Sunday, May 17, 2009

Book Smarts vs. Common Sense



My oldest and only girl is going to turn 7 in June. She was our first and by far the brightest of our three (so far). She excels so much academically. Reading on a 3rd grade level in 1st grade. Doing multiplications and word problems. Writing 2 page book reports. Things I didn't do until I was well into 3rd or 4th grade. And I'm no dumb chica, but she has much more book smarts that I ever did. 

HOWEVER, she is the typical airhead. Yes, I just called my 6 year old daughter an airhead. The Lord knows how much I love and adore her...but I swear she would go to school NAKED if I didn't remind her to dress herself. She is very independent. Not one to ask for help and always wants to do things her way. The only thing is....she literary FORGETS what the heck she is doing right in the middle of doing it. Is this normal for girls? No clue. I don't remember being so flighty at her age. She minds me of an older lady with a bad case of CRS (Can't Remember Shit). You know the type...I even have it on occasion. You walk into the kitchen to make coffee but forget why you went into the kitchen in the first place. Or taking off your shoes and making your way to put them away, yet you get side tracked and somehow they get placed in the freezer. Yes, I did that...but I blame that on my "mommy brain". Which I never had until my second was born. So I promise its not genetic. 

So I believe its a classic case of lack of common sense...which if you ask me, isn't very common. I've run across many who got the short end of that stick. But why my daughter? Seriously it drives me INSANE. How in the world do you help your children develop common sense or just to walk and chew gum at the same time without falling on their face? I'm clueless... Anyone have any bright ideas? I foresee my gorgeous girl becoming a rocket scientist yet, without the ability feed and cloth herself....HELP!


6 comments:

  1. Aww poor Hannah! I just love that girl, she is very bright .. after all she knew I lived all the way on the other side of the world but still in the same country when all you did was ask "where is Washington State" LOL She will get there mama, give her time. She is so busy being book smart its taking up all the space in her brain!

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  2. I think really smart kids have their motor going so fast, sometimes thinking and bouncing from idea to idea, that concentration wanes. Or rather is over run by the neurons firing in their brains. Seriously I think it is biological and developmental and all parents can do is keep redirecting or reminding the kid to finish what they started.

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  3. Téa is the EXACT same way. Drives me nuts too! :)

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  4. I want to say, some people have common sense, and some don't. Hannah may just be so focused on certain things that forgets the simple things.. She may outgrow that in no time! You dont have to wear clothes to be a rocket scientist, just a white coat! =)

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  5. LOL, Kendra, you could have written this for me about Leah. She is soo darn smart but when it comes to common sense, she just lacks it as well. These girls, lol, who knows!?

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  6. You've known me for years and I want you to know you just described my childhood to a T.
    She's too busy thinking big thoughts to remember the little ones. She'll get it. . . Eventually.

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