Do you ever feel so stupid?

[lgliser]

Tonight we were playing a game (Codenames) with another couple.  Briefly, I had to guess which words my partner was talking about based on a one word clue that she gave.  She said "country" and the only two words left were Greece and Rome.  And I was like, "well gee, it could be either!"  And I picked Rome and lost the game.  And of course, I KNOW Rome is not a country but at the time, there were these two places and I just lumped them both together as countries.  Then it didn't help that one of my 9 year olds came by and said, "my teacher doesn't even know countries?!"  He was just teasing but it added salt to my wound.  

 

I feel like I'm an average person - knowledge wise.  I'm not a huge dummy but I'm not a genius either.  I let the curriculum do the teaching and I don't have a lot to add.  I feel like I should though.  

 

I'm just feeling really dumb tonight.  I'm not sure that the kids get the best education from me.  :(

[fraidycat]

:grouphug: :grouphug:

 

We all have those moments, I'm sure. Especially under pressure.

 

I've had my share of face-palm moments. The silver lining of having a less-than-great memory, is that I can quickly forget how embarassed I was or why. Hopefully you're forgetful like me! :P

[KSinNS]

Hugs, but you taught your kids a far more valuable lesson: to lose with grace, to laugh at yourself, and to accept that everyone has those moments from time to time.

[Another Lynn]

Well, Ancient Rome was an empire!  Don't beat yourself up.  

[Jess4879]

:grouphug:   I have had moments like that too.  Just remind yourself, it's not about what you know/don't know, but your ability to find out.  :)   Around here, a favorite phrase is "just google it."  lol

[AmandaVT]

It's the pressure of the game - I blurt out the most random idiotic answers when we're watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. :-) 

[momof4inco]

All the time. My mind doesn't help me at all - it replays the stupid moment over and over again. I know I'm not stupid. I think there is part of my brain that gets stuck sometimes.

 

I love it when my husband catches me doing stupid things. He watches me put the peanut butter in the fridge and doesn't say anything. He lets me drive in the wrong direction until I realize what I am doing. I know he gets a good laugh at my expense. He used to get really confused when I would start talking to him like we were in the middle of a conversation. He didn't realize that I had already had half of the conversation in my head. Now he just laughs and asks about the part that happened in my head.

[BlsdMama]

Tonight we were playing a game (Codenames) with another couple.  Briefly, I had to guess which words my partner was talking about based on a one word clue that she gave.  She said "country" and the only two words left were Greece and Rome.  And I was like, "well gee, it could be either!"  And I picked Rome and lost the game.  And of course, I KNOW Rome is not a country but at the time, there were these two places and I just lumped them both together as countries.  Then it didn't help that one of my 9 year olds came by and said, "my teacher doesn't even know countries?!"  He was just teasing but it added salt to my wound.  

 

I feel like I'm an average person - knowledge wise.  I'm not a huge dummy but I'm not a genius either.  I let the curriculum do the teaching and I don't have a lot to add.  I feel like I should though.  

 

I'm just feeling really dumb tonight.  I'm not sure that the kids get the best education from me.   :(

 

 

I had to take the ACT this month in order to waive a pre-requisite class.

 

My son blew me out of the water.  

 

 

Sigh.  Apparently in homeschooling, kids need to also learn HOW to learn and then they can surpass the parent.  (By a fair distance apparently.)

[Tranquility7]

 

I let the curriculum do the teaching and I don't have a lot to add.  I feel like I should though.

 

Awww, I'm sorry that happened. I would TOTALLY do the same thing! And I agree with all the PP - don't give yourself too much grief, this kind of thing happens to everyone :D

 

That being said, I have realized that if I am not *learning with* my kids, yet I am making them *learn*, they will quickly pass me up. As a result, I've started making myself learn everything with them. I do not mean simply reading the material passively; I mean really *learn* it. Memorize it (this is the hardest part and requires the most self-discipline, frankly). Wrestle with it. Organize it. Notice patterns. Make comparisons. Have discussions.

 

We do this using Anki extensively. Basically everything we learn, I put into Anki and we review constantly. It helps ALL of us learn, and the more we add to Anki and review, the better all of our wrestling/organizing/comparing/discussing/etc. goes. I've been shocked at how easy it is to learn this way. Not that it doesn't still take a lot of work - it DOES! - but if you really internalize basic facts, vocab, etc., it is amazing how much easier it is to add additional learning to that foundation. Basically, it is the common neoclassical idea of memory work, but for everyone, not just little kids. If they have to learn the emperors of Rome, then I have to learn the emperors of Rome. If they have to learn a location, or a date, or a vocab word - then I have to learn it, too. Among other things, over time, this makes me a much better teacher. (Actually, for the youngers, it makes my job MUCH easier because I can just spout all kinds of things off the top of my head, whereas for my eldest I have always had to rely on our curricula.)

 

Anyway, just a thought, if you are trying to figure out how to keep up with your kiddos. But I'm sure you are doing great! :-)

 

 

 

[naturegirl]

I absolutely have those moments were I can't believe I just said something as stupid as I did. Thankfully, these days most of them are when I am talking to my husband. It's still embarrassing, but I feel like if you can't make a fool of yourself in front of your husband then who can you be a fool in front of? But yes, I have a few moments of stupidity that still haunt me. I imagine most people do.

[sassenach]

Dh and I were on a date last night, exchanging stories of our failing brains. His was that he was watching a game with ds and the score was 6-3. Ds said something about a 3 point difference and dh argued It was 1 point. He argued it for probably a full minute before he felt very, very sheepish.

 

I couldn't remember what a dustpan was called. I couldn't remember for so long that I actually had to google "broom and -" to figure it out.

 

Yep, we're getting old.

[KrissiK]

Well, Ancient Rome was an empire! Don't beat yourself up.

I was thinking the same thing.

[AmandaVT]

Case in point - I just called out "Beauty Talon" in a places category on Wheel of Fortune. Correct answer: beauty salon. Not sure what a beauty talon is..... :-)

[Slache]

My then 4 year old: What's Europe?

Me: It's a cluster of states that make up a country like the United States of America.

 

:blink:

[lgliser]

HEHE, you guys are awesome.  Thanks for making me feel better!!   :grouphug:   What would I do without y'all??  

 

And thanks for recommending Anki - I am going to look into that tonight.   I totally agree, Tranquility7, that I need to be learning WITH the kids.  You've inspired me more!

[Guest]

I blame the kids. I was really really smart until I had them- I knew big words and stuff!!! I think I lost 5 IQ points with each pregnancy. I am glad I am not the only one struggling. I swear sometimes it's like early onset Alzheimer's at our house. :)

[J-rap]

I'm kind of that way too.  My dh, all of his siblings, and most of our children, are quite brilliant.  I'm just very normal.  I'm okay with that. :)