A mother to a 20 year old will probably think my following statement is a joke – Jonathan is quite the little man, he is! At Almost three years of age he has become quite an independent and sometimes headstrong boy! The mother to the 20 year old will however totally agree with my second statement – boy! But how time flies (especially when you are having fun!).
Jonathan can no longer answer to the title of a toddler! He is a real boy. He is almost three years old (the big 3 is in two weeks actually) and already so grown!
It’s not just the fact that he is almost 1 meter tall, he has developed a unique personality and he is growing to understand his own worth. This especially comes out in his ever increasing show of independence – he wants to get things done by himself, without mommy’s help (unless he asks for it), he wants to be left alone (ordering me to go away when I bother him or interfere with him too much) and he takes his own decisions too. Puberty has never started this early… nah, just kidding! But the kids of today are definitely not the kids of yesterday… here are 5 examples of occurrences marking Jonathan’s ever increasing independence.
1 – Jonathan has taken to trying and helping me with the house work. He wants to help me with the washing, shoving all the dirty clothes into the machine (especially the ones he takes off before a bath). He wants to help me pour the soap for the machine and he is the one to turn it on after everything is ready. He also likes to clean the toilet with the special brush intended for it (ordering me to leave when I try to stop him) and he likes to wash the floors too, mop and all!
When it comes to his DVD’s, his clothes and his shoes, he will always keep things tidy – returning each DVD back to its box before playing another (did I mention he operates the DVD and video in our home and his grandmothers all by himself?) his shoes are always returned to their place at the entrance of our home. Its only his toys that are always thrown about in the enthusiasm of play and are never returned – we are however working to tiding up his toys at home, jus like he must do (and already does) in kindergarten.
I cannot complain in general as Jonathan is generally a good boy and obedient. He is also a fast learner and one to try and set things right. On more than one occasion, when something broke, and especially if Jonathan has cause the breaking or tearing, he reacts to the scolding with a sad and pitiful face and then immediately runs to our stationary drawer and fetched the sticky tape – so that the broken item can be fixed. With books and other papers the solution works nicely, and he must have gotten the idea from witnessing me taping up his torn books more than once, but it was especially cute to see how his thinking works when he brought me the tape after he has accidentally broken a CD trying to get it out of its box. My husband says Jonathan also brought him the tape to fix a torn item.
2 - To top it all off, yesterday Jonathan helped me cook for the first time. The elaborate dish was just pasta but nevertheless Jonathan stirred the water and past in the pot and stood on a chair watching as the pasta cooked. He then ate the pasta he cooked for dinner. He liked to pour his own drink, helping me prepare juice for him or even getting water quire independently from the dispenser in our fringe (one Saturday morning I found 4 plastic cups filled with cold water in our living room, and not a drop spilled on the way from the kitchen and the refrigerator to where the cups stood). In the kitchen department he also insists on making his own slice of bread with chocolate, applying a butter knife to the chocolate cream and spreading it on his bread. When I try to assist him in any of these tasks he always wants to do it alone – the word “me” has become the most used word of his vocabulary. But he will ask for help if he does not succeeded or if he feels he has taken on too much, thus we usually pour apple juice form the juice bottle into a cup or Jonathans drinking bottle together. Together is in fact probably his second most used word of his vocabulary. He still likes my company and wants me to join in on almost everything he does. Ordering me how to go about joining his games.
3 – As much as he likes to do things alone, he is very impatient and has a short interest span; if he does not succeed in his task quickly he will whine his frustration and call for my help. He is also very aware of my schedule. Only this week I came late from work and my mother was babysitting. Jonathan noticed that the evening’s chores (such as eat9ing, getting a bath and going to bed) were conducted without me. My mother said he started looking for me, and even though my husband called me and I spoke to Jonathan on the phone, my mother claims he still felt quite lost without me and kept wondering about the house, eventually only falling asleep in my bed.
4 – His dependence only goes so far. Sometimes he likes to have the house to himself. Two weeks ago I was so exhausted that I fell asleep in my room although Jonathan was not taking his nap and my husband was out. I rarely leave Jonathan like this, and he immediately took advantage of the situation by watching the Simpsons on DVD, fully knowing that when I am awake he is not allowed to watch it (at 3 years of age a bit to young for the Simpsons in my opinion). I found him out when I got up and scolded him. The nest day, on Saturday morning Jonathan came tip toeing into out bedroom. On Saturdays (and every day actually) Jonathan usually wakes us up. This time he peeked at us to make sure we were asleep (stretching his neck to get a good look…the works) and then he left us to “sleep” some more (un aware that I was awake and had seen him through semi closed eyes) and happily returned alone to the living room to watch the Simpsons yet again. I decided that such cunning at the age of 3 deserves a reward, and thus he got to watch the Simpsons for about 30minutes ad I got to nap for an additional, precious half an hour. I might have allowed him a longer period of time has I not heard noises that distinctly told me that Jonathan was trying to get to his favorite serials, which are placed on top of the refrigerator. Leaving him alone in this effort was simply too much for my maternal instincts and I finally (if somewhat regretfully) got up to help him.
5 - Climbing on a chair to get to some forbidden food is by now routine. But the chairs are getting higher and from the chair in the kitchen he is already moving freely onto the marble. This is how he reaches his chips snacks. As a child I used to get to things in the kitchen using the same methods, especially to dishes that were stacked in the higher cupboards. I am considering lowering Jonathan’s plates (his cups are already in a new and low location) to spare him the need to continue to climb all over my kitchen. He has also started climbing on the chest in his room to get to the cream on it, which he likes to apply to my tummy (always after I apply it to his face…).
It is sometimes hard to remember that Jonathan is still just a boy of three. That he still needs his mommy and daddy so much! With other babies being born around us (family and friends) he just seems so big! So grown! So independent! Every time he does something smart, that shows thinking and learning processes, my heart bursts with pride. He may only be just three years old, but my time is too short! Soon he will not listen to me anymore! Time does fly! Jonathan is still an only child, and he has my undivided attention. And we both need to make the most of it.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
A haircut
Since the first time we has lice in his kindergarten and also because of the hot summer, Jonathan has had his hair cut twice by our initiative and once at his own request.
I took Jonathan twice to cut his hair. The first time he moved and shook his head frantically and wanted only mommy and I has to hold him and the hair dresser has to work around and despite the shaking head (she was great! If anyone needs a haircut in Givatayim, Israel I am happy to recommend) and both I and the hair dresser got hair all over our clothes.
The second time was not so tragic. Jonathan enjoyed sitting on the chair, getting put up higher on it (for the hair dresser’s convenience) and he shook his head only a little when she actually started cutting. This time I remained clean.
My husband told me that he took Jonathan with him last week to the barber, because my husband wanted a haircut. After the barber was done my husband wanted to pay and leave, but then Jonathan sat on the chair of his own initiative and clearly shown everyone in the room that he too wants his hair cut - just like daddy. The barber agreed to cut his hair and so Jonathan got his third haircut. My husband reports the boy behaved impeccably!
I took Jonathan twice to cut his hair. The first time he moved and shook his head frantically and wanted only mommy and I has to hold him and the hair dresser has to work around and despite the shaking head (she was great! If anyone needs a haircut in Givatayim, Israel I am happy to recommend) and both I and the hair dresser got hair all over our clothes.
The second time was not so tragic. Jonathan enjoyed sitting on the chair, getting put up higher on it (for the hair dresser’s convenience) and he shook his head only a little when she actually started cutting. This time I remained clean.
My husband told me that he took Jonathan with him last week to the barber, because my husband wanted a haircut. After the barber was done my husband wanted to pay and leave, but then Jonathan sat on the chair of his own initiative and clearly shown everyone in the room that he too wants his hair cut - just like daddy. The barber agreed to cut his hair and so Jonathan got his third haircut. My husband reports the boy behaved impeccably!
Learning and Logic
Jonathan is improving daily in his ability to learn by heart and remember. It’s really amazing to see his cognitive abilities and his logic developing. Weather he tells me a story, sings a song or recognizes letters the magic is a combination of seeing him improve as well as witnessing his true enjoyment in his discoveries and achievements.
Watching Jonathan at the playground is pure joy. He improves and climbs higher each time. He is strong and his movements become smoother, so I have nothing to fear. He demands my attention because he likes that I climb and play with him – I never was the kind of mom to sit down in a playground. We were enjoying a break on the swings when a woman began to rock a baby nearby and to sing to it. Jonathan simply joined her in song. He sings the tune correctly and gets a lot of the sounds even if he does not get the words.
He demonstrated the same”sing song” and learning by heart by “reading” a story to me at bedtime. He took the book, recognized the picture and the scene represented in it and he started telling me the story instead of my reading it to him.
Jonathan’s reading ability is even more amazing, he recognizes letters on a keyboard. He has a DVD disk that entails the Hebrew alphabet and each letter is represented with some and cute characters. He looked at my laptop, pointed to 3 certain letters and sang the correct song from the DVD to match each letter. I am certain that if I thought him the letters names he would get them to in a short while. Although his speech has much to be desired for his age, he is able to naturally switch from Hebrew to German, depending to which parent he is talking and his vocabulary in both languages is growing, so we are not concerned. After all children growing up with two languages have twice as much information to learn. So in an “absolute” number of words, Jonathan is doing well. It’s nice to see him switch the languages so naturally, it would seam he has inherited his mothers talent.
His love of music and DVD takes the boy also to higher cultural themes – such as the Disney cartoon of “Peter and the Wolf”. Jonathan loves the short film and the music (original Prokofiev). Recently he has taken to singing the tunes (he especially loves the wolf and the bird) and as he sings he walks like the character – arms high to enlarge himself and teeth bared for the wolf and hopping about and waving with his hands for the bird. As he sings these classical tunes in the street I am proud to be walking by such a cultural little boy… not that I can walk for long – he wants me to join in the game and soon I am singing and walking like a wolf too.
His love of animals has not abated and he loves to recognize them and make sounds. He can do so in Hebrew and German very well. To card pictures, books and coloring pages we have now added the computer, Yep! My boy has joined the multimedia generation. All kindergartens support a computer today. He already holds the mouse correctly and delicately, as if born to it. The keyboard is another story – he just bangs it and waits to see which key will make the computer do something. The children’s games are based on lack of keyboard knowledge and so Jonathan can switch between animal cartoons and make animal sounds in front of the screen, banging at the keyboard to his heart’s content. I dedicated an old computer and an old keyboard to his use, so I am speared the heartache of seeing good equipment ruined and abuse by children.
The bad side of Jonathan’s cognitive improvement is the fact that I can no longer make him happy as easily. If it as once relatively easy to turn his interest to something else when crying, to distract him or to even bribe him in order to achieve a certain point, it is now harder. He is more independent, harder to stop or control when he wishes something (he just gets a chair, opens the freezer, positions the chair and takes the ice cream, so putting it higher up is not longer as effective, or he just turns on the TV and puts a DVD for himself with no need of assistance, like in the past) and the negotiation with him for his attention and obedience is becoming more sophisticated. He is also regretfully learning to throw a tantrum. This feature was simply not in his arsenal when he was smaller and now going to bed is a fight because the combination of not getting his will (to continue watching "The Simpsons" – his favorite new DVD series) and being literally exhausted simply brings out the worst of tantrums. The bottle is in many ways still our savior because it calms him down – so even though he never needed a pacifier he is “pushing 3 years of age” I am hanging on to the baby bottles as a mean of pacifying him. I am not concerned with this because I like to drink form a water bottle even today and the way I see it eventually we will simply change his bottles to more grown up formats. Until then, he may continue to enjoy the privilege of suckling on a baby bottle and I get relative peace and quiet.
But I must end on a positive note. His memory is also improving and Jonathan is showing very sweet connections between things. I recently changed the carton in which his DVD’s are placed. The older carton was just too small and tearing at the edges. The older carton however found a new destiny. Jonathan is being potty trained. He wears diapers only at nights and underwear in the day time. He has gotten the part of peeing in a “small toilet” chair like potty, but the bulkier stuff he still does in his pants… As he likes to choose which diaper to wear every night (selecting them according to animal images Pampers pit on the front), I opened the package and placed the diapers in the carton that used to be the DVD carton. Today, Jonathan recognized the old box and immediately emptied it of the diapers and took it back to the living room and returned all the DVD’s into their “right” box- tidying up, correcting the mistaken use of the box (he is a boy who likes his things in their place and remembers where to find them). It was nice to see that even though the new arrangement is already a few days old, he remembers the old box correctly. I later returned things back to their new place and I hope he will accept the new order.
His manners are those of a natural German. He always says “thank you” when you give him something and “please” when he gives you something (which is the Hebrew way of saying you are welcome to what ever it is that is being given you) nicely. He forgets to say “please” when asking for something because he is still demanding, but that we trust will improve with time. The kindergarten teachers say he is always putting things nicely away, that he is sweet tempered and obedient and even I have heard him say “bless you” to me when I sneeze of cough in his presence. To sum it up – everyone agrees he is just a cute little boy! A sweety!
Watching Jonathan at the playground is pure joy. He improves and climbs higher each time. He is strong and his movements become smoother, so I have nothing to fear. He demands my attention because he likes that I climb and play with him – I never was the kind of mom to sit down in a playground. We were enjoying a break on the swings when a woman began to rock a baby nearby and to sing to it. Jonathan simply joined her in song. He sings the tune correctly and gets a lot of the sounds even if he does not get the words.
He demonstrated the same”sing song” and learning by heart by “reading” a story to me at bedtime. He took the book, recognized the picture and the scene represented in it and he started telling me the story instead of my reading it to him.
Jonathan’s reading ability is even more amazing, he recognizes letters on a keyboard. He has a DVD disk that entails the Hebrew alphabet and each letter is represented with some and cute characters. He looked at my laptop, pointed to 3 certain letters and sang the correct song from the DVD to match each letter. I am certain that if I thought him the letters names he would get them to in a short while. Although his speech has much to be desired for his age, he is able to naturally switch from Hebrew to German, depending to which parent he is talking and his vocabulary in both languages is growing, so we are not concerned. After all children growing up with two languages have twice as much information to learn. So in an “absolute” number of words, Jonathan is doing well. It’s nice to see him switch the languages so naturally, it would seam he has inherited his mothers talent.
