She'll teach me

[wayfaringwordhack]

The other day, Sprout and I set up a crystal growing experiment.* After the water evaporated from a shallow dish with Epsom salts, we observed the bits of string, wood, rock, cement, etc. to see which materials the crystals grew on the best.

Sprout: The crystals didn't like this metallic pipe cleaner.
Me: Yeah, they seem to prefer natural materials over synthetic ones, man-made things.
Sprout: Human-made, Mom. You don't know if a man or a woman made them.

Right you are, Sprout. :P

_______
We set up three different solutions: 1) Borax 2) Epsom salts, and 3) Borax and Epsom salts.  Both 1 and 2 grew crystals, but the mix of Borax and Epsom salt, tested both hot and cold, didn't "grow" anything and nothing has formed upon evaporation.

Comments

[oiktirmos.livejournal.com]

She is a genius.
Ironically, right before seeing your entry I was reading about Louis Pasteur and crystals of tartaric acid, their chirality and optical activity.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

It always tickles me when I run across references to the same/similar thing(s) in diverse places within a short time frame. :D

[frigg.livejournal.com]

Ha! :p

(And I remember making salt crystals as a kid)

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I always chose growing crystals as my science project when I was small. :P

[folklorelei]

Fascinating. And very well brought up Sprout. :-)

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

And very well brought up Sprout.

Funny you should say that since we are constantly questioning ourselves given her lack of "common courtesy and manners." We know a lot of it is age and it will come, but our parenting choices, like the unschooling, just seem to draw extra criticism and scrutiny.

[folklorelei]

You know what? People always think they know better when most times they don't know s**t. So you just keep on doing what you're doing.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

People do have a tendency to think that, don't they? The facile and right answers seem so evident to those on the outside looking in. And it is amazing (and a bit scary, too) to see how much people rely on school to "fix" kids. Do they remember school? I mean really remember?

*erases a bunch of ranty stuff*

[folklorelei]

Yes! Schools can't even fix themselves, let alone the kids in their care. Too many kids, too little teacher.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

How interesting that two things that grow crystals on their own, when mixed together, produce something that won't grow crystals.

And good for Sprout. She's right!

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

How interesting that two things that grow crystals on their own, when mixed together, produce something that won't grow crystals.

I know! I was really surprised.

And, yes; Sprout's a sharp one. :P

ETA: Just fixed the missing bracket on the html code

[me-1956.livejournal.com]

Good to hear you are both ok after your "crash landing". Haven't been on in a while but check on you when I can. Don't remember if I told you but Michael's wife, Amanda, is due the end of June. it's their first, a boy, gonna name him Augustus Leo and call him Gus. It's after the main character in the Lonesome Dove series by Larry McMurtry. Every one doing fine. Love to all from Oklahoma

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear everyone is doing well in the States. What I wouldn't give to have Mindy give me an adjustment before the birth. :P


We are set on a girl's name but still very waffly for a boy. Drat the problems created when trying to find a name that works well in French AND English.