Full Moon Fever

I can't sleep. It's the moon.

I've had two separate conversations with kids this week about the phases of the moon. This evening, I was walking my dog and my 5 year old neighbor, Gus joined me. As we were walking back into our driveway, I caught a glimpse of the moon, nearly full, rising just over the roof top of the house next door. "Look, Gus...the moon." "Ohhh, pretty," Gus replied. "How come sometimes you can see the whole thing and sometimes you can only see part of it?" Gus wondered aloud. This immediately brought me back to a conversation I had had with my six year old only days before. As I explained once again the concept of shadowing and reflection and the sun, a puzzled look came over Gus' face. I wanted to run into the house to grab a flashlight and a tennis ball and an orange so I could show him what I meant. The teacher in me was ready to execute a full blown science lesson. But he was gone. He got what he needed and I was left standing in the driveway. Yet another reminder that I am not the teacher. Phew, what a relief.