Monday 2 July 2012

Dinosaurs, mammals, & giant earwigs; Summer holiday breakfast conversation

Over breakfast this morning, I discussed the following with my sons:


  • Which is the tallest animal
  • Which was the tallest animal ever
  • The difference that using the present tense of 'to be' makes vs using the past (i.e; 'which is the tallest animal', 'which was the tallest animal ever')
  • Whether a terror bird is a mammal
  • The difference between the word 'animal' and 'mammal'
  • Who would win, in a fight between a terror bird and a giraffe
  • How long a prehistoric artheraplura* (sic) really was
  • Whether it's stretching from one end of the house to the other was likely
  • Just how far that actually is
  • Why we were not going to measure the length of the house during breakfast
  • The exact length of Boy #2's stuffed crocodile (43cm, in case you were wondering)
  • Whether a baby artheraplura could fit into Boy #2's glass for a drink of water
  • Whether an elephant or a triceratops would win in a fight
  • A return to the 'is' and 'was' conversation
  • Whether an elephant or a giraffe would win in a fight
  • The difference between 'tallest' and 'biggest'
  • Who was going to put their plates into the dishwasher
  • Why that wasn't a question, rather a command
  • Why, in this instance, the words 'plate' and 'bowl' meant the same thing
  • Why they still had to go into the dishwasher, whatever they were called
  • Why mummy needed just a few moments of calm before we head off to the supermarket.


Ah, the summer holidays...


*Basically, a 6ft long earwig/woodlouse.  I know - the thought gives me nightmares, too.

10 comments:

  1. Really lovely post. Love the fact that you talk to him do much! Excellent imagination too.

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  2. You sure must be on your toes to have all that information handy. I hope you had a cup of coffee first.

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  3. Yup, sounds like many dinner conversations here. Especially the bit about which dinosaurs would win a fight. This morning, as I was trying in vain to put suncream on them for camp, I was asked whether mosquitoes bite other insects and suck their blood. I had to admit complete ignorance.

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  4. Blimey - that is enough brain fodder to make you want to go back to bed!! Lx

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  5. So are you entering Mastermind soon? (Does Mastermind exist any more, actually?)

    It is one of the over-looked qualities of motherhood - the ability to discuss anything, anywhere, in depth, (while clearing up the house at the same time).

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  6. That sounds sooo much like the conversations in our house it's scary. Although I have been hit with 'why is there time' before 7.30 in the morning. I didn't have a witty retort just then

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  7. MM - unfortunately not talking to them never seems to be an option!

    Irene - tea. But yes, I had some...

    NVG, have you googled the answer yet?

    FA, it is - if only!

    Iota, Perhaps there should be a special mastermind for mums?

    Melissa, 'why is there time'? Oh good god. I have NO idea how I would answer that one.

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  8. Potty I have actually had some time to think about this and shall share my deep thoughts with you so that should the q ever come up, you're ready. My theory is this. Because of the big bang, all matter got thrust out and as a result was travelling outwards. And that outward travel away from the centre of where the bang happened resulted in the creation of time. Now pass me some dope so that I can sound even more yar fully heyshoowow

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  9. Melissa. Now my head hurts...

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  10. That's a lot of questions over breakfast! I am just about able to scrape together some weetabix for them and grunt answers to 'Is it school today?' 'Is it the weekend?' 'Is it movie night?' (my son - not a keen school-goer!)

    ps earwig thing sounds horrendous!

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