Every moment can be a teachable moment

DS has a propensity to notice things: sometimes the smaller, the more likely he is to see it. When we left Big Y the other day, he tugs on my sleeve like an excited toddler although he is almost a teenager, “Mom, Mom – look”. There a moth of no more than an inch long was posed on the rock pillar holding up the overhang. DD had passed it without a second look and was almost at the car. Frankly, I would have blown right by it. But DS was attracted by its bright colors. The interesting part of this encounter was that it was concluded by him suggesting homework. “Mom, we have to go home and find out what kind of moth this is.”

Unfortunately, our internet connection was not working that day and so we had to put our search off. Later that afternoon he came by a snake in the backyard and was reminded of his interest in classifying, but the internet still was not corrected. Fortunately, DH called Comcast and they sent a repairman out over the weekend, but I wasn’t home to help with the search as I was camping with the Girl Scouts. When I came home on Sunday, my DS greeted me with a hug and helped unload the car. I thought it was all very sweet. It wasn’t for a few moments that I realized his ulterior motive. “Mom, can we look up that moth and snake now.” So to the computer we went. This is what we found out:
Rosy Maple Moth
Eastern Ribbon Snake

Now why can’t he remember his homework like that????