En Pointe

These kids keep me on my toes.

All kids, I think, are naturally curious. They want to know. I like to think that one of my duties as a mama is to encourage in my offspring this innate desire to explore and to understand.

I also like for them to think I have all the answers. To think that I know everything.

I don't feel like that is too much to ask. And it's not that I am super conceited or anything like that because after all, when they were newborns and babies and toddlers and preschoolers and we were establishing our relationships to one another I DID know everything. I knew exactly what they needed and I provided it. I always knew what day it was. I knew how to fix skinned knees and broken toys. I knew how to find the hopelessly lost shoes, dig out splinters, and make the pancakes exactly right. I knew everything. I was omniscient and omnipotent all rolled into one admittedly squishy, but also very smart and loving package. Ah, those were the days.

Last week my Little Friend asked me a question. (I think he lays awake at night trying to figure out questions that will stump me. And he always starts off in a way that tricks me into thinking I'm going to ace this round.)

He said to me that his teacher told him that everything you can see is made out of matter. That's true, I told him, and things you can't see are also made of matter. Air is matter.

See how clever I am?

He asked me what the states of matter are. This is a test. I know that he knows what matter is. He's trying to see if I know the answer. I said that of course I do - matter is either a liquid, a gas, or a solid.

See how well I can handle this?

Then he delivered the crushing blow. The coup d'etat.

What is fire?

Picture it if you can. I am sitting there next to a nine-year old boy with a stupid look on my face, trying to figure out if fire is a liquid, a gas, or a solid.

As my kiddos have grown up I've had to learn a new phrase. "I don't know". If you're a mama, try saying those three little words. It's hard, isn't it?

I had to find out. It turns out that fire isn't a liquid, a gas, or a solid. But now I know what it is. (I asked the daddy, Mr. Dub, who knows everything. That is part of what makes us a good team. It is also part of what makes it hard to live with him sometimes.)

If you don't know the answer to this question, this is your lucky day. Because I'm going to tell you. I don't want your kids to get the better of you on this one. You don't have to thank me - it's what I'm here for.

Fire is a reaction.