Little Miss Smartypants
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
It's come to my attention that my 4-year-old thinks she's smarter than me. She has told me this a few times now, so when she sang a song to herself in the car tonight about it being 10 o'clock, I politely corrected her to tell her it was 8:10. (Her father may share in the irony of the time she noticed and the fact that she is obsessed with the number 18 and 80-10. We're our own Lost episode cryptogram over here at The Other Boufs.)
She then began to make up a song that included "It's 10 o'clock. My mommy is wrong, wrong, wrong. I know I'm right cause I'm the smartest." A little defensive, I began to extol on her the (very) long list of my accomplishments. But I settled for just laughing at her and telling her she was wrong and that although she is very smart, I am the smartest. That she is the luckiest girl because she has THE smartest mom in the entire world. She was actually very impressed with that. I quickly reminded her that her daddy is even smarter than me, though. (I'm not saying I'm not usually "right" more often than him - but his intelligence is pretty impressive.)
Feeling a little guilty about my competitiveness, I told her that right now I do know more than her, but that someday she may very well be smarter than me and her daddy. But that we won't really know until she gets older. She asked,"But how will I get smarter? How will you know I'm smarter?"
I replied: Always do your homework and your school projects . Pay attention in school and study for tests. Don't ever use drugs. Always do your best and you can be smarter than mommy and daddy.
DON'T smoke cigarettes. Don't get fooled into thinking they look cool. They're not. Whatever you do, DON'T sweetly shock the hell out of your aunt by asking her, "Hey, can I try one of those?" You'll get the same answer as when you ask if you're smarter than me yet. "No!"
P.S. To my pop, on the 80th anniversary of your birthday: I love you and miss you. Come visit me in my dreams tonight. I better not find out it's you whispering into Katie's ear to ask for a cigarette...
