Liam's (Proud) Daddy here, the truth is that Liam was able to read and say this word, because for his fourth Birthday Grandma (Gypsy) bought him a National Geographic book about dinosaurs called Dinopedia. It's written for 12 year olds and older, and it has the name of each dinosaur and the phonetic spelling. Since he has been so obsessed with dinosaurs he learned how to phonetically say the words and matched them with the correct spelling. It also shows what continent and region fossils have been discover in for each dinosaur, so he has learned the continents and countries and now quizzes us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Dinopedia Grandma!
It's been my pleasure watching his knowledge and skills grow. You and Meg have given him encouragement to follow his own interests, and I am so proud of all three of you!
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