Last night was the middle school science fair. It was very impressive. Jane and her friend worked hard and it showed.
The 6th grade had a lot of cupcakes, Jelly Bellys and sweet drinks. The experiments were good with only one variable, and the kids were all able to explain their methodology.
The moms, however, congregated in the hallway and wondered which moms helped their kids along while we all said, “Not me but…” It seems impossible that we’d have a class of 24 kids and not one mom who whipped out her crafting kit to perfect a science experiment. I know these kids well, and I’m pretty sure they all did their own work. All of it.
But I know there was at least one mom who said, “Don’t you think you need to add a graph to that?”
Which is kinda awesome.
I’d never help my kid with his science fair project.
And I almost said that with a straight face.
I’m a doctor….I’d be all over my kid’s science fair project.
(I’ve got a Tiger Mom post today too. If you have a minute, check it out)
I have THE BEST science fair project. I mean, its the best ever. I won’t help my kids, other than to fucking INSIST that they do this specific experiment.
School projects, timelines, crafted book reports are the most challenging parenting lesson for me. I’m crafty and organized. Walking out of the room is a huge triumph for me. And it pains me when I walk in the school to see the perfectly collaged book reports and time mobiles hanging from the walls and then to see my kids, which clearly were done with no help from me.
This better pay off one day….
I can’t wait for my daughter’s first science fair. She loves to figure out how things work and then how to make them better. She’s not quite six yet, but I know she will excel at that subject.
I still believe that winning the first place in my fourth grade science fair is in the top 10 greatest moments of my life. I don’t even like science now, and basically plotted my college courses to avoid all of them…..but winning first place was awesome. Pathetically awesome.
I plan to avoid my children’s projectsthough. I need to preserve the glory from my own science fair moment.