Learning

I have learned a lot from homeschooling.  I have learned how my children's little minds work (I have learned a lot about them).  I have learned different teaching methods (different things work better for different children) and I have learned from their curriculum.  Since Mark is my third child, I remember teaching most of the information to Braeden and Emma already.  Occasionally there's something that seems like brand new knowledge to me though.  (Maybe I need to work on my capacity to retain...)

The other day, in science we were reading about different states of matter, Mark (and I) learned that when you heat ice, it stays at 0 degrees Celsius until it is completely melted.  Interesting!

I shared my newly acquired knowledge at dinner.  Everyone told me they'd already known that.  I wasn't surprised that Adam already knew that because he already knows everything (which is annoying unless you need him to give you an answer to something...then it's helpful).  I thought I would at least impress Braeden and Emma.  Nope.  They already knew.

I decided to share my knowledge with the seminary carpool the next morning.  (I can't remember why it came up.)  I asked them if they knew about ice staying at 0 degrees Celsius until it's all melted.  They, who are always surprisingly chipper at 5:45 in the morning, (I am by far the least awake one in the van and I'm the one driving. Don't tell their mothers.) told me that yes, they knew that.

I said that I'd learned that teaching Mark science.  Braeden added that I wasn't a very good science teacher because it's my least favorite subject.  While true, I found that an unsupportive statement at 5:45 in the morning.

So I learned a second lesson.  If you have some interesting new tidbit that you think will enlighten other people and make them think, "Wow, that Thelma certainly knows her science,"  just keep it to yourself.  Everyone already knows. (I mean they already know the interesting tidbit.  No one is thinking "that Thelma certainly knows her science.")