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Yes, this will come off as the stupid mom post, but I can't help it..it has been eating me alive..I know I'm being silly, childish...even petty...but since you all know that this is how I am anyway 
I feel safe posting here.
Andrew entered an inventor's competition this year with a group of about 15 4th graders. He was very excited and decided to invent what he called the 'thumb saver'. This is a plastic device that you literally slide over your knife before putting it in the dishwasher. It covers the blade and tip and has holes drilled in it on both sides to allow the water to get in and wash the knife. He was inspired to invent this because Aidan is often getting in the dishwasher and grabbing the sharp knives. I honestly thought it was genius...and...it worked.
Yes, I'm the mom so of course I thought it was genius...but...it was great! He did a really good job on his log book and we took pictures of the whole process including him making the thumb saver. The day of the presentation to the judges, he was sick with a head cold, but I sent him to school anyway...I"m sure his being sick and having toilet paper sticking out of his nose (his preferred method to stop a runny nose
) didn't do much for the judges, but it doesn't take away from how great it all was.
After dropping him off at school I prayed "God, if you are out there..PLLLLEEEAAAAASE let him get one of the superior prizes....he just needs something positive....please!" Of course, the judges picked about 1/2 of the inventions as 'Superior' and his didn't win. I was disappointed for him, but I figured that the other inventions must have been great too and it had been a tough decision. Then at parent teacher conferences, I went and looked at all of the posters still up. Andrew's was one of the neatest posters btw. The thing is...the ones that won were just...not that good...at all! One girl won for improving on the shower caddy by adding a place to put your toothbrush. I kid you not! Her prototype (they all had to make them) was made of wood and was obviously drilled by an adult. OK...so the next one that won was an improved hocky stick...and the next one was a tractor that shoots out water and at the same time smooths out the water to make better ice for the home hockey arena...and the next one was a skateboard holder for the garage (interesting). One of the things that the inventions were supposed to be really judged on was the benefit of the invention to society...so there I was dumbfounded thinking...safety for children so they don't get poked with knives in the dishwasher or a hockey puck with an extra piece of wood on it to make it 'stronger'.
I have been really livid about this for days...I know I'm being childish...I know I'm being petty...Andrew isn't even really upset about this anymore....I just really am. He put so much into this and his poster, logbook and prototype were really awesome..and they were his own work.
Thanks for letting me complain.
kris
I feel safe posting here.Andrew entered an inventor's competition this year with a group of about 15 4th graders. He was very excited and decided to invent what he called the 'thumb saver'. This is a plastic device that you literally slide over your knife before putting it in the dishwasher. It covers the blade and tip and has holes drilled in it on both sides to allow the water to get in and wash the knife. He was inspired to invent this because Aidan is often getting in the dishwasher and grabbing the sharp knives. I honestly thought it was genius...and...it worked.
Yes, I'm the mom so of course I thought it was genius...but...it was great! He did a really good job on his log book and we took pictures of the whole process including him making the thumb saver. The day of the presentation to the judges, he was sick with a head cold, but I sent him to school anyway...I"m sure his being sick and having toilet paper sticking out of his nose (his preferred method to stop a runny nose
) didn't do much for the judges, but it doesn't take away from how great it all was.After dropping him off at school I prayed "God, if you are out there..PLLLLEEEAAAAASE let him get one of the superior prizes....he just needs something positive....please!" Of course, the judges picked about 1/2 of the inventions as 'Superior' and his didn't win. I was disappointed for him, but I figured that the other inventions must have been great too and it had been a tough decision. Then at parent teacher conferences, I went and looked at all of the posters still up. Andrew's was one of the neatest posters btw. The thing is...the ones that won were just...not that good...at all! One girl won for improving on the shower caddy by adding a place to put your toothbrush. I kid you not! Her prototype (they all had to make them) was made of wood and was obviously drilled by an adult. OK...so the next one that won was an improved hocky stick...and the next one was a tractor that shoots out water and at the same time smooths out the water to make better ice for the home hockey arena...and the next one was a skateboard holder for the garage (interesting). One of the things that the inventions were supposed to be really judged on was the benefit of the invention to society...so there I was dumbfounded thinking...safety for children so they don't get poked with knives in the dishwasher or a hockey puck with an extra piece of wood on it to make it 'stronger'.
I have been really livid about this for days...I know I'm being childish...I know I'm being petty...Andrew isn't even really upset about this anymore....I just really am. He put so much into this and his poster, logbook and prototype were really awesome..and they were his own work.
Thanks for letting me complain.
kris
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