His love of music and DVD takes the boy also to higher cultural themes – such as the Disney cartoon of “Peter and the Wolf”. Jonathan loves the short film and the music (original Prokofiev). Recently he has taken to singing the tunes (he especially loves the wolf and the bird) and as he sings he walks like the character – arms high to enlarge himself and teeth bared for the wolf and hopping about and waving with his hands for the bird. As he sings these classical tunes in the street I am proud to be walking by such a cultural little boy… not that I can walk for long – he wants me to join in the game and soon I am singing and walking like a wolf too.
His love of animals has not abated and he loves to recognize them and make sounds. He can do so in Hebrew and German very well. To card pictures, books and coloring pages we have now added the computer, Yep! My boy has joined the multimedia generation. All kindergartens support a computer today. He already holds the mouse correctly and delicately, as if born to it. The keyboard is another story – he just bangs it and waits to see which key will make the computer do something. The children’s games are based on lack of keyboard knowledge and so Jonathan can switch between animal cartoons and make animal sounds in front of the screen, banging at the keyboard to his heart’s content. I dedicated an old computer and an old keyboard to his use, so I am speared the heartache of seeing good equipment ruined and abuse by children.
The bad side of Jonathan’s cognitive improvement is the fact that I can no longer make him happy as easily. If it as once relatively easy to turn his interest to something else when crying, to distract him or to even bribe him in order to achieve a certain point, it is now harder. He is more independent, harder to stop or control when he wishes something (he just gets a chair, opens the freezer, positions the chair and takes the ice cream, so putting it higher up is not longer as effective, or he just turns on the TV and puts a DVD for himself with no need of assistance, like in the past) and the negotiation with him for his attention and obedience is becoming more sophisticated. He is also regretfully learning to throw a tantrum. This feature was simply not in his arsenal when he was smaller and now going to bed is a fight because the combination of not getting his will (to continue watching "The Simpsons" – his favorite new DVD series) and being literally exhausted simply brings out the worst of tantrums. The bottle is in many ways still our savior because it calms him down – so even though he never needed a pacifier he is “pushing 3 years of age” I am hanging on to the baby bottles as a mean of pacifying him. I am not concerned with this because I like to drink form a water bottle even today and the way I see it eventually we will simply change his bottles to more grown up formats. Until then, he may continue to enjoy the privilege of suckling on a baby bottle and I get relative peace and quiet.
But I must end on a positive note. His memory is also improving and Jonathan is showing very sweet connections between things. I recently changed the carton in which his DVD’s are placed. The older carton was just too small and tearing at the edges. The older carton however found a new destiny. Jonathan is being potty trained. He wears diapers only at nights and underwear in the day time. He has gotten the part of peeing in a “small toilet” chair like potty, but the bulkier stuff he still does in his pants… As he likes to choose which diaper to wear every night (selecting them according to animal images Pampers pit on the front), I opened the package and placed the diapers in the carton that used to be the DVD carton. Today, Jonathan recognized the old box and immediately emptied it of the diapers and took it back to the living room and returned all the DVD’s into their “right” box- tidying up, correcting the mistaken use of the box (he is a boy who likes his things in their place and remembers where to find them). It was nice to see that even though the new arrangement is already a few days old, he remembers the old box correctly. I later returned things back to their new place and I hope he will accept the new order.
His manners are those of a natural German. He always says “thank you” when you give him something and “please” when he gives you something (which is the Hebrew way of saying you are welcome to what ever it is that is being given you) nicely. He forgets to say “please” when asking for something because he is still demanding, but that we trust will improve with time. The kindergarten teachers say he is always putting things nicely away, that he is sweet tempered and obedient and even I have heard him say “bless you” to me when I sneeze of cough in his presence. To sum it up – everyone agrees he is just a cute little boy! A sweety!
Monday, June 14, 2010
New Vocabulary
Jonathan is a bit behind on his speech if you ask the doctors, we even went through some hearing tests with him and he refuse to articulate one verb in the children nurse’s presence. Still he clearly learns new things every day.
We are at the stage that he imitates words I say – even if not exactly – and he even corrects himself if I repeat the words often and slowly enough, thus insisting on having a response from him, while also training his hearing to the correct articulation. He also can answer in Hebrew regarding a matter being discussed in German in his presence, or the opposite (does not happen often). He knows that mommy talks in one language (Hebrew) and that a conversation with daddy is conducted in another language (German). He clearly uses the suitable language at the right occasion.
When he is counting he likes to switch between the two languages for fun. He knows how to count to ten in both languages. It’s a game in which he says one number, I the next and then he says the following number and so on. If he switches languages during such a counting session, so do I. He is always leading, and I am responding.
He invents songs to suit his purpose. For example, he says the blessing for food, which he has been taught in kindergarten, changing the sentence that specifies what is being eaten. This is his way of requesting a particular item for his dinner. Sometimes he just changes the words of a beloved tune because his thoughts are preoccupied with something else. This is why he recently has been seen repeating sing the word “balloon” again and again to the tune of a simple nursery rhyme. Singing is also a great way to get my attention, because he knows I will smile and nod at his song and even join in, singing the words with him or dancing the steps as the song requires.
As Jonathan has to cope with two languages he may be indeed a little behind in his use of each one. Only recently did he start using verbs in a direct form (not infinitive). His first full sentence was “I want a hug”! Oh boy! Did he get a hug that day! You bet! Other speech pearls include: No way!” (in Hebrew: lo, ma pitom), come play (boi lesachek), encouraging words (kadima!), self congratulations (kol hakavod, or just hakavod or the latest addition “mezuyan” for well done!) while clapping his hands together, clear requests (saying, crying or screaming the word please – tone dependant on situation), saying thank you every time you give him something (“toda raba” in Hebrew to mommy and “danke” to daddy)- my boy is very polite! Just last weekend he made a request communicating a series of actions that was to bring him towards his target. He showed me that we need to leave the house and use the car to get to grandma (he generally connect the car with the drive to my parent’s home).
With a combination of actions and words he communicates what he needs. He uses simple means but he gets the message through. Pointing to my shoes and even taking them off is a signal that I have come home, must stay and relax. He likes to do this when I return from work, so show me his wish that I now stay home (with him). His negotiation skills are also becoming more varied, as his vocabulary increases. His first negotiation skill was to use tears, trying to wail me into giving him what he wants. Now he tries to get things in small doses, working on the concept of many small additions will eventually amount to some volume. Thus the expressions “just one more” or “the very last one” (in Hebrew “acharon chaviv”), “another one? Yes?” )in Hebrew “od echad, ken?” and “is that OK? (beseder?) are becoming more frequent.
I will give him lets say one balloon, then he requests another and I refuse. He insists, wailing and not letting go of the subject until I agree to one more. He takes it and then works on the nest one, just one more, he tries, last one. Yes? or maybe he will attack with “the very very last one, OK? It takes a woman made of iron to refuse such cute requests, all the more so when he so politely adds, please (bevakasha balon) and then says “thank you very much” (toda raba) so nicely once he is given what is was (the balloon) that he requested.
We are at the stage that he imitates words I say – even if not exactly – and he even corrects himself if I repeat the words often and slowly enough, thus insisting on having a response from him, while also training his hearing to the correct articulation. He also can answer in Hebrew regarding a matter being discussed in German in his presence, or the opposite (does not happen often). He knows that mommy talks in one language (Hebrew) and that a conversation with daddy is conducted in another language (German). He clearly uses the suitable language at the right occasion.
When he is counting he likes to switch between the two languages for fun. He knows how to count to ten in both languages. It’s a game in which he says one number, I the next and then he says the following number and so on. If he switches languages during such a counting session, so do I. He is always leading, and I am responding.
He invents songs to suit his purpose. For example, he says the blessing for food, which he has been taught in kindergarten, changing the sentence that specifies what is being eaten. This is his way of requesting a particular item for his dinner. Sometimes he just changes the words of a beloved tune because his thoughts are preoccupied with something else. This is why he recently has been seen repeating sing the word “balloon” again and again to the tune of a simple nursery rhyme. Singing is also a great way to get my attention, because he knows I will smile and nod at his song and even join in, singing the words with him or dancing the steps as the song requires.
As Jonathan has to cope with two languages he may be indeed a little behind in his use of each one. Only recently did he start using verbs in a direct form (not infinitive). His first full sentence was “I want a hug”! Oh boy! Did he get a hug that day! You bet! Other speech pearls include: No way!” (in Hebrew: lo, ma pitom), come play (boi lesachek), encouraging words (kadima!), self congratulations (kol hakavod, or just hakavod or the latest addition “mezuyan” for well done!) while clapping his hands together, clear requests (saying, crying or screaming the word please – tone dependant on situation), saying thank you every time you give him something (“toda raba” in Hebrew to mommy and “danke” to daddy)- my boy is very polite! Just last weekend he made a request communicating a series of actions that was to bring him towards his target. He showed me that we need to leave the house and use the car to get to grandma (he generally connect the car with the drive to my parent’s home).
With a combination of actions and words he communicates what he needs. He uses simple means but he gets the message through. Pointing to my shoes and even taking them off is a signal that I have come home, must stay and relax. He likes to do this when I return from work, so show me his wish that I now stay home (with him). His negotiation skills are also becoming more varied, as his vocabulary increases. His first negotiation skill was to use tears, trying to wail me into giving him what he wants. Now he tries to get things in small doses, working on the concept of many small additions will eventually amount to some volume. Thus the expressions “just one more” or “the very last one” (in Hebrew “acharon chaviv”), “another one? Yes?” )in Hebrew “od echad, ken?” and “is that OK? (beseder?) are becoming more frequent.
I will give him lets say one balloon, then he requests another and I refuse. He insists, wailing and not letting go of the subject until I agree to one more. He takes it and then works on the nest one, just one more, he tries, last one. Yes? or maybe he will attack with “the very very last one, OK? It takes a woman made of iron to refuse such cute requests, all the more so when he so politely adds, please (bevakasha balon) and then says “thank you very much” (toda raba) so nicely once he is given what is was (the balloon) that he requested.
The Era of “I”
Jonathan has reached the golden age of “I”. He must do everything himself, or complain heavily when it’s not possible. This leaves me with three probable scenarios: he really does it alone; we do it together or tears.
The precious combination of words “only me” (spoken in Hebrew with left our consonants – something like “onnimi” in English) are now Jonathan’s bread and butter. He has reached an age in which he constantly wants to exercise his independence, and not only that – he enjoys expressing his wish to do so.
As his mother, I want o encourage this independence, to give him a chance to try things out and yet, I walk the thin line of not going totally nuts every time he spills chocolate (very hard to remove stain) on a white shirt, tosses sand all over the house in an effort to remove his shoes himself and spilling soup just because you were trying to help him prevent the spill at the wrong moment. According to the rate he has been moving his books around the house (a whole pile by himself!) he could easily develop a career in moving. And the amounts of chocolate powder that he has spilled in the effort to make his own drink can probably feed a brood of needy children.
Another sensitive point is time lost due to the many little delays caused by the fact that my little big man want to do it all himself! The mothers among you will surely remember the scene of having the house door you just opened (in order to leave) being shut ruthlessly (in your face?) and the piping voice of your little tyrant commanding you “no mama, onnimi!” This can be even more annoying when you are especially in a hurry. Just when you really need to go out of the house, he will of course absolutely refuse to put on a shirt because you are the one who took it out of the closet. Oh, he also select his diaper (he wants the elephant and not the bear – makes you wonder why Pampers have put different animals on the diapers… Huggies at least all have the same design – Disney’s Winnie the Poo) – but selecting it is not enough – he wants to take it out of the pack and even put is on himself! Do you really always have time for this ceremony?
Every small action becomes a point of discussion. You either let him do it alone, you negotiate the option of doing something together or you brace yourself for tears. The tears will also come when he does not succeed in taking action independently. In order to avoid the tears and to get things done in reasonable time span you need to find a way to assist him in a way that he will either accept (together is better) or not notice.
The only time he does not want to do things himself, is when he can order you around. Who needs dolls or puppets when mommy is the best marionette that has ever been produced! “Mommy, chocho!” When he wants another chocolate drink brought to him because you already sent him to bed. Or screeching an items name because it fell behind the sofa while the little emperor was playing with it. And then just when you have bent down to get it, he shows initiative again and wants to help you get it, but kneeling down next to you. Such sweet encouragement is reward enough…
Your negotiation skills need to be polished. A talking toddler is an arguing toddler. Suddenly you find yourself needing to explain to your strapping boy why one needs to go to bed, or take a bath. You might even get a logically correct or even a reasonable reply that will show you that your reasoning is at fault – and indeed it is not yet time to go to bed because something else needs to be done first. The toddler’s negotiation skills and manipulation skills are fast growing, just like the nervous connections that are created daily in his brain.
A mother is even rewarded when her little independent boy scolds her: it really does not matter what it is they do not want you to do – it’s so sweet to hear “no, no mama- forbidden! Stop!” for the first time (waving a warning finger at you too), you almost forget what it was you wanted them to do before you were so skillfully scolded. As it is done with such simple means, you must applaud the performance – all the more so, because if you did not have the sense of humor to do so, you would indeed go nuts. You know you have been out-maneuvered again, but at least you can go down smiling.
The precious combination of words “only me” (spoken in Hebrew with left our consonants – something like “onnimi” in English) are now Jonathan’s bread and butter. He has reached an age in which he constantly wants to exercise his independence, and not only that – he enjoys expressing his wish to do so.
As his mother, I want o encourage this independence, to give him a chance to try things out and yet, I walk the thin line of not going totally nuts every time he spills chocolate (very hard to remove stain) on a white shirt, tosses sand all over the house in an effort to remove his shoes himself and spilling soup just because you were trying to help him prevent the spill at the wrong moment. According to the rate he has been moving his books around the house (a whole pile by himself!) he could easily develop a career in moving. And the amounts of chocolate powder that he has spilled in the effort to make his own drink can probably feed a brood of needy children.
