Kids

[BIGUN 1,051]

My daughter is 8 years old and loving STEM. 90th percentile in the nation for her age in math, loves to learn programming, etc. Each night, we do her homework first and then I add more to keep her challenged.

So, before it's time for her to go out and play, she was asking me several questions in rapid fire, the last being, "How many centimeters in an inch." (I didn't know she decided to learn the metric system on her own). I told her that I didn't know, but, "Let's ask Google - it knows everything." (Little research methodology 101, right?)

Sure enough, we enter, "How many centimeters in an inch?" and it pops up 2.54. I said, "There, you see when Daddy's not around, you can ask Google anything." She said, Anything?!?!" Yes Honey, anything.

OK. Ask it, "Who was the first man on earth."



I thought you were going to go outside and play?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Keith,

Quote

My daughter is 8 years old and loving STEM. 90th percentile in the nation for her age in math, loves to learn programming, etc.

You should be a very proud papa.

I spent over 3 yrs on a metric implementation committee at the federal agency where I worked.

I would recommend not trying to teach her to 'convert.' It just clouds the concept IMO. Just teach her the metric system. Go out & buy her a 300 mm ruler and then let her just start measuring things around the house. You will be amazed at how fast she picks it up.

In SI ( the latest, bestest, and greatest metric system ) there is no centimeter. Everything changes by a factor of 1,000 rather than a factor of 10. As an example, it goes from millimeter to meter to kilometer. I hope that this makes sense to you.

When Canada went to the metric system it was a bastardization of a conversion; some stuff up there is still in the old foot, lbs system. Australia did just the opposite; they mandated a 2-yr period of total change. After 2 yrs nothing could be in the old system any longer. Believe me, the Aussie system actually works.

Have fun with these years, they are not replaceable. When you get to my age, you will realize that these ( that means now for you ) are the best years of your life.

Jerry Baumchen

[jumpsalot-2 2]

Ask her to show you 20 minutes to 7 on an analog clock. Then a quarter after 11. I feel this time system is lost in a young generation.

Life is short ... jump often.

[BIGUN 1,051]

She can do an analog clock to the minute. Both till and after.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[oldwomanc6 38]

jumpsalot-2

Ask her to show you 20 minutes to 7 on an analog clock. Then a quarter after 11. I feel this time system is lost in a young generation.

Yes, this type of time telling is half past.

lisa
WSCR 594
FB 1023
CBDB 9

[jumpsalot-2 2]

Thank you

Life is short ... jump often.

[BIGUN 1,051]

Morning, Jerry.

Quote

recommend not trying to teach her to 'convert.'

Absolutely agree. It was something she came up with on her own. Didn't know she knew anything about the metric system until she asked that question. And, then asked her how she knew about it... she told me she came across it in a book and since it was numbers would learn more about it.

We talked about what you said. When I was stationed in Germany; I had this conversion chart I walked/rode around with so I could convert everything. Then, one day I was driving down the road and the sign said, Idar-Oberstein 100 Kilometers. I looked at my speed (k/mh), the gas tank (liters), etc. and reached for my conversion table. It was in that moment, I thought, "Why am I doing this?" I knew "X" number of liters would go "Y" number of k/mh and that 100 Kilometers was roughly an hour ride.

After that, I never converted again. It just became a a "knowledge" of time, speed, distance, and fuel consumption. Never looked twice again at how many miles was a Volksmarch distance in Kilometers. It became just a distance - the same as knowing or saying 5 miles to anyone in the States.

Yes, I am a proud PaPa. Even more so when I received an email last night asking if she could participate in an after hours advanced STEM class. YAY!!

Have a great day, Sir.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[BIGUN 1,051]

oldwomanc6

***Ask her to show you 20 minutes to 7 on an analog clock. Then a quarter after 11. I feel this time system is lost in a young generation.

Yes, this type of time telling is half past.



My foray into ensuring she knew how to use an analog clock was based on having a sister who never knew anything about analog. She grew up on digital. the school had digital clocks - everything was digital when it first came out on those watches in the 80's. Now, I have a 40+ sister who I can't tell to meet us at a quarter to 8; I still have to say 7:45

On a separate, but similar note; they no longer teach cursive in schools. When I found out, I asked, "So, how are they supposed to read the US Constitution?" "Oh, it's online in block font."

Good news is there's cursive writing books an she likes cursive (it's pretty). So, Mom's lunchbox notes are in cursive, my emails to her are in cursive, etc.

Y'all have a great day!!

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[akarunway 1]

BIGUN

My daughter is 8 years old and loving STEM. 90th percentile in the nation for her age in math, loves to learn programming, etc. Each night, we do her homework first and then I add more to keep her challenged.

So, before it's time for her to go out and play, she was asking me several questions in rapid fire, the last being, "How many centimeters in an inch." (I didn't know she decided to learn the metric system on her own). I told her that I didn't know, but, "Let's ask Google - it knows everything." (Little research methodology 101, right?) Should have told her to look up Darwin.

Sure enough, we enter, "How many centimeters in an inch?" and it pops up 2.54. I said, "There, you see when Daddy's not around, you can ask Google anything." She said, Anything?!?!" Yes Honey, anything.

OK. Ask it, "Who was the first man on earth."

I thought you were going to go outside and play?

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[BIGUN 1,051]

Quote

Should have told her to look up Darwin.

Not sure I understand the context of your statement.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[DanG 1]

Quote

On a separate, but similar note; they no longer teach cursive in schools. When I found out, I asked, "So, how are they supposed to read the US Constitution?" "Oh, it's online in block font."

