An Ode to a Search Engine

     I am a lover of knowledge. I am a seeker of knowledge. This is a trait that I have blissfully passed down to Larger Child. He asks questions.  He asks a LOT of questions. These aren't the usual irritating questions of the average child, like "where do babies come from?" or the never ending string of "Why?"s that I have often feared but have never encountered.  He asks questions like, "Why do certain months have 30 days when others have 31?" Or, "What's the difference between a raven and a crow?" Or "Is there a world record for the longest fart?" (They can't all be thought provoking winners. Despite my best efforts to think of him as a mature exception to the rule, he IS still a six year old boy.) The POINT IS, he asks questions I often don't have the answers to.
    This brings me to one of my strongest parenting beliefs. If a child asks a reasonable, and real question, do everything in your power to answer it! Don't ever just say, "I don't know" and leave it at that. Your child is seeking knowledge.  He is wanting to learn something new.  Something has sparked his interest, and he wants to explore it to get a better understanding of the world around him.  Is there anything better to encourage?  So, I have made it a point that whenever possible, I answer the questions!
     Enter Google.com. HOW DID PARENTS DO THIS BEFORE GOOGLE?? I know that the Encyclopedia Brittanica or good old Funk and Wagnalls was in a lot of homes, but there were many homes that were reference book-less (gasp!). So, what did they do? Pack up the family and go to the local library? Maybe.  I do know one thing, I am so very grateful for the wealth of knowledge I have at my fingertips. If I am given a question I don't know the answer to right away, I just hop on the laptop or ipad and in less than three seconds, I can usually be on the track to an answer.
     Thank you Google for making me a better parent, and frankly a smarter individual. 
     Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes there is a record, and it is 59 seconds.