Another sensitive point is time lost due to the many little delays caused by the fact that my little big man want to do it all himself! The mothers among you will surely remember the scene of having the house door you just opened (in order to leave) being shut ruthlessly (in your face?) and the piping voice of your little tyrant commanding you “no mama, onnimi!” This can be even more annoying when you are especially in a hurry. Just when you really need to go out of the house, he will of course absolutely refuse to put on a shirt because you are the one who took it out of the closet. Oh, he also select his diaper (he wants the elephant and not the bear – makes you wonder why Pampers have put different animals on the diapers… Huggies at least all have the same design – Disney’s Winnie the Poo) – but selecting it is not enough – he wants to take it out of the pack and even put is on himself! Do you really always have time for this ceremony?
Every small action becomes a point of discussion. You either let him do it alone, you negotiate the option of doing something together or you brace yourself for tears. The tears will also come when he does not succeed in taking action independently. In order to avoid the tears and to get things done in reasonable time span you need to find a way to assist him in a way that he will either accept (together is better) or not notice.
The only time he does not want to do things himself, is when he can order you around. Who needs dolls or puppets when mommy is the best marionette that has ever been produced! “Mommy, chocho!” When he wants another chocolate drink brought to him because you already sent him to bed. Or screeching an items name because it fell behind the sofa while the little emperor was playing with it. And then just when you have bent down to get it, he shows initiative again and wants to help you get it, but kneeling down next to you. Such sweet encouragement is reward enough…
Your negotiation skills need to be polished. A talking toddler is an arguing toddler. Suddenly you find yourself needing to explain to your strapping boy why one needs to go to bed, or take a bath. You might even get a logically correct or even a reasonable reply that will show you that your reasoning is at fault – and indeed it is not yet time to go to bed because something else needs to be done first. The toddler’s negotiation skills and manipulation skills are fast growing, just like the nervous connections that are created daily in his brain.
A mother is even rewarded when her little independent boy scolds her: it really does not matter what it is they do not want you to do – it’s so sweet to hear “no, no mama- forbidden! Stop!” for the first time (waving a warning finger at you too), you almost forget what it was you wanted them to do before you were so skillfully scolded. As it is done with such simple means, you must applaud the performance – all the more so, because if you did not have the sense of humor to do so, you would indeed go nuts. You know you have been out-maneuvered again, but at least you can go down smiling.
A Birthday Party for Mommy
A birthday party for mommy is an occasion to find out exactly how much Jonathan’s has learned about this cause for celebration in Kindergarten. At the beginning of the year, when he was 2 years old he still did not quite get it, but 6 months later, approaching my own birthday and understanding how important this theme has become to him, I invite the family to celebrate my birthday over coffee and cake, with candles of course…
When Jonathan sings a happy birthday” song, he usually sings it for himself. “Happy birthday to Jonathan, happy birthday to you!”. There is no reasoning with him. It can only be his birthday! He is the center of his little world. The fact that it is my birthday that triggers the party is irrelevant. No matter! He sings for himself. And if I am honest, I am celebrating with family guests for Jonathan rather than for myself. It might as well be indeed his birthday.
I put the candles in the cake and he is disappointed when I do not allow him to take them out. Then I light them and he is exited, forgetting his disappointment in the expectation of blowing them out. We all sing aloud and then count to three for blowing up the candles – the ladies among us pretending, rather than blowing air. My brother in law however thinks Jonathan needs help blowing out the candles and so he blows hard and blows them out. Poor Jonathan was so disappointed! He starts to cry! And all the mothers in the room (grandmothers included) turn to scold my poor brother in law for his lack of under standing. So we light the candles again and this time Jonathan gets to first enjoy the flames (interesting stuff! But he knows he may not get too close) and then he blows them out all by himself!
After the candles have been blown out, Jonathan proves that he understands good manners and hospitality. He goes around serving people cake like a proud peacock showing his tail. He receives the pieces of cake form me served in plastic plates and he offers them to the guests, distributing cake until all have gotten a piece and only then does he take a piece for himself.
For a whole week afterwords, he wants to put candles on the remains of the cake himself, and then light them and blow them out each morning. He knows where to find birthday candles in the cupboard in the kitchen and eventually does mind lighting them even without the cake (it is eaten after a few days). After about a week, he looses interest in the candle lighting ceremony – but the birthday songs keep coming up. If he is singing one of them, I know that yet another child has had his birthday celebrated in kindergarten. If Jonathan also turns up with a small gift, I can be 100% sure that this is the case. I am only left to hope, that now that he grasps the concept of the party and what fun a birthday party can be that he will enjoy his 3rd birthday celebration (in kindergarten and at home) much more than last year.
When Jonathan sings a happy birthday” song, he usually sings it for himself. “Happy birthday to Jonathan, happy birthday to you!”. There is no reasoning with him. It can only be his birthday! He is the center of his little world. The fact that it is my birthday that triggers the party is irrelevant. No matter! He sings for himself. And if I am honest, I am celebrating with family guests for Jonathan rather than for myself. It might as well be indeed his birthday.
I put the candles in the cake and he is disappointed when I do not allow him to take them out. Then I light them and he is exited, forgetting his disappointment in the expectation of blowing them out. We all sing aloud and then count to three for blowing up the candles – the ladies among us pretending, rather than blowing air. My brother in law however thinks Jonathan needs help blowing out the candles and so he blows hard and blows them out. Poor Jonathan was so disappointed! He starts to cry! And all the mothers in the room (grandmothers included) turn to scold my poor brother in law for his lack of under standing. So we light the candles again and this time Jonathan gets to first enjoy the flames (interesting stuff! But he knows he may not get too close) and then he blows them out all by himself!
After the candles have been blown out, Jonathan proves that he understands good manners and hospitality. He goes around serving people cake like a proud peacock showing his tail. He receives the pieces of cake form me served in plastic plates and he offers them to the guests, distributing cake until all have gotten a piece and only then does he take a piece for himself.
For a whole week afterwords, he wants to put candles on the remains of the cake himself, and then light them and blow them out each morning. He knows where to find birthday candles in the cupboard in the kitchen and eventually does mind lighting them even without the cake (it is eaten after a few days). After about a week, he looses interest in the candle lighting ceremony – but the birthday songs keep coming up. If he is singing one of them, I know that yet another child has had his birthday celebrated in kindergarten. If Jonathan also turns up with a small gift, I can be 100% sure that this is the case. I am only left to hope, that now that he grasps the concept of the party and what fun a birthday party can be that he will enjoy his 3rd birthday celebration (in kindergarten and at home) much more than last year.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Social Skills
Jonathan is giving good reason to write a lot of entires lately – well , what can I do when he is just being his adorable self! Today, two incidents have shown me that Jonathan's social skills are developing and his awareness as well as his good intentions are developing toward the ones he loves, namely his mommy and his family.
The first incident was Jonathan showing that he truly cares about his mommy, and that he is also learning from me too. He invited me to stand up “on one leg” with him this morning.
Its a sort of a game, and today we played together for the first time. The aim of the game is to stand on one leg, try to keep balance as long as its amusing for Jonathan and then fall spectacularly on the floor – the bigger the show the more fun it is for my sunny son. As we were standing together on one leg, Jonathan told me to be careful, and then we both fell down, landing on the carpet, laughing. This repeated itself three times until I decided to end the game because of the arrival of guests. This game was especially heart warming because not only did Jonathan invite me to share in his fun, he also looked out for me and told me to be careful during the game.
I was so proud of him! For a two year old (OK, 27 months) I think this is also showing a responsibility level that is very encouraging. Together with the fact that Jonathan knows by now to stop before a road, I am starting to see the fruit of some hard lessons I am trying to teach him and messages I have been drilling to him almost from birth are finally sinking in.
I have seen him stand on one leg before and always told him to be careful so he would not fall when he did this. I have already stood on one leg for my son's amusement (pretending to loose balance of course, with lots of ohhhh's, and ahhhhggg's! Much to my son's content).But this is the first time we are standing on one leg together, balancing together and falling down together amid shouts of laughter from us both. Boy! Did we have fun!.
The second incident involves my niece. My sister and her husband left their little daughter who is about 6 months old with me for a few hours this morning. Jonathan was very ambivalent to his little cousin at first (great improvement to a few months ago when she first entered his life and he was jealous every time I held my niece in my arms) but then he began to show more interest. He stroked her head more than one time, even without me instructing him to do it. Once I gave him the idea, he chose to express his affection spontaneously a few times. The height of his interest in his young guest was when he offered to sit his niece in his toy stroller. The offer was a natural reaction to the fact that the baby was wining a bit, besides if the baby is in the stroller it means that she is no longer in my arms – another advantage for Jonathan of course. (But I really think he had no agenda, because he did not immediately take her place in my arms when they became free).
Jonathan has a pink stroller he borrowed from another cousin. He loves to drive it around our apartment and also be driven in it. This is why I know the toy could hold my niece in safety and so I cooperated with Jonathan and accepted his offer to sit the baby in the stroller (after he repeated it a second time). As the little girl seamed to like it, I allowed Jonathan to rock the stroller to and fro, and we sang a lullaby together. Curiously enough, the baby calmed down in the stroller. After a while, however, Jonathan decided enough is enough and ordered that the baby be removed from his stroller. After he repeated this wish twice and also because the stroller is not really a good place for a real baby, it is after all just a toy meant for dolls (the regular passenger is an Erny from Sesame Street doll), I removed the baby from the stroller and Jonathan was allowed to have his toy to himself again. The baby was however not so pleased an it took me quite a while to calm her down again.
She finally fell asleep in my arms and then Jonathan sat on the other side and leaned into me on the other side and we all sat down on the couch and cuddled together (watching a children's DVD). It was really one of the best moments of my life! Squashed between my sweet boy and his cute cousin I felt almost complete. There is really nothing more pure and pleasurable that the touch of children – who give their love to you free of all restraint (even if unintentionally as babies). Although Jonathan was probably a bit frustrated at times that I had relatively little time for him this morning, he seamed to enjoy the presence of his cousin to some extent – a good sign for what it might be like when he gets a sibling...
The first incident was Jonathan showing that he truly cares about his mommy, and that he is also learning from me too. He invited me to stand up “on one leg” with him this morning.
Its a sort of a game, and today we played together for the first time. The aim of the game is to stand on one leg, try to keep balance as long as its amusing for Jonathan and then fall spectacularly on the floor – the bigger the show the more fun it is for my sunny son. As we were standing together on one leg, Jonathan told me to be careful, and then we both fell down, landing on the carpet, laughing. This repeated itself three times until I decided to end the game because of the arrival of guests. This game was especially heart warming because not only did Jonathan invite me to share in his fun, he also looked out for me and told me to be careful during the game.
I was so proud of him! For a two year old (OK, 27 months) I think this is also showing a responsibility level that is very encouraging. Together with the fact that Jonathan knows by now to stop before a road, I am starting to see the fruit of some hard lessons I am trying to teach him and messages I have been drilling to him almost from birth are finally sinking in.
I have seen him stand on one leg before and always told him to be careful so he would not fall when he did this. I have already stood on one leg for my son's amusement (pretending to loose balance of course, with lots of ohhhh's, and ahhhhggg's! Much to my son's content).But this is the first time we are standing on one leg together, balancing together and falling down together amid shouts of laughter from us both. Boy! Did we have fun!.
The second incident involves my niece. My sister and her husband left their little daughter who is about 6 months old with me for a few hours this morning. Jonathan was very ambivalent to his little cousin at first (great improvement to a few months ago when she first entered his life and he was jealous every time I held my niece in my arms) but then he began to show more interest. He stroked her head more than one time, even without me instructing him to do it. Once I gave him the idea, he chose to express his affection spontaneously a few times. The height of his interest in his young guest was when he offered to sit his niece in his toy stroller. The offer was a natural reaction to the fact that the baby was wining a bit, besides if the baby is in the stroller it means that she is no longer in my arms – another advantage for Jonathan of course. (But I really think he had no agenda, because he did not immediately take her place in my arms when they became free).
Jonathan has a pink stroller he borrowed from another cousin. He loves to drive it around our apartment and also be driven in it. This is why I know the toy could hold my niece in safety and so I cooperated with Jonathan and accepted his offer to sit the baby in the stroller (after he repeated it a second time). As the little girl seamed to like it, I allowed Jonathan to rock the stroller to and fro, and we sang a lullaby together. Curiously enough, the baby calmed down in the stroller. After a while, however, Jonathan decided enough is enough and ordered that the baby be removed from his stroller. After he repeated this wish twice and also because the stroller is not really a good place for a real baby, it is after all just a toy meant for dolls (the regular passenger is an Erny from Sesame Street doll), I removed the baby from the stroller and Jonathan was allowed to have his toy to himself again. The baby was however not so pleased an it took me quite a while to calm her down again.
She finally fell asleep in my arms and then Jonathan sat on the other side and leaned into me on the other side and we all sat down on the couch and cuddled together (watching a children's DVD). It was really one of the best moments of my life! Squashed between my sweet boy and his cute cousin I felt almost complete. There is really nothing more pure and pleasurable that the touch of children – who give their love to you free of all restraint (even if unintentionally as babies). Although Jonathan was probably a bit frustrated at times that I had relatively little time for him this morning, he seamed to enjoy the presence of his cousin to some extent – a good sign for what it might be like when he gets a sibling...
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Business Skills
Jonathan's skill sin expressing himself and making his wishes known are increasing daily. Yesterday he provided us with a “great moment” by expressing a wish to “go with mommy” in simple terms. We should all look to our children for the basics we have forgotten.
