I couldn’t believe my ears. Standing in the Buffalo Museum of Science, I didn’t actually expect Penny to care when I told her that mummies are from Egypt.
But she did. And then she asked where Egypt is.
When I told her it’s in Africa, I expected her to give one of those “OK, Dad, ya lost me” looks and go back to the far more visually appealing dinosaur skeleton.
But she didn’t. She asked me where Africa is.
Thanks to the modern wizardry that is my smartphone (volumes could be written on the educational value of the machine that lets me waste hours slinging perturbed pigeons at swines, but that’s for another day), I swiftly summoned a world map and showed her and Rigby where Africa is, as well as where we are in North America.
She got that Egypt is far away. I’m not sure if she grasps just how far away, but any sort of perspective is good.
Good, too, is the fact that Penny and Rigby have such a deep thirst for knowledge at such a young age. The fact that they want to learn makes my job as the World’s No. 1 Father just a tad easier.
And, boy, did Rigby want to learn. He was completely fascinated by the skeletons, X-rays and other bodily images that were on display at the museum. I literally had to yank him away from the sarcophagus in the Egyptian exhibit, as Rigby just wanted to keep gawking at the mummy contained within. And every time he saw a skull, it was as though he noticed a gold tooth contained therein and he wanted to yank it out.
Heck, even the insects’ exoskeletons were a thrill for the Rigger Man. So were the fish, the puzzles and the giant stuffed bear, which probably would have scared me into utilizing my diaper when I was a toddler, but mesmerized him.
We now seem to be entering an extremely fun phase: the part where Penny and Rigby love learning, before homework and extracurriculars compel them to hate school. As a lifelong nerd, I have always enjoyed learning new things (my favorite books growing up were the Charlie Brown encyclopedias, to offer perspective).
So when Penny wants to sound out the letters on the liquid soap bottle, we drop everything (including toothbrushes, if need be) to accommodate.
And as much as I love my heroes on “Pawn Stars,” not even Chumlee and the Old Man can hold a candle to when Rigby wants to read a book, so off the TV goes any time he brings me one.
The best part: They remember! They just soak in everything they’re told (not always a good thing, but it is in this case). Their recollection of facts and tidbits is dazzling — and it’s quickly discrediting their “I forgot to clean” excuse to the point of extinction.
All of a sudden, Penny remembers to color in between the lines. Just like that, Rigby is counting to 10.
I mean, wow. Super cool.
I hope that their love of learning never fizzles out. Just in case it does, I want to stuff their little minds as full as I reasonably can for as long as I can. I am still trying to discover just what sort of power knowledge truly yields, but I am convinced that the two are intertwined.
And if it gives me an excuse to take the kids back to look at the triceratops skeleton again, then it’s a win-win.
Contact Paul Lane
at pjlnews@ymail.com.
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Penny, Paul and Rigby Lane
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