My daughter Lainey is 6 years old, and I love her. Like sports fans across the world, we have watched tons of Olympics coverage this week.

“Go, USA! Go, USA!” Lainey chanted, waving her mini flag at the television.

“Lainey!” I yelled. “Get out of the way! I can’t see!”

Lainey moved just in time to see match point of a volleyball game.

“Did we win?” Lainey asked.

“Yep!” I smiled.

“Oh, yeah!” Lainey cheered.

Next up was a diving competition. Lainey awed at a few splashes and then asked, “What country is she from?”

“China,” my wife said.

“Boo, China! Go, USA!”

“You know where China is, Lainey?” my wife asked. “Go get the globe.”

Lainey grabbed the globe and I pointed to China. Then Lainey found Boston and slowly traced her finger back to China.

“Whoa, that’s far,” Lainey smiled.

The next athlete was from South Africa.

“Okay, Lainey,” I said, “You can find Africa, right?”

Lainey nodded and pointed to Australia. Nope. She pointed to South America. Nope. Then Australia again.

“Lainey!” I sighed. “Read! Africa’s a different continent.”

Continents were huge masses of land, I explained.

“Is this it?” Lainey pointed.

I nodded. “Now go south. Is south up, down, left or right, Lainey?”

On her third try, she guessed correctly, and her finger moved down the globe to South Africa.

“Good job!” I smiled.

The next athlete was from Canada. Lainey was clueless. I sighed in frustration.

“Come on, Lainey,” I groaned. “That’s an easy one!”

The next athlete was from Latvia.

“Got that one, Ry?” my wife smiled.

“Uh,” I mumbled and scoured the globe.

Lainey giggled, “Come on, Dad!”

Still looking.

“When’s gymnastics on?” Lainey wondered. Bored of the globe, she performed a floor exercise on the living room rug. Ending with her arms high in the air.

“Found it!” I smiled.

Got to love the Olympics. They bring the family together, boost patriotism and exercise, and educate us. I just wish they were on more often.

To think, the next time we watch an Olympic swimming final, Lainey will be 10 years old and going into the fifth grade! By then she’ll find countries on the globe way faster than I can. Which isn’t saying much.

Go, USA!