Yesterday, as Jonathan was taking his bath, with both my husband and I watching him playing in the water, I had to leave the house for about an hour. So I explained to Jonathan that “mommy has to go for on hour and then she will be back”. Jonathan looked up from his play in the bath and said “bye bye”. I answered bye bay and began my retreat. Then he stood up and said “bye bye aba” (bye bye daddy) and then he added “to go” - making sure I understood he wanted to go with me he also raised his armed to be lifted out of the tub. My husband and I laughed. I kissed him and told him it was nice he wanted to escort me, but that he must stay at home with daddy. He then waved me off and continued to enjoy his bath.
This is not the first time this has happened. When I leave the house he wants to join me most of the times. Sometimes I take him with me even if it was not originally planned, and sometimes I just cannot – just like yesterday. Still I find it very sweet, that he can express is explicit wish to join me in such simple yet clear means of speech and body language. It is also truly gratifying as a mother, that he likes my company so much... I wonder sometimes how frustrating it can be to be a dad – the eternal “Second best”.
Potty training is always on my mind these days. I ask him if he wants to go to the toilet to pee and he simply says “no pee toilet”. Then when he wants to go, he runs to the restroom and says “pee toilet”. In business negotiation there is a tactic called KISS – keep it simple, stupid. Jonathan expresses himself just that way.
We should all learn some basic tactics from our kids. Children have negotiating skills that we adults have forgotten, not to mention marketing. Last weekend we were visiting a family of German friends who are on holiday in Israel and they have a 6 year old boy. On more than one occasion, the boy cleverly used things the adults said and “marketed” them to suit his interests. There were some distortions and misunderstandings and yet always masterfully tied to the original words uttered by the adults around him. It was simply about interpretation. I regretfully do not remember particulars, but it was skilfully and smoothly done. The boy has great potential in international business and I told his father so...
Yesterday, as Jonathan was taking his bath, with both my husband and I watching him playing in the water, I had to leave the house for about an hour. So I explained to Jonathan that “mommy has to go for on hour and then she will be back”. Jonathan looked up from his play in the bath and said “bye bye”. I answered bye bay and began my retreat. Then he stood up and said “bye bye aba” (bye bye daddy) and then he added “to go” - making sure I understood he wanted to go with me he also raised his armed to be lifted out of the tub. My husband and I laughed. I kissed him and told him it was nice he wanted to escort me, but that he must stay at home with daddy. He then waved me off and continued to enjoy his bath.
This is not the first time this has happened. When I leave the house he wants to join me most of the times. Sometimes I take him with me even if it was not originally planned, and sometimes I just cannot – just like yesterday. Still I find it very sweet, that he can express is explicit wish to join me in such simple yet clear means of speech and body language. It is also truly gratifying as a mother, that he likes my company so much... I wonder sometimes how frustrating it can be to be a dad – the eternal “Second best”.
Potty training is always on my mind these days. I ask him if he wants to go to the toilet to pee and he simply says “no pee toilet”. Then when he wants to go, he runs to the restroom and says “pee toilet”. In business negotiation there is a tactic called KISS – keep it simple, stupid. Jonathan expresses himself just that way.
We should all learn some basic tactics from our kids. Children have negotiating skills that we adults have forgotten, not to mention marketing. Last weekend we were visiting a family of German friends who are on holiday in Israel and they have a 6 year old boy. On more than one occasion, the boy cleverly used things the adults said and “marketed” them to suit his interests. There were some distortions and misunderstandings and yet always masterfully tied to the original words uttered by the adults around him. It was simply about interpretation. I regretfully do not remember particulars, but it was skilfully and smoothly done. The boy has great potential in international business and I told his father so...
Classical Stories
Today Jonathan provided me with classical material for a documentary. After all , this is what this blog is. First he showed a true sense of independence and target orientation and secondly he “treated” his father to the worse kind of slapstick comedy scenario.
This morning I woke up to the noise of Jonathan wondering about the house. He usually gets up and comes directly to our bed to say good morning, cuddle with mommy and daddy in under the big duvet and even get a chance to jump on the big bed. Sometimes he goes to the living room to play with his toys. This morning he chose not to come and visit us, but rather he walked into the kitchen. When I heard him dragging a chair, I got up to see what he was up to. I found him standing on the chair he had dragged. He had placed it next to the kitchen desk, so he could climb it and reach a box of chocolates that was standing on it. As I entered the kitchen he lifted the box and asked me to open the wrapping of the treats. I told him he cannot have the whole box, but “just one” - so he took one in each hand. He then again requested that I open the wraps, so I opened one treat (the least bad of the two in terms of sugar amounts) and he has sweet puffs for breakfast. One thing is for sure, I moved the bread knives to a higher place...
Today Jonathan's daddy took him out on a “boys afternoon out”. They went to visit a German speaking playmate. These meetings take place once a week and its always fathers and sons. I took the chance to go out with my siblings and so the afternoon together became the whole evening together for father and son. To conclude the evening, my husband gave Jonathan his daily bath. However, as my husband saw fit to report to me immediately, live from the scene of the crime, things took a special turn – towards the slapstick comedy. Just as my husband had put Jonathan into the bath filled with warm water, he turned his back on the boy for a split second and just then Jonathan decided to doo doo in the tub.
The significance of this event is doubled when one takes into account that this kind of “accident” is rare for Jonathan, in fact this is only the second time this has happened to us (I was the victim the first time). So my husband took Jonathan out of the tub, to drain the filthy water and clean it, and just as he did so, Jonathan peed on the bathroom carpet (significance thus tripled). It was at this stage that my husband called me with a full report. The call was short and concise, after all there was much to do – clean the tub, wash the carpet and get Jonathan into a new water filled bath and clean him up too. After this, both my boys were so tired that Jonathan went directly to bed.
We are just going through the first stages of getting Jonathan “off” the diapers. As the boys were from home today, Jonathan was wearing a nappy. Perhaps the confusion of the potty training in what got him all exited. Can this be the reason for today's display? Who can tell. We however have a funny story to smile on for days to come (even my husband can laugh and enjoy, now that he is no longer standing in a room that is literally “full of shit” with the prospect of having to clean it up).
This morning I woke up to the noise of Jonathan wondering about the house. He usually gets up and comes directly to our bed to say good morning, cuddle with mommy and daddy in under the big duvet and even get a chance to jump on the big bed. Sometimes he goes to the living room to play with his toys. This morning he chose not to come and visit us, but rather he walked into the kitchen. When I heard him dragging a chair, I got up to see what he was up to. I found him standing on the chair he had dragged. He had placed it next to the kitchen desk, so he could climb it and reach a box of chocolates that was standing on it. As I entered the kitchen he lifted the box and asked me to open the wrapping of the treats. I told him he cannot have the whole box, but “just one” - so he took one in each hand. He then again requested that I open the wraps, so I opened one treat (the least bad of the two in terms of sugar amounts) and he has sweet puffs for breakfast. One thing is for sure, I moved the bread knives to a higher place...
Today Jonathan's daddy took him out on a “boys afternoon out”. They went to visit a German speaking playmate. These meetings take place once a week and its always fathers and sons. I took the chance to go out with my siblings and so the afternoon together became the whole evening together for father and son. To conclude the evening, my husband gave Jonathan his daily bath. However, as my husband saw fit to report to me immediately, live from the scene of the crime, things took a special turn – towards the slapstick comedy. Just as my husband had put Jonathan into the bath filled with warm water, he turned his back on the boy for a split second and just then Jonathan decided to doo doo in the tub.
The significance of this event is doubled when one takes into account that this kind of “accident” is rare for Jonathan, in fact this is only the second time this has happened to us (I was the victim the first time). So my husband took Jonathan out of the tub, to drain the filthy water and clean it, and just as he did so, Jonathan peed on the bathroom carpet (significance thus tripled). It was at this stage that my husband called me with a full report. The call was short and concise, after all there was much to do – clean the tub, wash the carpet and get Jonathan into a new water filled bath and clean him up too. After this, both my boys were so tired that Jonathan went directly to bed.
We are just going through the first stages of getting Jonathan “off” the diapers. As the boys were from home today, Jonathan was wearing a nappy. Perhaps the confusion of the potty training in what got him all exited. Can this be the reason for today's display? Who can tell. We however have a funny story to smile on for days to come (even my husband can laugh and enjoy, now that he is no longer standing in a room that is literally “full of shit” with the prospect of having to clean it up).
Friday, March 12, 2010
Great moments of learning and potty training
Every parent has many moments of joy and laughter with their children. Every toddler does these really sweet things. Yet each child has in stock some magical surprise for his/ her parents. And when you stand there, watching your toddler do that little something that takes your breath away – the joy of parenthood is complete!
Especially in the age (about two years to two and a half years of age – Jonathan's age now) in which toddlers still do not speak perfectly and communication is hard – it is most amazing to see how much they learn – always. Children are like a sponge, so the books say, and it is these special “great moments of learning ” that show us how true that saying is. I experienced three of these with Jonathan today and I am happy to utilize my 101st blog entry by sharing them with you.
The first moment of learning was that when Jonathan got up today, he walked alone to the bathroom, placed his toilet seat on the toilet, removed his diaper and sat himself on the toilet and then did both “big” and “small”. This is not the first time Jonathan uses the toilet, and we are however also very far from the end of his “potty training” and yet this routine like “getting up and going to the toilet first thing” was simply so very cute! He later balanced this perfect record by peeing 4 times in one hour in the living room in the afternoon and totally refusing to go to the toilet in order to pee, but also refusing to put on a diaper again. One of the kindergarten teachers said to me that not only the toddler must be ready for “potty training”, but also the parents. Parents must be ready to face the challenges of cleaning after “mistakes” that may occur any place. After chasing Jonathan off the couch today, I have a more complete understanding what she meant. Yes, potty training is also difficult for the parents not only challenging for the child.
The second great learning moment of the day was that Jonathan insisted on putting in a washing machine. To be more exact, he wanted me to open the cupboard in which the washing soap is. He likes the giant bottle that houses the softener. I explained he needs something to wash in order to use the soap – so he helped me fill in the washing machine. Then he helped me close it and pour in the various soaps - last but not last the softener, and then he turned the machine on.
The third and especially magical moment entails the fact that I found Jonathan this afternoon in the kitchen, standing on a chair near the sink. Then he took the sponge and put soap on it, turned the tap on and was trying to wash the dishes. He did this alone, I was not in the kitchen, and we have never discussed dishes before. This is a totally “self learning” action. Learning by watching mom wash the dishes every day. More is the pity that it did not occur to me to run and get my camera to record my new and oh so cute “dishwasher”.
I asked him what he wants and why is he washing the dishes, Jonathan said he wanted juice to drink. It also looked like he was enjoying playing with the running water. For the reason of saving water (Israel is a hot land, we need every drop) I stopped the dish washing charade (hence no camera...) and explained that water is not a game. Then Jonathan assisted me in preparing his juice – he remained standing on the chair and helped me pour apple syrup into his drinking bottle. And that was the end of today's kitchen performance. It was also the last of the day's magical moments, as I spent the rest of the day cleaning puddles of pee (my husband calling for me in panic every time a “great peeing moment” occurred), rolling up the carpets (despite Jonathan efforts that they remain where they are) and arguing with an obstinate “toilet refusing” little boy.
Yes! If you have not yet guessed – we are on the first trails of the potty training process. But potty training is not all bad, even in the hardest moments, one finds a sense of fun. Both Jonathan and I were laughing when I chased him through the living room in order to clean him up (after he made a big doo doo in his pants) and to prevent his smearing poo on the couch. He got a bit smeared despite my efforts (how fast can a poo chasing mommy move?) but the good news is, the couch fabric is easily cleaned! As we face the challenge of teaching our first born to use the toilet and control his bowels, its nice to know that our furniture is inexpensive and that it cleans easily...
Especially in the age (about two years to two and a half years of age – Jonathan's age now) in which toddlers still do not speak perfectly and communication is hard – it is most amazing to see how much they learn – always. Children are like a sponge, so the books say, and it is these special “great moments of learning ” that show us how true that saying is. I experienced three of these with Jonathan today and I am happy to utilize my 101st blog entry by sharing them with you.
The first moment of learning was that when Jonathan got up today, he walked alone to the bathroom, placed his toilet seat on the toilet, removed his diaper and sat himself on the toilet and then did both “big” and “small”. This is not the first time Jonathan uses the toilet, and we are however also very far from the end of his “potty training” and yet this routine like “getting up and going to the toilet first thing” was simply so very cute! He later balanced this perfect record by peeing 4 times in one hour in the living room in the afternoon and totally refusing to go to the toilet in order to pee, but also refusing to put on a diaper again. One of the kindergarten teachers said to me that not only the toddler must be ready for “potty training”, but also the parents. Parents must be ready to face the challenges of cleaning after “mistakes” that may occur any place. After chasing Jonathan off the couch today, I have a more complete understanding what she meant. Yes, potty training is also difficult for the parents not only challenging for the child.
The second great learning moment of the day was that Jonathan insisted on putting in a washing machine. To be more exact, he wanted me to open the cupboard in which the washing soap is. He likes the giant bottle that houses the softener. I explained he needs something to wash in order to use the soap – so he helped me fill in the washing machine. Then he helped me close it and pour in the various soaps - last but not last the softener, and then he turned the machine on.
The third and especially magical moment entails the fact that I found Jonathan this afternoon in the kitchen, standing on a chair near the sink. Then he took the sponge and put soap on it, turned the tap on and was trying to wash the dishes. He did this alone, I was not in the kitchen, and we have never discussed dishes before. This is a totally “self learning” action. Learning by watching mom wash the dishes every day. More is the pity that it did not occur to me to run and get my camera to record my new and oh so cute “dishwasher”.
I asked him what he wants and why is he washing the dishes, Jonathan said he wanted juice to drink. It also looked like he was enjoying playing with the running water. For the reason of saving water (Israel is a hot land, we need every drop) I stopped the dish washing charade (hence no camera...) and explained that water is not a game. Then Jonathan assisted me in preparing his juice – he remained standing on the chair and helped me pour apple syrup into his drinking bottle. And that was the end of today's kitchen performance. It was also the last of the day's magical moments, as I spent the rest of the day cleaning puddles of pee (my husband calling for me in panic every time a “great peeing moment” occurred), rolling up the carpets (despite Jonathan efforts that they remain where they are) and arguing with an obstinate “toilet refusing” little boy.