Cursive is definitely going away. I'm not sure that's bad. I can read cursive just fine and it's still hard to read the original Constitution. We visited the National Archives a few years ago where they have an original copy on display. Even the unfaded parts are written in a hand that bears little resemblance to "modern" cursive. I seriously couldn't read at least half the words.

When I was relearning how to write with my left hand my PT made me write a page in cursive. I was like, "WTF? I haven't written anything in cursive since my Grandmother died in 1995 and I stopped sending her birthday cards."

- Dan G

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Keith,

Quote

When I was stationed in Germany

I did the same thing when I was stationed in France.



Jerry Baumchen

[Amazon 7]

Please do not let her be anywhere near anyone who tries to convince her that girls can't be good at STEM..

Far too many people do that to young girls and women... Like it is uncool to be smart.... make sure she knows that is not the case

It is far more uncool to be an idiot... no matter what the current trends are.

[akarunway 1]

BIGUN

Quote

Should have told her to look up Darwin.

Not sure I understand the context of your statement.

I figured that would keep her busy for along time. You know. Who was the first man and all. And she could read/ study the bible next. Adam and Eve and all that.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[Nataly 38]

I love this thread for so many reasons
Well done you for encouraging your daughter to be
s-m-r-t!!

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[BIGUN 1,051]

Thanks, Nat.

Want her to learn to stand on her own two feet and not "need" a man in her life; but to "want" a man. Too much divorce, separation in the world and it's time to teach the little ones "freedom of choice" and independence.
Keith

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[BIGUN 1,051]

akarunway

***

Quote

Should have told her to look up Darwin.

Not sure I understand the context of your statement.

I figured that would keep her busy for along time. You know. Who was the first man and all. And she could read/ study the bible next. Adam and Eve and all that.

Kinda thought you went there. Just couldn't leave it to SC, could ya?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[BillyVance 34]

Amazon

Please do not let her be anywhere near anyone who tries to convince her that girls can't be good at STEM..

Far too many people do that to young girls and women... Like it is uncool to be smart.... make sure she knows that is not the case

It is far more uncool to be an idiot... no matter what the current trends are.

My older girl is now 10 and a very smart bright girl. Has had straight A's ever since she started the first grade, and is in the gifted program. She's now in the 5th grade and is an awesome singer (the only reason I wished I could hear). We do our best to make sure she knows what she's doing is the best for her and to keep it up. She had like the 2nd highest average grade in her whole school last year.

Those book smarts sure skipped a generation (me) though. Both my folks were straight A's too as was my brother. I never got straight A's but came really close a couple times in college.

My younger girl is more of an average student but still gets all A's and B's. I've had to tell myself she's not as bad as I sometimes think, and its because I compare her to my older girl, which I shouldn't do. Getting her to be more independent is a bit of a challenge (she's 7).

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Squeak 17]

BIGUN

On a separate, but similar note; they no longer teach cursive in schools. When I found out, I asked, "So, how are they supposed to read the US Constitution?" "Oh, it's online in block font."

Good news is there's cursive writing books an she likes cursive (it's pretty). So, Mom's lunchbox notes are in cursive, my emails to her are in cursive, etc.

Y'all have a great day!!

Seriously?
Cursive writing is imperative to fluid thinking. when you learn to write in letter style you process the words by letter. Cursive writing allows the brain to operate at a different level. More fluid it helps a lot with thinking processes, especially when you are writing narratives and forming written opinions.
It matters less if you are merely copying text, but it's a key stage in development when writing conscious streams.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[BIGUN 1,051]

Sounds like we have the same goals for our girls, Billy. To be intelligent, wise and independent with side order of whup-ass

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[BIGUN 1,051]

Ya know, I never quite thought of it in those terms, but have to agree.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[TriGirl 268]

Squeak

***
On a separate, but similar note; they no longer teach cursive in schools. When I found out, I asked, "So, how are they supposed to read the US Constitution?" "Oh, it's online in block font."

Good news is there's cursive writing books an she likes cursive (it's pretty). So, Mom's lunchbox notes are in cursive, my emails to her are in cursive, etc.

Y'all have a great day!!

Seriously?
Cursive writing is imperative to fluid thinking. when you learn to write in letter style you process the words by letter. Cursive writing allows the brain to operate at a different level. More fluid it helps a lot with thinking processes, especially when you are writing narratives and forming written opinions.
It matters less if you are merely copying text, but it's a key stage in development when writing conscious streams.

+1. +1. I've been trying to show my brother's kids the value of a hand-written note, too. His youngest just graduated high school, and was the only one to send out announcements. Not the greatest attempt, but at least he took on the project and sent them out (yes, through the post). Therefore, he was the only one to get a congratulatory card from me, with a small contribution to his college fund.

But in addition, I penned a 3-page letter with some "what I've learned since being your age" advice and included it (three pages of personalized stationery, of course). Unfortunately he has a habit of failing to read personal notes in cards. I hope he not only reads it, but appreciates it as a hand-written letter offering life perspective. Somehow, I doubt it, though. I know he cashed the check, but he has made no mention of the card or letter, nor have I received a "thank-you" note. Not even an email. I blame his parents.


(and to BIGUN -- how do they teach kids how to sign their names if they don't teach proper handwriting?)

See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus

Shut Up & Jump!

[BillyVance 34]

I would say it's up to the parents to teach their kids how to sign their names in cursive.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[BIGUN 1,051]

Quote

how do they teach kids how to sign their names if they don't teach proper handwriting?

Another question I had... so, we be teaching her.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[turtlespeed 212]

BIGUN

Quote

how do they teach kids how to sign their names if they don't teach proper handwriting?

Another question I had... so, we be teaching her.

I hopes you ain't teachin no grammar to 'er.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
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