My kid is smarter than your kid.
I mean, probably.
But to be fair, he’s smarter than most kids. This is not news to us. (Nor is it the same as saying he is better than your kid. I mean, clearly, I think so. But I understand if we would have to agree to disagree on that point. Unless you don’t have kids. In that case, I expect you to concede that my kid is smarter and better than yours.)
ANYway, I’m familiar with the fact that my kid is smart. Really smart.
I don’t usually brag about it because a) intelligence does not equal perfection and b) other than slip him some DNA, I had nothing to do with making him smart. He was born that way. It seems a little screwy, and possibly lightning strike inducing, to brag about God given stuff. Oh, and c) because people who brag about their kids are annoying. Really annoying.
But! Today! Today I make an exception!
Because today…
Click to make BIGGER!
Go ahead and click on that so you can see it up close.
Wait. Let me help you.
:-)
They handed out classroom awards yesterday. For those of you who aren’t aware, Devin is in a third grade gifted class. All of the kids in his class are smart.
And they voted him the Smartest.
I cannot help myself. Even though I know that every kid in that class got an award for something – some were voted “most musical”, some “best at multiplication tables” – I am still bursting with pride over this black and white piece of paper. I know that intelligence isn’t everything and that he’s not perfect and that, most of all, this is about him and not me.
But damn. My kid is smart.
And that’s something.
In fact, that’s about $20 in his pocket right now.
money I don't have to spend
They give out gift cards at his school based on your performance on the FCATs (Florida’s version of standardized testing). He scored high enough to get two $10 gift cards to Toys R’ Us. We actually don’t pay for good grades in this house, but it’s nice that someone else does.
Devin was not at all impressed with scoring well on the FCATs, by the way. Because they were tests for regular third graders.
Heh. Yes.
Um.
At least he’s smart. Perhaps humility will come later.
I was just telling someone about how when he was like 2 years old he’d put together 50 piece puzzles in a matter of 5 minutes.
Then as he got older the puzzles got bigger, but he finished them just as fast!
Tell him congrats from me! What an accomplishment!
My parents didn’t believe in rewarding for good grades either!
Humility isn’t necessary when you’re smart. I think they should be mutually exclusive.
@Avitable, heh.
@Avitable, “Humility isn’t necessary when you’re smart. I think they should be mutually exclusive.”
I think the guy that came up with human cloning said that first.
Or maybe it was the guy who invented non recyclable plastic.
Or was it the guy who sat in front of his computer when everyone else was getting drunk at prom?
Brag on, brag on… Devin’s smarts are a great thing to gush about.
Way to go, Devin!!!!!
Good for Devin! What an intelligent guy!
My daughter is the same way. She older, but in the gifted magnet program here, so she is constantly blathering on about “our class did such and such while all the “regular” kids had to do boring crap”…. blah blah blah. I tell her that she shouldn’t isolate herself from the other kids. One of these days, you just might need them!
My daughter is just finishing 9th and is highest honors. Her father and I marvel at what little effort she puts into schoolwork.Smart does not always equal good in school some kids are lousy test takers.You are blessed to have a kid that is smart and enjoys school. Take a little credit Britt this is your doing!
Sure she didn’t misspell “Smart Ass”?
No, wait — that was on my certificate.
Good job, kid!
hehe, i can so see one of my kids saying that too “it was a test for REGULAR kids”….i’m pretty sure humility isn’t learned until at least high school if not college…
Humility is overrated. In fact, if you think about it logically, if he didn’t think he was better than everyone else, he wouldn’t be as smart as he is because he wouldn’t know he was better than everyone else.
Congratulations! That is amazing! Sounds like the best award in the class and what a nice thing to get those Toys R Us gift cards.
Agree w Avitable. Our country needs more brilliant, arrogant assholes in 15 years to lead it!
Although I think this is wonderful news, I’m a bit torn here…
First of all — congrats to Devin. And to his mom and dad who helped him achieve so much potential. I think it’s wonderful that he’s a smart, happy, well-adjusted kid. And that he is being recognized for being the “smartest” — which at this age, I assume, means that he’s diligent with his work and a leader among his peers — that’s icing on the cake.
