The Bamboozled Adult Brain

Ever been bamboozled by the ideas of children?

Have you noticed how our adult brains are tainted?   I dare say, to some extent, our adult brains are ruined.

They aren't ruined by drugs, alcohol or too much TV.  They are ruined by too much wisdom (yes...you read that correctly).

Knowledge can sometimes damper the imagination.

Ever noticed how freely a young child's brain can imagine?  Ever notice how easy it is for them to WONDER IF?  Their brains have not yet been ruined with knowledge.

For a young child, ANYTHING is possible.  Leprechauns can really make shoes for fairies and hide gold at the end of the rainbow.  Santa can actually fly around the world delivering toys to all the boys and girls in ONE NIGHT.  Bubbles can be the shape of the blower, NOT just circles.

Nothing ruins a young child's brain faster then an adult who can't keep their "ruined brain" from stealing the innocent wonders and imaginations of a child.

What am I suggesting?

Am I suggesting we adults should invest in some duct tape and use it when necessary?  Well... sort of.  I am suggesting we keep our mouths shut, and sometimes, that is easier to do with a little help from 3M. (side note:  I am joking.  No need to email me nasty emails)

Here's a tale of my "ruined brain" being completely and totally bamboozled today:

My story begins with the drilling of holes into an innocent pumpkin.  Why?  So we can fill it with baking soda and squirt colored vinegar into it.  The resulting fizz will pour out the holes of the pumpkin.

It.will.be.epic......... or, perhaps my brain will be bamboozled.....

After the holes were drilled, I added the baking soda, and plopped it on the table with cups of colored vinegar.  I then waited for the first child to make the discovery and start to investigate.

I did not have to wait long.

Realizing that the reaction was not really coming out of the holes, and they were having a hard time seeing inside the pumpkin, we moved the action to the floor.

Then we moved it back to the table.  Don't ask why...I am really not sure.  But I am glad we did!  This mess was far easier to clean off of a table then it would have to clean off the floor!

Notice that scoops and bowls have been added to the fun.  Scooping out the mushy, vinegar-soaked baking soda was so fun, and it was beautifully colored as well!

 I emptied the bottle of vinegar, which this child was quick to request.  He had big plans for that big jug!  As he was scooping and pouring I realized that the reaction was all used up.  SO, being the nice teacher that I am...I took it upon myself to grab more baking soda so they could do more squirting and fizzing.  (I know....I know..... WAIT FOR THEM TO ASK FOR WHAT THEY NEED!!!  I broke my own rule...sigh.  That adult brain is SO hard to re-wire, and regression happens!!)

 To my adult brain's SHOCK,  instead of gathering colored vinegar and watching more fizz, they scooped up the baking soda with their fingers and used it as cheese for the pizzas they had apparently made!

The internal struggle that proceeded between my brain and my mouth was quite interesting.  My mouth and hands wanted to so badly cause more fizz -- but my brain wasn't allowing it.  My brain was saying "STOP!  Do not ruin this child-led imaginative moment!!"

I am so glad my brain won this one!!

The baking soda turned into so many different things, and there was SO much learning and imagining going on!!  It was a most amazing moment!  It took my bamboozled brain a second to grasp what was going on.....but once it did, it was like "How clever are they?!!! Do not ruin the moment!!"

So, there you have it.

Whether you agree with me or not on the "ruins" of the adult brain.....the adult brain CAN shut down some pretty amazing little imaginations if it doesn't keep itself quiet!

The next time you are observing children doing something that completely bamboozles your brain....keep quiet, observe and enjoy the cleverness and fenceless imagination they possess and do not take it away!