Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Homework

My oldest sister Sharon, who is also a Kindergarten teacher, has been sending home homework for me to do with M (basically just what she sends her kindergartners home with). The other day when we were at my mom's house, we began December's homework. One of the activities was to teach your child about 3 animals who live in the cold. I thought this would be so fun - and it was. We hopped on Wikipedia and learned all about Polar Bears, Seals, and Penguins. We started with Polar Bears and she of course had a million questions. Here is an exact discussion we had:

M: But what do polar bears eat?
Me: Hmm (scrolling)... they eat seals.
M: Big ones or little ones?
Me: Hmm (scrolling)... little ones.
M: Like babies?
Me: Well... little ones that are weaker and smaller than the rest.
M: Like the babies?
Me: Should we not talk about this? Is it scaring you?
M: No mom, I'm not scared, I just want to know.
Me: Ok, well sometimes they eat the babies.
M: But where are the mom and dad?
Me: Well they are fighting the bear to try to save the baby.
M: Do they save it?
Me: (seriously wishing I was not having this conversation) Probably not.
M: (quiet and serious) But do the mom and dad hold the baby and tell it where its going?
Me : You mean while the polar bear eats it?
M: Ya.
Me: I don't think they hold it while the polar bear eats it, I think they are trying to get out of there.
M: But sometimes if the baby is still in the mom's stomach do the polar bears eat it out of the stomach?
Me: (getting sad watery eyes because of this very sad picture she has painted in my mind) Are you hungry? Want to eat some candy? Want to watch something on TV?

12 comments:

jodi said...

Pam you need to write a book, I am laughing so hard! I love how you try to make it a little easier for her to hear.

sixmoores said...

That is why that homework is for kinder kids. That is so sad!

cathy said...

was it harder for Mili to hear or you? You are both sweethearts!

Jack's Handler said...

You are such a hoot! I am laughing so hard, that I have tears in my eyes. If I had a voice you'd probably hear me laughing all the way across the street. I love it!

Tell me when you want me to come over and wrap your feet. There's this really great pair of boots at Macy's right now.. and I think you'd look great in them. No, really. If I can get Jodi into pointy black shoes, I can get ANYONE in them. We'll just have to prep you a bit first. Maybe remove a toe, or 2. But hey- fashion isn't painless. :) Love ya.. thanks again for saving my bacon this morning.

Ho, ho, ho... and all that other stuff.

Anonymous said...

Pam, that is really funny and sad.

annek said...

Oh man, kids just want to know too much sometimes. I'm sorry you had to have that discussion with such a sweetie, hopefully you're both not scarred for life!

Anonymous said...

That could make me sob I tell you. I think nature is heartless and cold. I got yelled at when I took my kids to the zoo because they asked what the tigers were eating and I said, "Meat". The zoo lady said, "You need to explain the cruelties of nature to them-it's not meat, it's an animal"
Yikes!

bjean said...

Oh the Tragedy.

AkuTyger said...

Ooog, good thing my students don't ask me this kind of stuff.

HooverBirds said...

maybe i should buy "great escapes" for milli for christmas! remember jordan & lincoln would watch that ALL the time? just show her all the times animals DO get away :)

Mindy said...

At first this story made me laugh, but by the end my eyes were also watery, how sad!

Joe Fowler said...

That is the most horrible thing I've ever laughed at. :C