Tag Archive | kids

Looking Through A Kids Eyes

Oct11

Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy

What The Universe Looks Like – When You’re 9

We’ve made mention here before about the advanced reading of our son. When he was in 3rd grade he was tested at school for his reading and comprehension ability. As all kids are. Our little Prince was scored on a 12th grade reading level. Ok, we knew he was smart; but he’s still a kid.

This year his reading ability is so high, the school test can’t score his reading ability. So they’re saying he’s on a college level with his reading. Now there are good and bad sides to this. The good side, he’s smart and when he wants to know something he goes to Google and he reads about it. His interests lean toward science and computers. The first webpage he book marked was a page that discusses the periodic table.

The bad side is that it’s hard to find books for him to read for his homework that aren’t too easy and will still keep his interest. His favorite books are “Hank The Cowdog” by John Erickson. Now these aren’t real hard books to read, but they aren’t really written for kids. Mr. Erickson has a history of saying he didn’t intend these books to be for children. But kids love them! And adults too. They really are hilarious and not in a childish way. Continue reading →

Olympic Humor

Aug4

 

Future Olympic Diver

2012 Summer Olympics – London

Opening ceremonies were made interesting by a little observation by the Prince. At 9 years old, most of the ceremony was boring to him. Finally he sees someone he knows, J.K. Rowling author of Harry Potter. Right after seeing her, the big finale….they finally light the Olympic torch. As soon as they do, the Prince says:

“Well, there’s no going back now.”

Which conjured an image for Daddy Evil of a fight to death in each Olympic sport. And the Queen envisions the Tri-Wizard Cup which creates a binding contract for all participants.

It seems the Queen’s vision was closer to what the Prince meant with his comment. There’s no way to quit, once the torch was lit!

© 2012 Evil Wordsmith. Evilwordsmith.com. All Rights Reserved.

 

Scratch One Career Option

Apr25

The Prince will never be suited for a life of crime. Here’s why:

When I’m away on business, the last thing the Prince does in the evening is read a chapter of his reading book. Currently that would be the Hank the Cowdog series by John Erickson. So one night a few weeks ago, it’s reading time and I ask him what chapter we’re reading. He tells me that it’s chapter 5 and I tell him no, it’s got to be chapter 6 because we already read the part at the end of chapter 5.

To this he replies, “Are you sure? I thought I read that when I was sneaking in the closet last night.”

I said, “What?”

“Oh… um… nothing, never mind.”

E.W.

My son sneaks out of bed to read. Guess that explains the 12th grade reading level.

© 2012 Evil Wordsmith. Evilwordsmith.com. All Rights Reserved.

The AC360 1940’s Doll Test Revisited

Aug12

Earlier this year, AC360°, with the help of a seasoned team of researchers, conducted a pilot study based on the 1940’s doll test. In this pilot study, more than 130 kids were asked a series of questions about five cartoon dolls with varying skin tones. Half of the children were African-American and half were white, half were in the north and half in the south. [More @ AC360]

I was concerned when I asked my 7 year old son the same question and gave the same answer as the children in the AC360 test. The darkest child is the bad child. This perception isn’t something he gets from us at home. So where did he get it from? When I asked him why, he first said he didn’t know. It wasn’t until he looked at the picture and associated the “color” with a “person” that he said “Because he’s African-American”. It was that delay in his searching for a reason that caused me to realize it’s the test that implies racism and not anything he’s gotten from home, school or even the media. It was the test itself.

race.gif

The method of these tests are flawed for a number of reasons. Continue reading →

96 Points in the Game on the Wall, 96 Points in the Game…

Jan10

Picture an airport bar, somewhere halfway between Green Bay, Wisconsin and Phoenix, Arizona…

A bunch of large surly looking men, half which are in red pajamas and half in green, are sitting at the bar, watching a football game having a few beers.  One of them in red shouts, “GEEZ, he scored again!”

His buddy in green replies, “I bet I could have stopped that…”

Red says, “Ever get that feeling you’re forgetting something but you can’t remember what it was?”

“Yeah, I’ve had that feeling all day, seems like I was supposed to be going somewhere.” Green says.

“And you know that feeling is never wrong…”

“Another touchdown… good thing we aren’t drinking to the scores.”

E.W.

In walks a bunch of irritated guys in darker green jammies, “… no flights to Dallas at all till next Fall…” one of them mutters.

2009 Vote

Nov3

Here in Virginia they’re making a big deal about our Gubernatorial election. I’ve heard several times today from News prognosticators that the Virginia election will be a referendum on Pres. Obama’s popularity and his policies. I don’t think so Virginians are that shallow. And I find the comment some what insulting.

I’ve lived in Virginia for most of my life. We moved here when I was 3. While the state has been some what conservative and republican for a majority of it’s history. It’s also an intelligent and contemporary place as well. We can give credit for that to Northern Virginia and the influx of people from around the world who come there to work in and around Washington DC. But don’t discount the high education and engaging people around our Universities as well. Virginia Tech, Univ. of Va, George Mason and James Madison are all highly respected colleges that turn out some very smart people who can actually thing for themselves.

We have the ability to look at issues affecting our state separate from those affecting a Presidential or national stage. We understand the affect of decisions in DC upon our State. But we also take accountability for our own government and how it approaches the real problems that all Virginians face around the state.

So to those prognosticators I say, shut up and sit down. Your 10 minutes are up. Not everything that happens in politics is based on the popularity of someone, or the popularity of their policies. Virginians are smart, educated and quite capable of deciding our elections based on issues and not on the popularity of which parties lapel pin you’re wearing.