At the risk of being sued by the network for violating their copyright on the show’s name, I want to ask you, are you smarter than a 5th grader? Think about it. What did you know then and what do you know now? Depending on your age, you could have the advantage (or disadvantage) of decades in between those two ages. Without giving away my chronological data (grin), here is my answer to the question.
What I knew in 5th grade
The pain of leaving old friends hurts but it’s made up for by making new friends. Moving every two years always made me “the new kid” and I remember those people who reached out to welcome me. I didn’t know the word “karma” back then but I knew intuitively that kindness made a circle.
What I know now
Adults nurse grudges, pick sides, and form cliques which are slow to let in others.
What I knew in 5th grade
Adults had all the answers. Or they acted like they did. And they didn’t appreciate it if you pointed out that they were wrong. Especially if they were wearing a uniform.
What I know now
It is almost impossible to know the right answer to all of life’s questions. Sometimes you don’t even know the answer to “what is today’s date?” or “what’s for dinner?”
What I knew in 5th grade
Hard work is rewarded. It started with gold stars in kindergarten and graduated to report cards in elementary school.
What I know now
In some companies, hard work is less important than office politics. Slackers get a paycheck just like everyone else. And companies that aren’t smart and can’t compete get a federal bailout.
What I knew in 5th grade
My parents loved me and felt it was important to raise a child to be hard-working, honest and kind.
What I know now
Too many kids are raised with a sense of entitlement and a lack of appreciation for hard work. Parents are busy and stressed and think they are doing their kids a favor by bullying the teacher into changing their math grade.
So, I think that even at 10 years old, I knew some pretty important stuff. I might have forgotten the capitals of all the states (do they even teach that in school anymore??) but I try not to forget the important life lessons. And some wisdom does seep in over the years. So, if you happen to see me around town, don’t ask me the capital of North Dakota, but do ask me if I have been kind to someone today.
