With parenting comes an immediate myopic point of view about our children and our life. We all tend to care, nurture and focus on ours and our alone. It’s instinctive and natural even as we teach to our children the values of sharing, an awareness of others and gratitude for what we may have that others do not. In this cinema, it can be a bit easy to miss the everyday miracles that come with child development. I was recently stuck by two exchanges with and by my two daughters that lead me to believe their language skills may be ‘well developed’ on any scale. I note that not as a brag, but as an observation and a reminder that I heed to see beyond the immeidate and find ways to help them extend these abilities.
Chipper (2)
The Lady arrived and was greeted as cheerful as ever by the little one. A dialogue started immediately as Chipper was asking about ‘playing chalkboard.” As is the custom, Lady’s response and speech was all in Russian. Chipper listened, spoke some more, the Lady did, too. Without breaking cadence or verbals stride, Chipper said, “No, it’s not black, It’s red. Let me show you,” as she trotted off toward her room.
I stood awe how they communicate and dance between the two languages without missing a beat. Chipper doesn’t speak a lot of it, but she clearly comprehends a second tongue. SO does her sister. I think I need to learn Russian real quick.
Skipper (6)
The girls got “Cooper” the bear for Christmas. He’s cute and fuzzy but his best trick is when you read “his” books to him. Certain sentences (printed in red) prompt him to respond or reply making the story and the stuffed animal “interactive.” It’s a cool feature and a nice toy that has encouraged Skipper to read aloud to both the bear and, more and more, her little sister.
Last night we’re messing about, getting ready for bed when the wee one found Cooper and switched him on. Without prompt, provocation or script, Skipper shouted (as she does!) an exact line to which Cooper responded. She did this four times. Not the same line, but four different, exact memorized statements from the books. Somehow, and much to my own amazement, she pulled the right words from her mind so Cooper would perform. Now, I don’t know a whole lot about child development and/or memorization but to me that’s almost freaky.
Like so many other parenting moments, I was left standing there with nothing to say.
