Pavlov's Law(?) and Ava's "A"

In case you are not up on your history, Ivan Pavlov (1849 -1936) discovered that environmental events that previously had no relation to a given reflux, could trigger a reflex. He famously used a bell and a dog to prove his theory.

In pondering this most interesting experiment, it came to my attention that the same theory could be tested on children. (could it?)

Although I am not looking for my reflux to elicit the same reflex, the idea is somewhat similar.

I was certainly not the best student. Truth be told, I was a fair student at best. My parents were happy if I could pull out C's. However, in my defense, I hadn't learned proper study skills.

I am not going to stunt my kids with the same study "shortcomings". I am going to come up with a "trick" if you will, to help them remember what it is they have studied.

As per usual, Ava will be my guinea pig. My 9 year old is a sweet, and beautiful child. However, she needs a little extra help in the studying department. (She tends to lose attention while we study). I had to come up with a way to keep her attention. (a little stress should do it.)

I began with asking her a quiz question, holding up my 10 fingers, and slowly counting down for the answer. The number one would be followed by an arrogant ''buzzzzz".

It worked to a small degree....but we could do better. Hot sauce was next... just a tad, (on the tip of a tongue) for a wrong answer. That didn't work that well due to the fact that like her father, she likes to eat gross things. (the man puts hot sauce on his popcorn)

No, I had to come up with something better........

Let me take you back a year, when my spine decided it no longer wanted to hold my body up properly. (I sometimes think that the good lord afflicted me with this degenerative (and painful) disc disease, so the rest of my life doesn't seem so bad )

I was given what is know as a "Tens Unit". It is a small black, battery operated muscle stimulator. Four sticky electrodes are attached and the stimulation begins. (i wish it was as erotic as it reads). The point is to provide pain relief. (i wish it was safe to attach to my brain sometimes)

There are different dials that control speed, strength, etc. A slow gradual increase to get to the desired strength is the goal. It mostly feels like an an strong tickle. Now, if you turn it up too quickly, the feeling IS similiar to a little electrical shock. (I assume, by now, you all get where this is going)

It's the morning of the big test. Ava is sitting at the kitchen counter....book open. Ok, Ava baby. Close the book. I whip out the tens, sticky pads in hand. She agreed and lifts the back of her shirt. I apply 2 (out of 4) sticky's to her lower back....She is nervously excited to begin the quizzing process.

Question #1. CORRECT
Question#2. CORRECT
Question#3....uh oh....hesitation....umm..umm...umm... i don't know
ah ha..... zzzzzaaaaaaaaaapppppppppppppppp

"AHHHH" She yells (and giggles!)

This went on for the remainder of the studying....or about 20 minutes before we had to pack the books and truck it to school.

Ava came home that afternoon.....excited to run in the house and tell me that she only got one answer incorrect on her history test. She pretended that she was going to be electrocuted if she got an answer wrong.

She now asks for this with every study session. I tell her, "Ava, you are as smart as you are beautiful....and you dont need your crazy mom giving you elecrical shocks to prove it"

"Now hook that sucker up to Dad.....with the first snore...turn your dial to 10!"