Penny for Your Thoughts

Lainey was playing a math game on the iPad where she needed to identify different coins. For some reason, that still mystifies Mark and me, she could not determine between a nickel and a penny. It was only when it showed the back sides, so our assumption is she was confusing the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, but c’mon…the penny is the ONLY “brown” coin!

Mark tried to help explain it to her, but Lainey knows everything and doesn’t need help from anyone, so he finally gave up and walked away. And Nick walked in…and immediately started correctly identifying the coins. I was completely shocked, because I had no idea Nick had learned anything about money, but he was all over it. After several turns for Nick, Lainey took back over, but STILL misidentified the pennies and nickels. After a few wrong choices, Nick called to me, in an all-business voice, “Mom! Bring me a penny!” I held out a handful of coins, and he correctly selected the penny, which he firmly gripped between his finger and thumb and then thrust it about three inches from Lainey’s face. “THIS is a penny, Lainey. See it? It’s brown! It’s the ONLY one that’s BROWN!” Then he slammed the coin on the table and stomped out of the kitchen.

I know we’ve often joked that Lainey is really smart and Nick has such a “great personality,” but seems Nick’s wheels are turning pretty fast up there. He may keep Lainey on her toes after all…