Have you ever played Brain Quest? It’s a game that contains a series of cards hinged on one corner. Each card contains questions to challenge a child’s skills and knowledge in spelling, math, geography and general knowledge. My 7-year-old and I had a great time playing with these cards tonight out on the patio.
She was cracking herself and me up. I wasn’t always sure when she was serious and when she was joking, and that was fair because she’s not always sure when I’m serious and when I’m joking. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: (reading) Fix this saying: “It’s raining cats and chickens.”
Her: Uh…”It’s raining water.”
Me: (reading) Is Europe a country or a continent?
Her: A continent!
Me: Good. What continent do we live on?
Her: North America!
Me: And in what country?
Her: Texas!
Me: No, Texas isn’t a country anymore. What country is Texas in?
Her: Uhhh…
Me: We pledge allegiance to it.
Her: Flag!
Me: …
Her: *giggling and falling over in chair* United States of America!
Me: What are the three main countries on North America? There’s the United States…
Her: Uhhh…Nexico?
Me: Nexico?
Her: *giggling* Mexico!
Me: And what’s the third one? It’s the one above us.
Her: Uhhh…it’s the one that looks like a pot with a handle?
Me: That’s Oklahoma. It starts with a “can.”
Her: Canada!
Me: (reading) I live in a pond and my name rhymes with “jog.” What am I?
Her: A beaver!
Me: Beaver rhymes with jog?
Her: *giggling* Hog!
Me: I suppose a hog could live in a pond, but they’re looking for “frog.” (reading) What letter can you add to “0-w” to spell the name of a bird?
Her: You need two letters. C-R.
Me: (mentally running through the alphabet…) You’re right. I think they made a mistake. (Check answer) Wait a minute, we’re supposed to put the letter on the end. It’s owl. (Yes, I’m a genius.)
Me: (reading) What do you call a word that takes the place of a noun?
Her: I don’t know.
Me: Me either. (Looking at answer). Oh. It’s a pronoun. (See above re: genius.) (Proceed to explain pronouns and use examples.)
Me: (reading) Dallas is a small city in California. True or false?
Her: False!
Me: Where is Dallas?
Her: *points due north*
Me: True. But I’m looking for the state name.
Her: Texas!
Me: (reading) Is China a country or a continent?
Her: A country!
Me: How about Africa?
Her: A continent!
Me: You already know more geography than most adults.
Me: (reading) Spell the opposite of “black.”
Her: K-C-A-L-B
Me: Well, they were looking for W-H-I-T-E, but I’m giving you extra credit on this one.
It went on like this until we noticed that our neighbors had their brand new lab puppy out in the front yard. We had to go play with him. His name is Charlie, and he’s chubby and white and seven weeks old. Joanie will be getting a friend!
Categories: The Kids
Flabby Brain 
tee hee hee!
They didn’t name Charlie Chachi? What’s up with that?