Yes! If you have not yet guessed – we are on the first trails of the potty training process. But potty training is not all bad, even in the hardest moments, one finds a sense of fun. Both Jonathan and I were laughing when I chased him through the living room in order to clean him up (after he made a big doo doo in his pants) and to prevent his smearing poo on the couch. He got a bit smeared despite my efforts (how fast can a poo chasing mommy move?) but the good news is, the couch fabric is easily cleaned! As we face the challenge of teaching our first born to use the toilet and control his bowels, its nice to know that our furniture is inexpensive and that it cleans easily...
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Singing in the Rain
The movie “singing in the rain” has a lovely scene about voice mimicking in early cinema history. Jonathan is in some ways a mimicking machine. He imitates many things I do (even bad habits) and repeats many words, even if not exactly right. And why am I writing about his? Because he looks sooo cute walking in the rain with an umbrella... almost reminds me of Gene Kelly...
See for yourselves (armed with his bottle – typical Jonathan; captured in mommy's mobile phone – and since then I have a camera in my bag). I only showed him how to use an umbrella once, and yet when push came to shove and he needed to use one (a rare occasion in Israel) he knew at once how to do so. I suspect they learned about umbrellas in kindergarten when the theme of winter and rain was taught (Jonathan still sings “drip drop rain” songs, even though there has been no rain for a while now – except the usual rainy Purim weekend, spoiling all the Israel Carnival celebrations).
When I ask Jonathan “how are you?” he answers “beseder” which means all right.
Every time I give him something he said “toda” in a cheerful staccato (that means thanks you!)
When he especially wants something, he will even say a distorted form of the word please in Hebrew and even a nice “bitte” in German when solicitation his dad. He usually begins with a demand in general, and then he changes his tone to that of a request.
But there is one thing he will always ask for nicely – his bottle of chocolate milk before bedtime. He enters the bed and then says to me ceremoniously “kasha shoko” (it should be “bevakasha shocko”, which means please and chocolate drink). We are working hard now on the concept of requesting things and expressing his needs.
There is also some things that will always be demanded! - anything “I should give him is presented as a demand “dilli!” he says which is a distortion of “tni li” the female imperative of give in Hebrew. Give me! He demands. Ordering me to sit down by him is also a strict order “lashevet!” he says and motions to me with his hand – showing me with short movements up and down that I should sit myself in a particular spot in his vicinity.
We play a card game in which he has to match animals to their young. As he knows the matching by heart now, but still enjoys the game I have moved up the level a notch by asking him to repeat the animal names to only in Hebrew, but also in German. He gets it pretty close by repetition. Some animals like the lion (Loewe in German) he knows all alone. He also does wonderful animal sounds and the theme of animals is a strong topic between us in games (cards and pictures, little plastic animals) and in books and even DVD's. He really loves animals. My mother asked me if he makes cute mistakes, and that I should document them if he does. (We all still remember the distortion my twin sister used for the words tomato as a toddler, my dad used it as a nickname for her for years...). I regret to say that although Jonathan is not speaking perfectly, the mistakes are of the logic kind rather than cute confusion. His mistakes are mostly coming from the fact that some letters and words are truly hard to pronounce.
Another strong subject remains numbers. Jonathan can easily count to ten in Hebrew and by now he counts to five in German as well. It really seems as if he understands the concept of counting, because he puts items on the table, adding one at a time each time he mentions another number. He may sometime skip a number. The kitchen is also a beloved game/topic and Jonathan has taken to imitating the loud “chewing” noises I make when we play “cooking for mommy”.
His mimicking also involves tones of voice. Usually Jonathan is a merry child. If he is refused anything he will test the waters and fake a wail to see if he can get some pity from any nearby adult. When he is angry he shouts! And he mans it. Today, we were visiting a playmate, and the two boys argued about some game cards. Jonathan refused to share the cards and the other boy yelled that he wanted them himself. Jonathan's happy mood changed at once to that of anger and he scolded the buy by shouting his refusal to return the cards (in German by the way...if he is answering a question in the negative, but he is not angry – he will use Hebrew. If he is angry and shouts “no!” he will use German – an interesting division...). The funny thing about the whole scene was that from one moment to the next two happy boys with high pitch squeaky toddler voices suddenly changed their tone into deep growls of argument (Jonathan) and wailing (his counter part). In such moments as these, one believes that every exaggerated cartoon has its origin in the truth.
See for yourselves (armed with his bottle – typical Jonathan; captured in mommy's mobile phone – and since then I have a camera in my bag). I only showed him how to use an umbrella once, and yet when push came to shove and he needed to use one (a rare occasion in Israel) he knew at once how to do so. I suspect they learned about umbrellas in kindergarten when the theme of winter and rain was taught (Jonathan still sings “drip drop rain” songs, even though there has been no rain for a while now – except the usual rainy Purim weekend, spoiling all the Israel Carnival celebrations).
When I ask Jonathan “how are you?” he answers “beseder” which means all right.
Every time I give him something he said “toda” in a cheerful staccato (that means thanks you!)
When he especially wants something, he will even say a distorted form of the word please in Hebrew and even a nice “bitte” in German when solicitation his dad. He usually begins with a demand in general, and then he changes his tone to that of a request.
But there is one thing he will always ask for nicely – his bottle of chocolate milk before bedtime. He enters the bed and then says to me ceremoniously “kasha shoko” (it should be “bevakasha shocko”, which means please and chocolate drink). We are working hard now on the concept of requesting things and expressing his needs.
There is also some things that will always be demanded! - anything “I should give him is presented as a demand “dilli!” he says which is a distortion of “tni li” the female imperative of give in Hebrew. Give me! He demands. Ordering me to sit down by him is also a strict order “lashevet!” he says and motions to me with his hand – showing me with short movements up and down that I should sit myself in a particular spot in his vicinity.
We play a card game in which he has to match animals to their young. As he knows the matching by heart now, but still enjoys the game I have moved up the level a notch by asking him to repeat the animal names to only in Hebrew, but also in German. He gets it pretty close by repetition. Some animals like the lion (Loewe in German) he knows all alone. He also does wonderful animal sounds and the theme of animals is a strong topic between us in games (cards and pictures, little plastic animals) and in books and even DVD's. He really loves animals. My mother asked me if he makes cute mistakes, and that I should document them if he does. (We all still remember the distortion my twin sister used for the words tomato as a toddler, my dad used it as a nickname for her for years...). I regret to say that although Jonathan is not speaking perfectly, the mistakes are of the logic kind rather than cute confusion. His mistakes are mostly coming from the fact that some letters and words are truly hard to pronounce.
Another strong subject remains numbers. Jonathan can easily count to ten in Hebrew and by now he counts to five in German as well. It really seems as if he understands the concept of counting, because he puts items on the table, adding one at a time each time he mentions another number. He may sometime skip a number. The kitchen is also a beloved game/topic and Jonathan has taken to imitating the loud “chewing” noises I make when we play “cooking for mommy”.
His mimicking also involves tones of voice. Usually Jonathan is a merry child. If he is refused anything he will test the waters and fake a wail to see if he can get some pity from any nearby adult. When he is angry he shouts! And he mans it. Today, we were visiting a playmate, and the two boys argued about some game cards. Jonathan refused to share the cards and the other boy yelled that he wanted them himself. Jonathan's happy mood changed at once to that of anger and he scolded the buy by shouting his refusal to return the cards (in German by the way...if he is answering a question in the negative, but he is not angry – he will use Hebrew. If he is angry and shouts “no!” he will use German – an interesting division...). The funny thing about the whole scene was that from one moment to the next two happy boys with high pitch squeaky toddler voices suddenly changed their tone into deep growls of argument (Jonathan) and wailing (his counter part). In such moments as these, one believes that every exaggerated cartoon has its origin in the truth.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Ownership
When it comes to ownership, Jonathan does not stop for trifles such as toys and candy, he goes straight for big real estate and property. Another insignificant matter - the true owner is also elegantly ignored...
The word “mine” has entered Jonathan's vocabulary. It seams he has caught on to the concept of ownership and is thus working continuously to increase his “holdings”. His possessions include anything and anyone he feels he owns at any given moment – especially mommy is a prime asset. Last evening Jonathan pushed away my husband as he was trying to give me a hug and lectured to him that “mommy is mine” and that “daddy should stop it”. I immediately explained that I am afraid I am nobody's property (except my own) but I do not think the little tyke took me seriously. He was in fact giving me an odd look, expressing with every muscle in his face that I am totally misunderstanding the true reality that as his mother, I belong to him. My husband, I fear, was rather hurt! Putting this incident together with the fact that in general, when having a choice of whom should wait on him hand and foot, Jonathan tends to prefer me to his father, I fear my husbands position is not always a pleasant one, but rather a frustrating second place.
When it comes to cars, the small shiny plastic version will simply not do. Though he enjoys playing with toy cars, the only time I heard Jonathan express ownership of anything with four wheels, he was referring to the very real family vehicle. We were walking in the street and I explained that we need to go to the car in order to drive home. Jonathan promptly asked “where is my car?” This particular scene has repeated itself a few times recently. Jonathan loves to sit in the driver's seat and “drive” the real car. Pushing buttons and turning on the light is a special treat (thank God he cannot honk, as the motor is switched off and the keys are removed). He comes up to the car and declares it is his car, then goes to his door and opens it. He scrambles over his seat directly into the driver's seat, smiling radiantly at me as he waits for me to enter the car and sit next to him while he “drives”. He then wants to hear music and even puts the CD into the player. I can only talk him out of the driver's seat and back into his own place by explaining that I can only find the keys when he is in his seat and only when the we have the keys can we actually play the music he wants to hear.
One would think that owning a real car would be enough for a two year old, but no! Jonathan is into prime real estate. We were recently visiting a little boy who is one of Jonathan's playmates, when Jonathan suddenly located himself in the middle of the living room and waved to the friend and his parents and said “bye bye”. At first I thought Jonathan was trying to tell me that he wanted to go home. He remained, however, firmly seated on the floor in the middle of the living room and then it dawned on me – he was instructing the family who owned the apartment to leave. Mincing no words he was simply and literally waving them off. The fact that he was a visitor in their house was entirely irrelevant to him. He had at that moment declared his ownership of their house and his wish to have it to himself. Thank goodness that our friends have a good sense of humor...
During the same visit Jonathan and his little friend argued over a toy they both wanted to play with at exactly the same time. Although this is not unusual for toddlers at their age, it was interesting for me to watch how the argument developed, considering Jonathan's new found sense of ownership. The little boy protested that it was “his toy” and grabbed at it. Jonathan's reaction was to strengthen his hold on the newly claimed “property” and pull it towards himself. The fact that there was another boy “attached” to the other side was of no significance and Jonathan ended up dragging the boy a bit, until his friend gave up the toy. The little boy repeated his righteous protest. I had to admit that was indeed true and tried to explain to Jonathan that he could not keep it and that he should play nicely. The other boy's mother was at the time explaining to her son the importance of sharing his toys with his guest... although the two boys usually play well together, on that particular visit they could not quite settle down.
When one considers that Jonathan already “owns” a car and an apartment in which he does not live (his friend's family are the “tenants”) one wonders what he will claim next. Playing it big is is after all his mode of operation.
The word “mine” has entered Jonathan's vocabulary. It seams he has caught on to the concept of ownership and is thus working continuously to increase his “holdings”. His possessions include anything and anyone he feels he owns at any given moment – especially mommy is a prime asset. Last evening Jonathan pushed away my husband as he was trying to give me a hug and lectured to him that “mommy is mine” and that “daddy should stop it”. I immediately explained that I am afraid I am nobody's property (except my own) but I do not think the little tyke took me seriously. He was in fact giving me an odd look, expressing with every muscle in his face that I am totally misunderstanding the true reality that as his mother, I belong to him. My husband, I fear, was rather hurt! Putting this incident together with the fact that in general, when having a choice of whom should wait on him hand and foot, Jonathan tends to prefer me to his father, I fear my husbands position is not always a pleasant one, but rather a frustrating second place.
When it comes to cars, the small shiny plastic version will simply not do. Though he enjoys playing with toy cars, the only time I heard Jonathan express ownership of anything with four wheels, he was referring to the very real family vehicle. We were walking in the street and I explained that we need to go to the car in order to drive home. Jonathan promptly asked “where is my car?” This particular scene has repeated itself a few times recently. Jonathan loves to sit in the driver's seat and “drive” the real car. Pushing buttons and turning on the light is a special treat (thank God he cannot honk, as the motor is switched off and the keys are removed). He comes up to the car and declares it is his car, then goes to his door and opens it. He scrambles over his seat directly into the driver's seat, smiling radiantly at me as he waits for me to enter the car and sit next to him while he “drives”. He then wants to hear music and even puts the CD into the player. I can only talk him out of the driver's seat and back into his own place by explaining that I can only find the keys when he is in his seat and only when the we have the keys can we actually play the music he wants to hear.
One would think that owning a real car would be enough for a two year old, but no! Jonathan is into prime real estate. We were recently visiting a little boy who is one of Jonathan's playmates, when Jonathan suddenly located himself in the middle of the living room and waved to the friend and his parents and said “bye bye”. At first I thought Jonathan was trying to tell me that he wanted to go home. He remained, however, firmly seated on the floor in the middle of the living room and then it dawned on me – he was instructing the family who owned the apartment to leave. Mincing no words he was simply and literally waving them off. The fact that he was a visitor in their house was entirely irrelevant to him. He had at that moment declared his ownership of their house and his wish to have it to himself. Thank goodness that our friends have a good sense of humor...