I was a smart kid, too. I like to think that I still am one. I also happened to grow up with a brother who was far beyond the “smart kid” level. More like friggin’ genius. He was one to ace all of the standardized achievement tests. Through high school he received awards for his academic merit. He was accepted to some of the top schools in the nation, opting for an Ivy League school which gave him a bunch of scholarship money. Grad school? He won a prestigious fellowship which paid for it all as well as a stipend for living costs.
Don’t get me wrong: I know that I’m smart. But living in the shadow of someone who achieved all of this — that was rather tough for me growing up. Perhaps it was due to the way comparisons were made between my brother and myself at times. Maybe it was my own insecurity. But for me, seeing someone being recognized for being that “smart” and lacking that recognition for myself made me feel less than smart, if even on a subconscious level.
On the other hand — this is what we do: we reward people for their skill sets, whether they be in academia, sports, music, or just plain looking good. Perhaps this is a great incentive for Devin to recognize his talents and continue to excel, knowing that he can be anything he wants.
All in all — I’m proud of him. And of you guys. Keep up the good work!
@shiny, Me too, Shiny. Me, too.
@shiny, Good points. Glad my sister was/is thick.
@shiny, I get this too. My brother was in the gifted program and I missed out by like one IQ point. He was always the smart one. I always felt like a dummy.
Im still waiting to see the modified, more effective version of the paint ball gun!!
AWESOME!!!
It’s especially awesome that all the other kids voted him smartest!
Bragging can be fun!
Wow. Everyone in the Iowa family (maternal side) has now seen this post. YAY, BABY!!!
Brag away, that is awesome!
Wow! That’s fantastic. You have every right to brag. Well done Devin!
Congratulations! Kids ALWAYS know who’s the smartest in their class. Screw humility, that is something to brag about!
Having your kid get awards is the best feeling ever because (for me at least) it means that all of your (meaning mine) fuckedupness hasn’t rubbed off on him.
And they are given by their peers? Just, WOW!
Way to go Devin!
When I was pregnant my husband and I used to play the “What if our kid turns out dumb” game (fortunately he turned out BRILLANT). Guess you have to love them anyway. Same goes for the ugly kids. Not EVERONE’S kids are cute, right? You know which ones I’m talking about!
Way to go Devin! Remember to thank your parents for awesome genes.
WAIT. You have your test scores for this year already? I hate California.
And, YAY Devin!
That’s really great!
We’re going to need a follow-up post though.
I am curious as to what an irregular third grader spends $20 on at Toys’R'Us.
I’m still willing to bet it’ll be Pokemon or Yugi-oh cards.
Let me know when… and what… I have won for getting that right.
Way to go, Devin!! He’s the smartest of the smart kids – that’s wonderful!!
I am very proud of him
Congratulations!!
That is awesome! Way to go Devin!
Congrats Devin!!
The Princess is like this too, she got 150 points above what they had to have in their reading class to get all of the fun stuff. She got a lock in, a trip to the library (with icecream), a kareoke night, and a whole bunch of other crap.
She also got 1st prize in her whole grade for the science fair. I know you are sooo proud of your boy, just like I stare at her and think “OMG, what am I in for?”
Yeah Devin!!!
AWESOME!!! Glad you took the time to brag. I think anything less would be a rip-off.
I disagree entirely. Not about the smartest kids part (although mine are pretty darn smart, too), but about the not having anything to do with it thing.
Yes, the apparatus for basic intellect is inherited. But if you put one of those kids in a box, it never develops. Give yourself some credit for having nurtured your child into this happy situation.
We moms need to take credit where we can get it.
And the humility thing? I have a twenty something and I’m not seeing it yet…
I too have a very smart son who is gifted (a word I hate) and it can sometimes be a mixed blessing.
I love that your so proud of your kid, that’s so incredibly brilliant!
Wow that is fantastic. I be bragging my ass off!!
Oh. My. Goodness! How cool is that! I don’t blame you for bragging; I’d brag too!
My parents paid me (i.e. bribed me) for good grades in high school. Which, I’m pretty sure is the sole reason why I ever cracked open a book. Got me straight A’s. $200 bucks an A. I wish I was still in high school. Life was just so easy then.
p.s. your kid is totally the smartest. If it was by vote then hell yeah.
FCAT’s, rawr.
My kid is still into telling me her bum is cooler than my bum because it’s not hairy and it doesn’t bleed.
Maybe I’ll give her an award for the uh, most painful truth teller?
Yay! Devin! That’s awesome that he did so well.