The planets

So today the daughter and I got to talking about Mars, and how there used to be water but it all evaporated out into space. We then got talking about the formation of the solar system and all the planets and how life formed on earth, and so on. It was really kind of fun.

Then we started talking about Pluto and I showed her the most recent photos of it, and how no one really knew what it looked like two months ago, but now it's all available in great detail.

So from there, we found some youtube videos explaining the size of the planets, the distance between them, how the sun works and so on. She really liked it, especially the ones where the planets sang. So I let her watch a bunch more on her own.

When I came back, she was even more excited about it all. She declared we were gas giants and she was Jupiter and I was Saturn, and her doll was the earth. And mamma was the sun, of course. She told me earth was the only planet with water since Mars didn't have any. I reminded her that Saturn's rings were mostly ice and Europa is entirely covered in frozen water. When I asked if she knew that Europa was a moon of Jupiter she just replied Of course I know that. I was actually a bit surprised that she actually took in everything.

When I put her to bed tonight, she pretended we were in outer space wearing space suits and heading to the bathroom on a space station. She pointed out all the planets on the way there. When she got to bed, I told her there was only time for a very short story. When I finished, instead of asking for another, she asked me to tell her all about the planets. So I started with the Sun (which all planets need for energy – which I'm pretty sure isn't actually true), then on to from Mercury, all the way to Pluto. Since she was still awake I went on to Eris, the Oort cloud (I'd have mentioned the Kuiper belt if I knew how to pronounce it), and comets. She still wasn't asleep, so I brought up exoplanets and that just got her more excited. After that I was grasping at straws. Haley's comet. Solar and lunar eclipses...

One of the last things she said before she dozed off was I learned a lot today.

It made my heart melt a bit.

Superheros

Out of the blue one day the girl says Tell me a story about the hulk.

Now I know that she knows something about superheros. After all Spiderman was fixture at her nursery, with her being shown Spiderman cartoons (I've no idea which ones) on some of the off days. She recognises Superman and Batman and Spiderman and Wonderwoman, but beyond the cape means they can fly I'm not sure she knows what they're all about. All I can tell is that she knows just enough about superheros to understand that they are more like fairly tales or myths.

So I try to explain to her The hulk has anger problems and when he gets really upset he turns into a giant green rage monster. And feels the need to break things around him.
Also, when he gets mad he also loses his grammar and speaks about himself in the third person. He calls himself Hulk instead of Bruce – possibly it's a self esteem thing. So he says Hulk Smash instead of I'm so angry I could break things.

She pauses for a bit and thinks about what I said. And comes back with So after going to the loo he says Hulk wash hands! instead of I need to wash my hands.?

Clearly she seems to have gotten the basics of the Hulk.

Four year olds exposed: What happens one hour after your child wakes before you

What Happens One Hour

After Your Child Wakes Before You

First 10 minutes

She crawls into your bed & snuggles with your partner

The most redeeming factors of having a child is the hugs and snuggles. Needless to say, yours will climb over you to provide those sleepy hugs and snuggles to your partner.

20 minutes

You start getting kicked

As she starts making herself comfortable she adjusts repeatedly. You start getting kicked in the torso and crotch.

Also sometimes she will start singing to herself.

40 minutes

She goes upstairs

After crawling out of the bed and leaving the room, she goes somewhere. Eventually you start hearing thumping noises upstairs and assume she's playing with something.

As the noises get less and less recognisable, you and your partner debate who will get out of bed to find out what she's doing.

60 minutes & beyond

Your alarm goes off

If you're lucky you brought your phone with you so you could turn the alarm off. If not, your partner has the few extra minutes of sleep they argued for broken by trying to find your bloody phone.

Four different breakfast options sit on the table uneaten. Meanwhile, the child still denies she needs the loo.