During the same visit Jonathan and his little friend argued over a toy they both wanted to play with at exactly the same time. Although this is not unusual for toddlers at their age, it was interesting for me to watch how the argument developed, considering Jonathan's new found sense of ownership. The little boy protested that it was “his toy” and grabbed at it. Jonathan's reaction was to strengthen his hold on the newly claimed “property” and pull it towards himself. The fact that there was another boy “attached” to the other side was of no significance and Jonathan ended up dragging the boy a bit, until his friend gave up the toy. The little boy repeated his righteous protest. I had to admit that was indeed true and tried to explain to Jonathan that he could not keep it and that he should play nicely. The other boy's mother was at the time explaining to her son the importance of sharing his toys with his guest... although the two boys usually play well together, on that particular visit they could not quite settle down.
When one considers that Jonathan already “owns” a car and an apartment in which he does not live (his friend's family are the “tenants”) one wonders what he will claim next. Playing it big is is after all his mode of operation.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Carnival (The Purim Saga)
March brings with it the holiday of Purim, in which people of all ages dress up in costumes and party for two days straight! The average two year old is probably not really impressed by the whole commotion, its just the adults all around who loose proportions...
Purim is the Jewish version of carnival and it takes place more or less at the same time (about one month before Easter). Jews celebrate their deliverance from a genocide threat in ancient Persia (somewhat ironic these days...) by dressing up and getting drunk! People of all ages spend weeks before the holiday of Purim seeking out costumes – every mother shares her ideas for a child's costumes with her counter parts, children harass their parents into purchasing the latest TV hero costume for hundreds of shekels and everyone consumes to much sweets for weeks!
The average two year old (Jonathan's age) probably could not care less about dressing up. Maybe some toddlers like the concept – and those are mostly girls who use Purim as an excuse enjoy an especially frilly skirt for a few days. I imagine most toddlers of two might even find masquerading a bit scary...the people they love metamorphose into clowns (at best) and sexy devils (at worst) before their eyes. I think it is fair to assume that the fun in dressing up is an acquired taste and age is a factor – I guess Purim starts being fun for kids around the age of 3-4.
Although I am happy that in the last week Purim is being taught as a cultural highlight and that costumes and masks have been produced to the children as part of a healthy learning process (so they do not get a heart attack when mom and dad decide to dress up for a costume party and the babysitter (probably a teenager) turns up dressed as a fairy...) I do fear that the teachers at the establishment which Jonathan attends, have lost proportions regarding the Purim celebration. But they are not alone – the whole of Israel is in Purim costume fever. The fact that their behavior was (regrettably) not unusual does not however make it less annoying. So here is the story...
On the day before the Purim holiday, parents were requested to bring their children to the kindergarten dressed up. The idea is that children will celebrate the holiday with too many cookies and by playing dressed up among their also dressed up peers. He highlight however has nothing to do with the kids, but is a product of their parents adoring admiration. To encourage parents to dress up the children a photographer is brought to the kindergarten to document the little angels in their oh sooooo cure costumes (at two the dressed up toddler is indeed still rather cute...)
Considering this event, and the option that Jonathan may indeed wish to dress up (after being taught all week in kindergarten what fun it is to dress up) I brought a simple clown costume for him. I figured that will probably not scare him too much. It has nice strong colors – happy colors. At the age of two, it was obvious to me that I was not going to be too creative and purchasing a durable inexpensive easy to put on costume was the target. The week of Purim came and I started discussing the subject of dressing up and clown with Jonathan in order to prepare him for the great day. He then expressed a particular with to be a rabbit. As he repeated it twice, I decided to take him seriously and brought another (again inexpensive and relatively simple to put on) rabbit costume. During the week the costumes were openly available for play at home and Jonathan seemed to enjoy trying to dress me up, rather than dressing up himself.
I never had any intention of forcing Jonathan to dress us (I clearly remember my brother being forced to dress as a clown when he was two by our nanny, who thought he was sooo cute, and he hated it and I hated it that he hated it) and I told the kindergarten teacher so. She said that I should not worry and that eventually all “her kids” dress up for the photos (typical reaction that shows she misunderstood m y intention entirely). Still as we ended up having two costumes (clown and rabbit) I decided Jonathan might as well enjoy the possibility of choice. So on the day of the party, I asked Jonathan if he wanted to put on any of his costumes, he said no. I put them in a bag and took both to the kindergarten. The boy was normally dressed. I was wearing bunny ears, to set a good example of party spirit.
Now comes the annoying part (and the whole point of this blog entry). As soon as I entered the kindergarten with the regularly dressed Jonathan I was immediately reprimanded by a member of staff to this effect “why is the boy not dressed up?” she snapped! I calmly answered that he did not with to do so. We continued our walk through the yard to his class and another member of staff took the trouble of snapping at us “why is he not dressed up?” I repeated the obvious answer yet again. Then we got into the class and children were dressed up and also playing with the costume crate belonging to the kindergarten and suddenly Jonathan decided he was interested in dressing up – he tried to put on his rabbit costume bu pulling it over his head (in my opinion a clear gesture of interest on his part). The costume however needs to be out ob from the feet first – so I tried t help Jonathan put it on. He however thought this was all to complicated and changed his mind about putting it on – he impatiently pushed it away. Just as he was displaying this negative gesture the head kindergarten teacher entered the room and bluntly scolded me “why are you forcing him?” she said.
Talk about bad timing! At such moments I understand why some people say that timing is everything... I could not believe it! After being reprimanded twice that he is not dressed up, I am now being scolded for trying to comply with his awakened interest in his costume. I admit I lost my temper and scolded the teacher for the duality of the messages I had received from the staff that morning. She told me I should not be angry, or stressed, “her kids” always dress up for the pictures. She then left the room and I felt I was fighting a losing battle. All the air blown out of my sails, I put the costumes back in the bag and told one of the assistants where they are and that they belong to Jonathan. Then I got up to leave. The assistant however panicked and told me that if I do not dress up my boy for the photos, she has not intention of doing it for me. I gave up! I told her nothing will happen if Jonathan would be photographed in his normal clothes! Did I already mention that adults lose all proportion because of Purim? I reported the incident to the head teacher and left the kindergarten.
I couldn't care less if the picture was indeed without without a costume. A photographer coming to the kindergarten is an opportunity to get cool pictures, I admit, but Jonathan is cute to photo graph no matter what he wears. It was important to me that Jonathan have fun, whether he chooses to wear his costume/s or not. The costumes were there to give him a choice. The teachers are however probably used to other reactions from panicking parents who want their sweet angle to be documented in cute costumes. I would of course also enjoy such a picture, but there is a limit regarding the extent I would go to in obtaining it. I learned from the previous year it was not necessarily all fun and games for the average impatient toddler.
I must confess that just last year I was rather obsessed in getting picture of Jonathan dressed up as a lion (I found the costume in a sale and Jonathan loves animals). As a 1 year old, Jonathan was forced by his care takers to pose for a photo and probably lost his noon nap because of the Purim photo shoot. Then when he came home mommy drove him nuts yet again in order to get a cute photo and eventually he got really pissed ( I do believe I blogged about this too). This year I was more prepared to give him the space he needs. With the exception of holding bunny ears over his head and mine (we have two pairs) for a quick snap shot – I left him alone. Dressing up, if at all was to be his choice.
It was this point of free choice that the kindergarten teachers seem to have missed. A day after the celebration I was informed that in the end Jonathan was photographed as a rabbit. I simply answered coldly that I was happy to hear it. Last year, Jonathan looked happy in his lion picture, so I have reason to believe he was having fun, even if forced into the costume for the picture (in which a very full nappy is to be seen...). I just hope it was again the case this year. I want to hope that although Jonathan has probably experienced some pressure to put on the costume from his over motivated kindergarten teacher, that he still has fun wearing it and that being dressed up among his also dressed up peers was a positive experience. Only the picture itself will tell. I will have to wait until we receive it.
My lesson for me as mother is to give clearer instructions nest year that if Jonathan does not want to dress up he does not have to and that any photo of him is a pleasure for his family. Until then, we are already enjoying the “double bunny ears” mother and son snapshot I took. And daddy had to wear the ears an entire afternoon too...Jonathan is indeed having his share of amusement with Purim and dressing others up...
PS – bunny ears are an item one needs to get for the Adults department (even if you buy this item at a a children toy store that holds costumes for Purim...)
Purim is the Jewish version of carnival and it takes place more or less at the same time (about one month before Easter). Jews celebrate their deliverance from a genocide threat in ancient Persia (somewhat ironic these days...) by dressing up and getting drunk! People of all ages spend weeks before the holiday of Purim seeking out costumes – every mother shares her ideas for a child's costumes with her counter parts, children harass their parents into purchasing the latest TV hero costume for hundreds of shekels and everyone consumes to much sweets for weeks!
The average two year old (Jonathan's age) probably could not care less about dressing up. Maybe some toddlers like the concept – and those are mostly girls who use Purim as an excuse enjoy an especially frilly skirt for a few days. I imagine most toddlers of two might even find masquerading a bit scary...the people they love metamorphose into clowns (at best) and sexy devils (at worst) before their eyes. I think it is fair to assume that the fun in dressing up is an acquired taste and age is a factor – I guess Purim starts being fun for kids around the age of 3-4.
Although I am happy that in the last week Purim is being taught as a cultural highlight and that costumes and masks have been produced to the children as part of a healthy learning process (so they do not get a heart attack when mom and dad decide to dress up for a costume party and the babysitter (probably a teenager) turns up dressed as a fairy...) I do fear that the teachers at the establishment which Jonathan attends, have lost proportions regarding the Purim celebration. But they are not alone – the whole of Israel is in Purim costume fever. The fact that their behavior was (regrettably) not unusual does not however make it less annoying. So here is the story...
On the day before the Purim holiday, parents were requested to bring their children to the kindergarten dressed up. The idea is that children will celebrate the holiday with too many cookies and by playing dressed up among their also dressed up peers. He highlight however has nothing to do with the kids, but is a product of their parents adoring admiration. To encourage parents to dress up the children a photographer is brought to the kindergarten to document the little angels in their oh sooooo cure costumes (at two the dressed up toddler is indeed still rather cute...)
Considering this event, and the option that Jonathan may indeed wish to dress up (after being taught all week in kindergarten what fun it is to dress up) I brought a simple clown costume for him. I figured that will probably not scare him too much. It has nice strong colors – happy colors. At the age of two, it was obvious to me that I was not going to be too creative and purchasing a durable inexpensive easy to put on costume was the target. The week of Purim came and I started discussing the subject of dressing up and clown with Jonathan in order to prepare him for the great day. He then expressed a particular with to be a rabbit. As he repeated it twice, I decided to take him seriously and brought another (again inexpensive and relatively simple to put on) rabbit costume. During the week the costumes were openly available for play at home and Jonathan seemed to enjoy trying to dress me up, rather than dressing up himself.
I never had any intention of forcing Jonathan to dress us (I clearly remember my brother being forced to dress as a clown when he was two by our nanny, who thought he was sooo cute, and he hated it and I hated it that he hated it) and I told the kindergarten teacher so. She said that I should not worry and that eventually all “her kids” dress up for the photos (typical reaction that shows she misunderstood m y intention entirely). Still as we ended up having two costumes (clown and rabbit) I decided Jonathan might as well enjoy the possibility of choice. So on the day of the party, I asked Jonathan if he wanted to put on any of his costumes, he said no. I put them in a bag and took both to the kindergarten. The boy was normally dressed. I was wearing bunny ears, to set a good example of party spirit.
Now comes the annoying part (and the whole point of this blog entry). As soon as I entered the kindergarten with the regularly dressed Jonathan I was immediately reprimanded by a member of staff to this effect “why is the boy not dressed up?” she snapped! I calmly answered that he did not with to do so. We continued our walk through the yard to his class and another member of staff took the trouble of snapping at us “why is he not dressed up?” I repeated the obvious answer yet again. Then we got into the class and children were dressed up and also playing with the costume crate belonging to the kindergarten and suddenly Jonathan decided he was interested in dressing up – he tried to put on his rabbit costume bu pulling it over his head (in my opinion a clear gesture of interest on his part). The costume however needs to be out ob from the feet first – so I tried t help Jonathan put it on. He however thought this was all to complicated and changed his mind about putting it on – he impatiently pushed it away. Just as he was displaying this negative gesture the head kindergarten teacher entered the room and bluntly scolded me “why are you forcing him?” she said.
Talk about bad timing! At such moments I understand why some people say that timing is everything... I could not believe it! After being reprimanded twice that he is not dressed up, I am now being scolded for trying to comply with his awakened interest in his costume. I admit I lost my temper and scolded the teacher for the duality of the messages I had received from the staff that morning. She told me I should not be angry, or stressed, “her kids” always dress up for the pictures. She then left the room and I felt I was fighting a losing battle. All the air blown out of my sails, I put the costumes back in the bag and told one of the assistants where they are and that they belong to Jonathan. Then I got up to leave. The assistant however panicked and told me that if I do not dress up my boy for the photos, she has not intention of doing it for me. I gave up! I told her nothing will happen if Jonathan would be photographed in his normal clothes! Did I already mention that adults lose all proportion because of Purim? I reported the incident to the head teacher and left the kindergarten.
I couldn't care less if the picture was indeed without without a costume. A photographer coming to the kindergarten is an opportunity to get cool pictures, I admit, but Jonathan is cute to photo graph no matter what he wears. It was important to me that Jonathan have fun, whether he chooses to wear his costume/s or not. The costumes were there to give him a choice. The teachers are however probably used to other reactions from panicking parents who want their sweet angle to be documented in cute costumes. I would of course also enjoy such a picture, but there is a limit regarding the extent I would go to in obtaining it. I learned from the previous year it was not necessarily all fun and games for the average impatient toddler.
I must confess that just last year I was rather obsessed in getting picture of Jonathan dressed up as a lion (I found the costume in a sale and Jonathan loves animals). As a 1 year old, Jonathan was forced by his care takers to pose for a photo and probably lost his noon nap because of the Purim photo shoot. Then when he came home mommy drove him nuts yet again in order to get a cute photo and eventually he got really pissed ( I do believe I blogged about this too). This year I was more prepared to give him the space he needs. With the exception of holding bunny ears over his head and mine (we have two pairs) for a quick snap shot – I left him alone. Dressing up, if at all was to be his choice.
