Counting Dinosaurs

It hasn't been all fun and games here in Melbourne. I am taking my role as parent seriously. And as a serious parent I am trying to ensure that Aurora is staying on top of her schooling. She is learning lots through osmosis, activities, books, conversations, playing and living. And maybe that is more than enough, but, just in case. we are also going for the traditional approach where she has to complete section from her Quebec curriculum book each day. Through this process of workbook pages I learned a few things about Aurora's learning style and her likes and dislikes. Among a few: anything that is required somehow immediately becomes unappealing, writing is exhausting, independent learning is much less desirable than group learning and also science is the best. Aurora might complain about workbook pages being boring but she also begs to do the science pages. She will spontaneously proclaim "I loooove science" or "science is the beeest." I know there are some who say go with the flow and let a child learn about what they are interested in but I don't yet feel ready to give up math and writing. But hey I loooove science too so it is hard not to get carried away on the topic. And so today after some speed arithmetic practice we went back to the science museum.

I say this lightheartedly but it is no small feat. About 30 years ago the pumphouse closed. This was the lowest point in Melbourne where all the sewage of the city congregated before being purified or being fed to sharks (not sure exactly what happens). It was an ideal location to accumulate sewage as gravity was on the side of plumbing. When it closed it was decided that the site would be ideal for a children's museum. At first I thought maybe it was because children like big machines and poop. But now I am thinking maybe land that used to have reservoirs of feces underneath it are not prime real estate and are thus cheaper or maybe even given out for free. All that to say that the science museum is a good hour commute on trams and trains and foot.

Last week we found out one of the exhibit designers likes to have a bit of excitement and to keep his staff alert hid 50 plastic dinosaurs among the exhibits. Aurora and I were intrigued and determined to find all 50. We could do it. After all we like science and what better way to delve into the world of science than to be museum archaeologists uncovering dinosaurs in places people would least expect. And so we prowled around and tried to think like a kooky curator. We found dinosaurs under magnifying glasses, dinosaurs on top of signs, dinosaurs cuddlying up to dead animals, dinosaurs in sports shoes, dinosaurs dinosaurs everywhere. But alas, like most archaeological digs, the search was both gratifying and incomplete. I also think most scientists don't have the handicap of having Tova around. While we were focused on the task at hand she was acting her usual self and trying to cause as much of a ruckus as possible. You look up for a second and then there she is somehow inside the exhibit! At closing time our list was at 40. The museum staff solaced us with stickers and tales of visitors who only managed to find 10. We celebrated our perseverance with some candy and promises of trying again another day.

Little sisters are way better than dolls

Lucky baby