Fractions

Back when I was Christmas shopping, and I don't do a lot of Christmas shopping right before Christmas, I like to get it done by September if I can help it, but none the less, it was a couple weeks before Christmas and I was waiting on line somewhere, in front of a lady who was holding the same size socks as I was. And as ladies who notice they both are holding kid's socks in the same sizes often do, we started chatting about our children. She told me that her little girl, who was the same age as Eli, was doing fractions already and "She just loves them!" Now you tell me, what six year old "just loves" fractions? That's plain weird.

I didn't say it to her, of course, but in this case, I really I think I've got bragging rights. My kids know about the important things in life, like clinking your boots together before you swing your feet into a car, and what it means when the cows are lying down, and all the words to "Over The River And Through The Woods." They know if they want a half an apple or the entire thing. (There's fractions right there.) They can put on their own snowshoes, and they take turns feeding the dog. They know about jump starting the lawn tractor. They can name trees and tracks and birds when we walk. They give really, really great hugs. They want to see everything, do everything, ask a million questions about anything they overhear. I'm not worried that they don't "simply adore" math, or aren't pushing to read faster. They love life, the whole darn thing, not just a fraction.