It was this point of free choice that the kindergarten teachers seem to have missed. A day after the celebration I was informed that in the end Jonathan was photographed as a rabbit. I simply answered coldly that I was happy to hear it. Last year, Jonathan looked happy in his lion picture, so I have reason to believe he was having fun, even if forced into the costume for the picture (in which a very full nappy is to be seen...). I just hope it was again the case this year. I want to hope that although Jonathan has probably experienced some pressure to put on the costume from his over motivated kindergarten teacher, that he still has fun wearing it and that being dressed up among his also dressed up peers was a positive experience. Only the picture itself will tell. I will have to wait until we receive it.
My lesson for me as mother is to give clearer instructions nest year that if Jonathan does not want to dress up he does not have to and that any photo of him is a pleasure for his family. Until then, we are already enjoying the “double bunny ears” mother and son snapshot I took. And daddy had to wear the ears an entire afternoon too...Jonathan is indeed having his share of amusement with Purim and dressing others up...
PS – bunny ears are an item one needs to get for the Adults department (even if you buy this item at a a children toy store that holds costumes for Purim...)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Ordnung muss sein! Every Thing has its Place
Orderly it must be (in German: Ordnung muss sein!) Everything has its place in Jonathan's life! And the boy actively arranges everything and everyone to please his sense of order...
Jonathan is to my great happiness a child who loves to keep things in order. He may throw out his entire toys during play – but he will also tidy them up if something is not to his liking, and recently he also cooperates when I request that he tidy up.
The table in the living room served us as an eating place. For Jonathan I have set us a small plastic chair that suits this table and a plastic place-mat that helps define his eating area and reduces the mess being made during th meal. Until recently he also has a bob as part of the ceremony, but in recent weeks he no longer wants to wear it. One evening, as I put down some strawberries for Jonathan as a snack directly on the table itself, Jonathan shook his head at me and told me in clear gibberish that I have not served his food properly. His Tone told me I was being reprimanded for such negligence. Then, when the lecture was over, picked up the dish and pulled the plastic mat under it. After relocating the dish on the mat he tapped the mat as if to show me that everything was now where it belonged. Then he sat down and enjoyed his snack!
When my husband puts Jonathan to bed, he remains to keep him company lying on the bed next to him (it has a higher mattress located next to Jonathan's sleeping space). When I stay to keep him company, I sit on a stool near the bed. One evening, my husband sat on the stool. As long as I was absent, this was not a problem, but as I entered the room shortly after my husband had seated himself, Jonathan wanted me to take my natural place – but the stool was taken. And so he pulled and pushed showing my husband that he must get up, and when my husband got up, Jonathan ordered me to sit down. My husband, who felt a bit rejected by this action, left the room. Jonathan then pointed to the high bed and said “papa” twice, thus explaining that my husband should not have necessarily left the room, but that he should have simply moved over to his place on the bed. After all, everything has its place in Jonathan world and “order must be!” - as the German proverb says (and Jonathan is half German) “Ordnung muss sein!”
Jonathan is to my great happiness a child who loves to keep things in order. He may throw out his entire toys during play – but he will also tidy them up if something is not to his liking, and recently he also cooperates when I request that he tidy up.
The table in the living room served us as an eating place. For Jonathan I have set us a small plastic chair that suits this table and a plastic place-mat that helps define his eating area and reduces the mess being made during th meal. Until recently he also has a bob as part of the ceremony, but in recent weeks he no longer wants to wear it. One evening, as I put down some strawberries for Jonathan as a snack directly on the table itself, Jonathan shook his head at me and told me in clear gibberish that I have not served his food properly. His Tone told me I was being reprimanded for such negligence. Then, when the lecture was over, picked up the dish and pulled the plastic mat under it. After relocating the dish on the mat he tapped the mat as if to show me that everything was now where it belonged. Then he sat down and enjoyed his snack!
When my husband puts Jonathan to bed, he remains to keep him company lying on the bed next to him (it has a higher mattress located next to Jonathan's sleeping space). When I stay to keep him company, I sit on a stool near the bed. One evening, my husband sat on the stool. As long as I was absent, this was not a problem, but as I entered the room shortly after my husband had seated himself, Jonathan wanted me to take my natural place – but the stool was taken. And so he pulled and pushed showing my husband that he must get up, and when my husband got up, Jonathan ordered me to sit down. My husband, who felt a bit rejected by this action, left the room. Jonathan then pointed to the high bed and said “papa” twice, thus explaining that my husband should not have necessarily left the room, but that he should have simply moved over to his place on the bed. After all, everything has its place in Jonathan world and “order must be!” - as the German proverb says (and Jonathan is half German) “Ordnung muss sein!”
Don Juan has nothing on Jonathan!
He is just two years old and two months and yet Jonathan sure can kiss a woman senseless!
(especially if that woman happens to me his mother!)
Last night, as I was trying to put Jonathan to bed, he suddenly “attacked” me with all his love. He crawled in my arms (nothing unusual there) and after a little pampering, he started to kiss and kiss me and hug and then kiss me again. The kisses were long and he also took the trouble of making explicit kissing noises too! The intensity was just amazing! We have kissed and hugged every day and ever since he is about a year old, Jonathan has also kissed me and his daddy back – but yesterday was a special display of love! It was obvious that his little heart was exploding with it and that he simply had to demonstrate his affections to me!
The only thing that makes me a bot uneasy is that the “love attack” took place shortly after Jonathan remarked about the absence of my husband (who had gone out for about an hour). After remarking on the absence of his father more than once, Jonathan lead me to the “big bed” where my husband and I sleep , not forgetting his teddy bear too - he wanted to cuddle there. I let him lye in our bed for a shot while and then I ordered him back to his room and his bed. (Mommy and Daddy's bed is only allowed in the morning, as part of a cuddly waking up ceremony for three). Once we reached his room again, he entered his bad only shortly,while I sat on a stool nearby. Then he got up, climbed into my arms and “love attacked me”. I am just wondering if this is already the age in which toddlers get a little jealous of their dads (especially boys who feel ownership of their mothers). There are many things Jonathan prefers that I do for him and not his daddy (who is scolded for trying to help...).
Make no mistake, I am sure Jonathan loves his dad too, its just that my husband is “not the mama!” and that is just a fact!
(especially if that woman happens to me his mother!)
Last night, as I was trying to put Jonathan to bed, he suddenly “attacked” me with all his love. He crawled in my arms (nothing unusual there) and after a little pampering, he started to kiss and kiss me and hug and then kiss me again. The kisses were long and he also took the trouble of making explicit kissing noises too! The intensity was just amazing! We have kissed and hugged every day and ever since he is about a year old, Jonathan has also kissed me and his daddy back – but yesterday was a special display of love! It was obvious that his little heart was exploding with it and that he simply had to demonstrate his affections to me!
The only thing that makes me a bot uneasy is that the “love attack” took place shortly after Jonathan remarked about the absence of my husband (who had gone out for about an hour). After remarking on the absence of his father more than once, Jonathan lead me to the “big bed” where my husband and I sleep , not forgetting his teddy bear too - he wanted to cuddle there. I let him lye in our bed for a shot while and then I ordered him back to his room and his bed. (Mommy and Daddy's bed is only allowed in the morning, as part of a cuddly waking up ceremony for three). Once we reached his room again, he entered his bad only shortly,while I sat on a stool nearby. Then he got up, climbed into my arms and “love attacked me”. I am just wondering if this is already the age in which toddlers get a little jealous of their dads (especially boys who feel ownership of their mothers). There are many things Jonathan prefers that I do for him and not his daddy (who is scolded for trying to help...).
Make no mistake, I am sure Jonathan loves his dad too, its just that my husband is “not the mama!” and that is just a fact!
Friday, February 19, 2010
The lice Trauma
Turns out that Jonathan is old enough to get lice. This means I am also old enough to get them... and this means a double hair cut.
This may sound extreme and I reacted the same way when a year ago the parents of a baby girl in Jonathan's group got her hair cut because she was scratching her head -still on that occasion there was no lice – I know because Jonathan and I did not get it – hence perhaps the justification to my reaction last year, and to my actions this year, when we did get infested.
It all started with a note in the kindergarten that alerted parents to the possible presence of head lice. Parents were asked for awareness and to inspect their children accordingly. Lice are not unusual in Israel and kids tend to infect one another because they stick their heads together, and into the sand quite often. I remember having lice as a kid and getting my hair combed out by my mother, but this was not an often occurrence. Looking through Jonathan's hair I saw nothing at first – then I saw what I presumed could be eggs. I went and brought a lice comb with thin teeth and just one stroke into Jonathan's hair led to the removal of many of the tiny pests. By then I was scratching my head too, so I gave both Jonathan and myself the “anti-lice” shampoo treatment. Ironically I found myself on that evening seated on the floor and my mother going through my hair, combing it and removing eggs – nostalgia! My mother however could not see any eggs or lice (she getting older I suppose) and eventually it was the skin doctor (to whom I turned in my itching desperation) who confirmed that fact that my itching has to do with lice.
Its is amazing how the little bugs hurt – the itching is strong and they bite! I do not recall this kind of pain from lice as a child. Jonathan in fact seams to suffer them with the patience of a saint! If he has had to endure as much itching as I, I have seen nothing of it!
We combed his head every week as a prevention measure against a re infestation, following the advise of the owner of the kindergarten. I saw not lice in these combings and Jonathan hates it when I comb his head. We also put rosemary oil – its suppose to repel the lice – all to no avail!
We had about three weeks of piece and then I started to scratch my head again! This time combing Jonathan did not turn up any lice, but I did get some eggs out of his hair during his sleep (did I mention he hates being combed? He moves about and the only way we can get some decent combing done if at all is during the time Jonathan watches a DVD). I combed myself alone this time and also got eggs- so it was the “anti lice” chemical shampoo for both of us yet again.
This was however not enough! This time I decided to take more extreme measures and today, I had my hair cut and Jonathan got his first hair cut too. Do not worry – we are not both shaved! We both got decent haircuts.
My boss who has four kids laughed at me at the extreme reaction. I reminded him he was bold and thus did not have to suffer scratching his head when his kids got infested with the little squirts!
I am just hoping that the shorter hair will reduce the frequency in which Jonathan and I both get infected with lice. I give full credit to the hairdresser who cut his hair into a tidy line despite all his squirming and crying. I had to hold Jonathan a bit, but she was fast and got the work done efficiently.
Now Jonathan is looking like a little big man! The shorter hair gives him a more boyish look , rather than the cute curly baby look he had before. He is however still the same cuty! My husband is mourning the loss of the soft curls – and I admit I miss them too. But I think this is for the best. After all my husband did not get infected at all – the lice just do not think him tasty (people say that lice, like mosquitoes, choose their victims according to smell and “sweet blood”), so it easy for him to pretest the loss of the curls – he did not have scratch his head for days in the last month. Besides, Jonathan at last looks his age! A strapping, healthy and happy 2 year old little boy!
This may sound extreme and I reacted the same way when a year ago the parents of a baby girl in Jonathan's group got her hair cut because she was scratching her head -still on that occasion there was no lice – I know because Jonathan and I did not get it – hence perhaps the justification to my reaction last year, and to my actions this year, when we did get infested.
It all started with a note in the kindergarten that alerted parents to the possible presence of head lice. Parents were asked for awareness and to inspect their children accordingly. Lice are not unusual in Israel and kids tend to infect one another because they stick their heads together, and into the sand quite often. I remember having lice as a kid and getting my hair combed out by my mother, but this was not an often occurrence. Looking through Jonathan's hair I saw nothing at first – then I saw what I presumed could be eggs. I went and brought a lice comb with thin teeth and just one stroke into Jonathan's hair led to the removal of many of the tiny pests. By then I was scratching my head too, so I gave both Jonathan and myself the “anti-lice” shampoo treatment. Ironically I found myself on that evening seated on the floor and my mother going through my hair, combing it and removing eggs – nostalgia! My mother however could not see any eggs or lice (she getting older I suppose) and eventually it was the skin doctor (to whom I turned in my itching desperation) who confirmed that fact that my itching has to do with lice.
Its is amazing how the little bugs hurt – the itching is strong and they bite! I do not recall this kind of pain from lice as a child. Jonathan in fact seams to suffer them with the patience of a saint! If he has had to endure as much itching as I, I have seen nothing of it!
We combed his head every week as a prevention measure against a re infestation, following the advise of the owner of the kindergarten. I saw not lice in these combings and Jonathan hates it when I comb his head. We also put rosemary oil – its suppose to repel the lice – all to no avail!
We had about three weeks of piece and then I started to scratch my head again! This time combing Jonathan did not turn up any lice, but I did get some eggs out of his hair during his sleep (did I mention he hates being combed? He moves about and the only way we can get some decent combing done if at all is during the time Jonathan watches a DVD). I combed myself alone this time and also got eggs- so it was the “anti lice” chemical shampoo for both of us yet again.
This was however not enough! This time I decided to take more extreme measures and today, I had my hair cut and Jonathan got his first hair cut too. Do not worry – we are not both shaved! We both got decent haircuts.
My boss who has four kids laughed at me at the extreme reaction. I reminded him he was bold and thus did not have to suffer scratching his head when his kids got infested with the little squirts!
I am just hoping that the shorter hair will reduce the frequency in which Jonathan and I both get infected with lice. I give full credit to the hairdresser who cut his hair into a tidy line despite all his squirming and crying. I had to hold Jonathan a bit, but she was fast and got the work done efficiently.
Now Jonathan is looking like a little big man! The shorter hair gives him a more boyish look , rather than the cute curly baby look he had before. He is however still the same cuty! My husband is mourning the loss of the soft curls – and I admit I miss them too. But I think this is for the best. After all my husband did not get infected at all – the lice just do not think him tasty (people say that lice, like mosquitoes, choose their victims according to smell and “sweet blood”), so it easy for him to pretest the loss of the curls – he did not have scratch his head for days in the last month. Besides, Jonathan at last looks his age! A strapping, healthy and happy 2 year old little boy!
