And now for a little whimsy.

As the school year winds down each year, teachers in some districts have to submit grades while school is still in session. They are left with the challenge of keeping their students occupied with academic-related activities those last few days even though they don’t “count.” My teacher-daughter likes to give her elementary language arts students a list of incomplete aphorisms to complete. If they know the saying, fine; if not, they’re to think up something logical to finish the statement.

While the proverbs are common in the adult world, fifth-graders might not always be familiar with them. I had the privilege of reading through some of their worksheets recently.  The responses were often hilarious while simultaneously being clever and pithy in their simple “truthiness.” She gave me permission to share some of them here.

All work and no play . . . can bore you to death.
All that glitters . . . is shiny.
Do as I say . . . and you will be safe.
A man’s home is . . . where his guns are.
Absence makes the heart . . . empty.
Do unto others as . . . you would do to yourself.
Don’t count your chickens . . . by their feathers but by their heads.

Give a man an inch and . . . he’ll walk all over you.
Good fences make . . . safe sheep.
The grass is greener . . . when it rains.
Beggars can’t be . . . givers.
Let sleeping dogs . . . sleep or they will be cranky.
Money is the root of . . . success.
No news is . . . true.

The bigger they are . . . the better.
Every cloud has . . . water.
When a door closes . . . go through the back door.
Enough is as good as . . . too much.
Those who live in glass houses . . . can be seen easily.
Out of the frying pan . . . onto the plate.
What’s good for the goose is . . . laying eggs.

The pen is mightier than . . . iron bars.
A bird in the hand . . . can peck you.
Don’t put all your eggs . . . in the coop.
Early to bed, early to rise . . . makes a man energized.
A friend in need . . . will be with you forever.
Too many cooks . . . eat all the leftovers.
When the cat’s away . . . the dog comes to stay.

You can catch more flies with . . . nets than with jars.
The grass is greener . . . because of chlorophyll.
Money is the root . . . of the tree.
A rolling stone . . . does not stop.
A bird in the hand . . . will make a mess.
All work and no play . . . will make you tired.
You can catch more flies . . . with frogs.