Think I need to sign my daughter up here!

[Seahorse]

My eldest daughter is 10. She's a bright kid and has always loved reading and science. She's just completely floored me though I had a site up on the 'puter that featured an 'F1' pea and she asked me if I was going to make one of my own. I mumbled something along the lines of 'eh? what? how?' and she launched into a lecture on Gregor Mendel and paintbrush pollination!

I'm sure it's bad form to brag about your kids but... blimey!

[Hazel at the Hill]

No, you do not need to sign your daughter up here - she is clearly waaaaaaay too clever for us!

[lainey lou]

Awww Seahorse, you must be so proud!

[momol]

My eldest daughter is 10. She's a bright kid and has always loved reading and science. She's just completely floored me though I had a site up on the 'puter that featured an 'F1' pea and she asked me if I was going to make one of my own. I mumbled something along the lines of 'eh? what? how?' and she launched into a lecture on Gregor Mendel and paintbrush pollination!

I'm sure it's bad form to brag about your kids but... blimey!

Seahorse,

It is your golden oppertunity to get her involve, buy her a brush and let her pollinate your squashes and she can even cross pollinate her own squash or pepper ... .
You could sign her in but she might not be interested .

[bluemoon]

The trouble with this faffing about with peas is that it takes two years before you see any results - waaaaaaay too long for your average kid. And probably way too long for your average monk too, there is a rumour that Mendel really did his initial experiments with mice, (new generation every 6 weeks) but couldn't admit it because, being a man of God, he dare not be seen to be meddling in God's work (though I've never understood why peas should be thought of as any better) So, unless you want a garden over-run by rodents bred by an impatient 10 year old, I'd nip it in the bud now. Either way, by the time her F1 generation are ready she'll probably have moved on to nuclear physics and you really don't want to be encouraging kitchen experiments in that now, do you?

PS. There are a fair few good books published which help kids set up their own projects like this, have a look around your bookshop to find one that appeals. A mum who's interested is always a big help to a child I always think, and saves the dreadful mess that I recall our cellar became when I sneaked down there aged 10 and turned it into my 'laboratory'

[Flummery]

Encourage her. Buy her a paintbrush! I started my science experiments making soap in the kitchen. The flask bubbled a little too vigorously and fell onto the kitchen floor and smashed. After picking out the glass, though, the resulting puddle of flurp didn't half clean the floor. Result!

[Seahorse]

I've ordered this book for us to have a go!

Amazon.co.uk: Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's and Farmers Guide to Plant Breeding and Seed Saving: Books: Carol Deppe

[Nicos]

Remember to tell her teacher on parents evening!!!!