Last night Hubs was having a very important talk with ten-year-old Adam, explaining why math is important and how he will use it his entire life.
(I chose to sit beside Hubs and nod in very serious agreement, hoping that Adam wouldn't call my bluff and point out that his mother needs to pull out the calculator just to make a loaf of bread.)
Anyhoo, Hubs was listing all the important uses of math in the world, while Adam tried to counter that he already knew plenty, thankyouverymuch.
"Oh really?" Hubs asked. "You know how to balance a checkbook?"
Adam didn't miss a beat. He extended his palm out in front of him. "Of course. You just lay it very carefully in your hand and don't let it fall."
We're in for it.
That boy will outsmart you every time!!! I love it!
Posted by: mimi2six | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 09:19 PM
LOL!
I'm not sure what grade he's in, but I'm sure that's a common discussion to have - we're going through the same thing with our 2nd grader. My husband decided to call his mom (who is a seamstress) so our daughter could ask her all the ways she uses math throughout the day - except that his mom stuttered and stumbled and couldn't think of a single example on such short notice. :P It didn't go quite as my husband had expected. :)
Posted by: Proverbs31 | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 09:20 PM
I agree, you are in big trouble. Sounds like a very smart young man.
Posted by: julie@lovelaugter&laundry | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 09:32 PM
There is a t-shirt for sale @ cafepress.com that says "There are three kinds of people in the world, those who are good in math and those who aren't."
I need that t-shirt, but I don't think Adam does. Seems to me he can add two and two.
Hold on tight and enjoy the ride!
Posted by: Activities Coordinator | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 09:38 PM
You may just have a presidential candidate in 2032. (Did I do that math right?)
Posted by: Lynne-And Babies Make Six | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 09:49 PM
That SO sounds like my 12 year old! Pretty clever kid ya got there!
Posted by: Dana | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 10:01 PM
I like that boy! :v)
Posted by: Susanne | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 10:27 PM
That is one of the funniest things I have ever heard.
Posted by: Stephanie | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 10:39 PM
I wonder where he learned that SNARKY humor??
Posted by: Stretch Mark Mama | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 10:49 PM
I love him.
Posted by: boomama | Wednesday, November 07, 2007 at 10:55 PM
Hilarious and scary smart. I love the t-shirt comment... there are three kinds of people, those who are good at math and the ones who aren't. I WANT THAT T-SHIRT!!
Posted by: bananas | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 12:14 AM
That has brightened my day! Oh, you've got some fun ahead :)
Posted by: French Knots | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 05:20 AM
What a hoot! Thanks for the chuckle!
Posted by: Beth_C | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 05:44 AM
Adam, you RAWK!
Posted by: Nancy | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 06:23 AM
You are in for it!!! :)
Posted by: Desiree Rutter | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 07:10 AM
My hubby's a math teacher, and his tactic is just to go ahead and tell kids the truth--they probably won't ever use any of the math that they're using.
But it's this weird 'lose your life to find it in the end' sort of thing. If people only did math because it was 'useful,' modern science couldn't possibly exist. Mathematicians don't do math because it's useful, but because it is beautiful. And because nature is so imprinted by the character of our Beautiful Creator, beautiful mathematics almost always turns out to be useful after the fact. And so it is that as a by-product of our search for beauty, we have cars and airplanes and light bulbs and microwaves and contact lenses and other great stuff like that.
Okay, so Steven really does need to know how to balance a checkbook. But anything beyond basic arithmetic, he's really not going to use unless he becomes the sort of person who loves mathematics.
But just as it's worthwhile to learn to love music, simply because beauty will enrich his life, Steven also deserves the opportunity to learn to love math.
And if he DOES become the sort of person who love math... well, he just might become the sort of person who changes the world.
=)
(Good luck with the homework wars!)
Posted by: Elena | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 07:13 AM
I love Elena's husband's way of dealing with the math loathing! I think I will try that next time. My husband usually tells them the truth also, except that he tells them it's great mental exercise to help them use their brains. That sounds lame now that I type it out so I think he says it another way which escapes me at the moment. :-o
Posted by: Mrs. Nicklebee | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 07:49 AM
That is my favorite story yet! LOVE him.
Posted by: Soccer Mom Melanie | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 08:23 AM
The hilarity of kids is never ending.
Thank goodness.
Posted by: jubilee | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 08:37 AM
seriously good luck with this, I had that same talk with my 10 year old and that was 6 years ago and am still doing so now and he is in the 11th grade!! Math has been our worse nightmare so stay on top of it lol
Good luck
Posted by: Paulette1958 | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 09:18 AM
That sounds like the time we asked our flower girl when she would be 5. Her very serious response? "After four."
Posted by: Princess Leia | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 09:33 AM
LOL I might use that line!!!!!!!!!!!
Cracks me up!
Wow thats funny!
Posted by: Nichole | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 10:38 AM
What a funny kid. His sense of humor might get him farther in life than his math skills.
Posted by: Laurie | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 12:43 PM
I adore a kid with a sense of humor. Good for him! Last week my son and I toured a middle school and the admissions director was talking about school sports. When she mentioned the cross country team had won some big shot tournament three years in a row, he said: "You mean you've won it three years running."
Posted by: FeeFiFoto | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 12:55 PM
Didn't see that coming - that kid is a riot!
Posted by: Laura | Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 05:55 PM
That was very quick! You got a smart kid on your hands!
Posted by: Thea @ I'm a Drama Mama | Friday, November 09, 2007 at 04:35 PM
okay--Mr. Smarty Pants, huh? Yikes! Good luck with him.
Posted by: Nicki | Monday, November 12, 2007 at 08:42 PM
Too funny!!!
Posted by: Saph -Walk With Me | Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 07:33 AM