More of Jonathan's latest achievements
Jonthan loves to watch DVD's, picture albums and to read books. He loves cars (and to drive...) and he loves music. He has therefore many achievements related to his best pastimes. Summing up such achievements, which have occurred in the last two months is turning out to be along blog insert...
One day, when visiting a friend, Jonathan pointed to a drawing of Micky Mouse and said “Mouse” our load. Then he pointed to a family portrait and was able to name is friend in it and also to day “dad” indicating that the man in the picture with the other little boy, was his father. This is how we first learned that Jonathan understands the concept of images depicting people. It was however sometime until he started recognizing his own family (mommy and daddy) and himself in pictures. My mother was the first to take a picture off the wall so that Jonathan could point to his daddy. Then one day Jonathan recognized his granddad and that is when I started looking at picture albums with him, usually before his bed time (instead of reading a story – he is still not patient enough to hear one properly, with the exception of two very particular books he practically knows by heart.) By now he is also recognizing both his grandmas and his nephew from my side and a niece from my husbands side.
Jonathan is showing some good memory skills. He remembers the way to his favorite ice shop, even though its winter and it has been some time since we went there. He remember the way to a friend's house – and that he was served a delicious cake there (the following visit he requested cake again from our hostess, just because he knew there would be some.... He remembers to associate a clown song with a certain clown puppet that has been shut up for months. At first I thought he remembered the song from his previous daycare group and I was astounded – its been half a year since he attended the group, in which one of the teachers used such a puppet and sang the song. I have understood however that they also play the song in his current group. Pity, I was enjoying the long memory effect fantasy as a doting mother should do. Still it is always a surprise to witness just how much he learns and remembers.
Not only his memory is impeccable, his speech is improving. Words are spoken more clearly and he is able to mumble through tunes with certain half words and sounds so that I can mostly recognize what song it is he wants me to join him in singing. He is also starting to formulate short sentences such as “where is bear?”, “no juice”, mommy to sit down etc. grammar is not perfect, but he is perfectly understood. Jonathan's language skills are not limited to human languages though, at a visit to an animal “stroking” facility he took up a conversation with a goat! The goat called “baaa” and Jonathan answered her “baaa' and so they exchanged a few more “baaa”s before we had to go. I found this extremely funny because I used to do the same when I was a kid. I especially remember a conversation with a wild goat I ran into on a school excursion when I was 13. I managed to keep up the “baaa” exchange for about 15 minutes and the goat and I eventually had quite a crowd...
Words and sentences are mostly spoken in Hebrew but his German is also improving fast, especially since he started visiting a German play group once a week. The group closed but my husband and the father of another boy still meet regularly with the boys, so the German group lives on and contributed much to Jonathan's vocabulary. The more we associate with boys Jonathan's age, the more we understand that our boy is a strong strapping youngster. Somehow we tend to end up in a relationship with boys who are relatively small and usually a head shorter than Jonathan. I am sure this actually serves to build his self esteem and the other boys however do not seem to be the losers either – they all play together so happily.
It was at a friend that we learned that Jonathan wishes to take up his love for music into an active level. It was at his friend's house that Jonathan first played the harmonica. We then got him a cheep copy but it only made three sounds so he lost interest. Since then, my brother has brought a more advanced harmonica for Jonathan and he enjoys playing it very much (and is grateful to his cool uncle). He is really skilled – he gets both major and minor noted out of the harmonica, blowing air in and out. He also can move the harmonica across his mouth and he gets a whole scale played doing his – like running you finger on a piano. Jonathan also plays the piano on occasion at my parents house, usually in the company of his other uncle – my sisters husband – who is a musician. All he does is pound on the keys, but I did show him how to run his fingers on the piano and he immediately copies my actions.
Playing on a tambourine and on an Arabian drum is also an enjoyable pastime. This however he especially loved to do in my company. To some extent, Jonathan is a performer.
He has taken up to performing at a private puppet theater, using two sponge glove figures that are actually intended for washing up. The sponge gloves are shaped after cows for children's amusement. We never used them for washing, I used them as puppets to Jonathan's delight from an early age. He has now however taken to doing the puppeteering himself. He loved so much that I brought a special Micky mouse glove for him to enjoy. Jonathan not only loves to perform, he loves to boss his crowd while he is at it. In our last visit to my parents Jonathan took to singing, demanding that I join in, and then cuing me when to stop and clapping hands to signal to my parents and husband that the performance was over. He did this repeatedly and we all laughed our heads off. After all, Jonathan was seriously producing his own show! Jonathan chose the song, chose who was to sing it with him, when it should start and when it should end and then the crowd was ordered to clap hands in a timely manner – like in a TV show! The boy has what is takes to be a director! Or perhaps a conductor. He had 4 adults at his finger tips and was enjoying the whole scene immensely! My mother took the opportunity to mention that from all his grandchildren, it is only Jonathan who had managed to order/boss my father around. Jonathan practically ordered his granddad top sit down and enjoy the show (or rather take part in it when clapping was required). We all has a great time!
Wanting adults to share in his games is becoming more often. Ordering adults around is normal to Jonathan – he demands that I share in his activities – rather than asking for my company (and I always tell him to say please, and he does). He invites me regularly to sit and watch a DVD with him (he cuddles while doing so, mommy serving as great recliner too), he loves to match animal cards with me, calling my attention with great enthusiasm to the different animal images and he likes me to chase him when we go out for a walk. He will tell me when to run and when to stop. He liked things organized – having me sit in my usual chair when he goes to bed (if his daddy sits there instead of lying on the bed which is my husband's usual spot – Jonathan will re organize us to our respective places).
But is not all commanding. There is a lot of playful fun. My husband was eventually rewarded for his effort in the last year when one day, as Jonathan came to us in the morning to the “big bed” he played hide and seek in the blanket with his daddy. He also throws a blanket on my face and asks “where is mommy” and then reveals me with sequels of laughter. In the shopping mall, to which we like to go as a family for a simple family outing, this game is continued in the dressing cabinets of shops. Jonathan hides in the cabinet and waits for us to remove the drapes and find him. He loves mirrors too! The fashion shops are a mirror bonanza and Jonathan dances with his figure in the mirror or with the boy who gets reflected from the glass of the near by bank. A set of two mirrors opposite each other, which cause for “hundreds” of Jonathan to appear, seam to scare him off. Two mirrors creating a corner that “cuts” his body from the waist down as he beds to look around it, thus having “two heads” is however an effect he got curious about in a lively manner of bending and checking that was quite heart stopping and delightful to watch.
His motoric skills are as advanced as ever. He practically swims in the bathtub and rolls about. He has not trouble grabbing and stopping himself safe if he slips. Climbing in and out of the tub is also not an issue – but he prefers to be lifted out of the tub by a hugging mommy – I am lucky he has this preference, or I would loose total control of him during a bath – he splashes about and then delights in the fact that he can create rain in the bath! The only thing he loves more, I believe is to pour water into my belly button from a plastic kettle, when I choose to share a bath with him. He loves to shake out all the kitchen playthings into the bath tub – naturally wanting to do so by himself and getting the net that houses the toys all tangle up. Occasionally he will help me take the toys out of the water – but usually he throws them out for me to pick up! Seeing them flying out of the tub is a cause for much glee to Jonathan.
Jumping on one foot is not a problem, neither is drinking from a cup – though he prefers his bottle. In fact he wants to do everything himself and scolds if we do it for him. He must open the front door when we leave and close the gates of all the yards in the neighborhood when we are taking a walk. He likes to pour his own juice into the bottle and put chocolate power in a bottle to make his chocolate drink – he then also diligently wipes away excess power, making a mes in his efforts to clean up his own mess. If he eats and drops his food, he picks it up and if his hands are sticky or there is juice on his chin – he does not like it. He complains but if I am not fats enough in cleaning him, he will wipe whatever is bothering him on his sleeve.
He is actually a tidy boy, bless his heart. He puts his shoes away in their place, he will return pants to their drawer and diapers to their shelves. He will shove puzzle pieces into a box – even if its not the right one...He puts away his play kitchen into any large box he can find – the point being – all must be stowed. He has learned to return a DVD into its box when it is not being used and he usually does that (on occasion however a DVD gets lost, as do cards and other parts of his games, he is after all a 2 year old toddler). Despite all this tidiness, he is just as capable of sending every toy in his possession flying about the house and there can sometimes be no stopping him. Its is mommy and or daddy who will end up tidying the mess. After such scenes searching for parts is an integral part of putting the house back in order. Jonathan does not really tend to help in such searches, but he will imitate such behaviors if chasing a ball around the house. He loves throwing a ball around, even if he is not 100% tuned in on the social value of throwing the ball to another person just yet. Chasing a ball around the house and making sure I follow his performance while doing so is at this stage entertaining enough.
Doing things by himself includes also trying to get dressed alone, especially pulling up his pants. He puts both legs into one pant hole and pulls. Sorting it out is however not easy, because he insists on repeating the mistake because he wants to get dressed by himself. We also negotiate daily on his clothes, because he likes to choose them himself. Sometimes I think his choice is not warm enough and then we have a wailing argument about putting on another shirt. I resort to tricks of preparing two shirts one in the other before putting them on Jonathan at once. He also tries to put his shoes on, but he always does it the wrong way around. I wonder if this is a toddler thing and that the mind is not 100% ripe with right and left, after all the left part of the brain controls the right part of the body and vice versa. Jonathan still operated with both hands playing an active role. He is still stronger with the left had and tends to do more gentle actions (like eating soup from a spoon) with the left hand but the right hand is catching up.
DVD control is a big issue – because Jonathan is practically addicted to the TV, even if he does not watch it, he likes it to play. I think this is left over from the first day care center. He can play with other toys quite contentedly and so we try to limit his daily DVD doses. Since he started climbing the shelves to get to the DVD player, we lowered its position and he now can operate it from a small stool – the DVD;s however remain located in a high place and so far he still asks for them to be brought down and he has not taken to climbing up to get them. He did try it once and I got very angry – lets hope he remembers that for a while... after all the removal of the DVD's themselves from reach is the only control method I have left (except unplugging the player, but do not tell Jonathan that...or he will swiftly learn to plug it back – cables were never problem – Jonathan changing cables in the TV has already led us to getting our TV set repaired).
Solo action also include raiding the fridge by himself. He is powerful enough to open the door and he knows where is food comes from... I accordingly located his favorite yogurts and fruit on the bottom shelf, so he can take them out if he wants. We have a water dispenser installed in our fridge, and Jonathan likes to press it – this however is strictly forbidden! Jonathan will pull up a chair if he wants to reach the dispenser – or anything located higher up. He will sometimes bring a chair from another room for such a purpose. Jonathan also likes to “pull up a chair” in the local delicatessen. He comes into the small shop and sits on a high stool demanding a piece of ham. Both owners know him by now and gladly treat him to a piece of “Shinken”. My husband and Jonathan are regular visitors. After Jonathan eats his piece , they purchase some of the delicious ham to take home. I ran once into one of the owners at a Falafel stand in the street, while I was walking with Jonathan and the delicatessen owner particularity greeted Jonathan and not myself...Today Jonathan even gave one of the owners a hug!
Jonathan has a few such favorite eating spots. The delicatessen is the ham spot, he has a shop for Humus around the corner, a particular ice cream shop on a near street and another in the near by shopping mall. Close to our apartment he also has a juice stand he loves. We buy him fresh fruit pressed (sweet tasty vitamins) and so toddler and parents are both happy. Last week we have been getting hot weather in the middle of February (usually the coldest month of the year) so my husband and I both took Jonathan to the juice stand on two separate occasions in one day. In both cases Jonathan not only drank his fill but chose to share his drink with the parent escorting him. He did so by pushing a second straw to his cup and inviting me to drink. My sister was with us and took a photo of Jonathan and me drinking “head to head” from the juice cup. When I showed it to my husband I found that Jonathan has done exactly the same with him earlier that day. He really is a very loving child!
One day, when visiting a friend, Jonathan pointed to a drawing of Micky Mouse and said “Mouse” our load. Then he pointed to a family portrait and was able to name is friend in it and also to day “dad” indicating that the man in the picture with the other little boy, was his father. This is how we first learned that Jonathan understands the concept of images depicting people. It was however sometime until he started recognizing his own family (mommy and daddy) and himself in pictures. My mother was the first to take a picture off the wall so that Jonathan could point to his daddy. Then one day Jonathan recognized his granddad and that is when I started looking at picture albums with him, usually before his bed time (instead of reading a story – he is still not patient enough to hear one properly, with the exception of two very particular books he practically knows by heart.) By now he is also recognizing both his grandmas and his nephew from my side and a niece from my husbands side.
Jonathan is showing some good memory skills. He remembers the way to his favorite ice shop, even though its winter and it has been some time since we went there. He remember the way to a friend's house – and that he was served a delicious cake there (the following visit he requested cake again from our hostess, just because he knew there would be some.... He remembers to associate a clown song with a certain clown puppet that has been shut up for months. At first I thought he remembered the song from his previous daycare group and I was astounded – its been half a year since he attended the group, in which one of the teachers used such a puppet and sang the song. I have understood however that they also play the song in his current group. Pity, I was enjoying the long memory effect fantasy as a doting mother should do. Still it is always a surprise to witness just how much he learns and remembers.
Not only his memory is impeccable, his speech is improving. Words are spoken more clearly and he is able to mumble through tunes with certain half words and sounds so that I can mostly recognize what song it is he wants me to join him in singing. He is also starting to formulate short sentences such as “where is bear?”, “no juice”, mommy to sit down etc. grammar is not perfect, but he is perfectly understood. Jonathan's language skills are not limited to human languages though, at a visit to an animal “stroking” facility he took up a conversation with a goat! The goat called “baaa” and Jonathan answered her “baaa' and so they exchanged a few more “baaa”s before we had to go. I found this extremely funny because I used to do the same when I was a kid. I especially remember a conversation with a wild goat I ran into on a school excursion when I was 13. I managed to keep up the “baaa” exchange for about 15 minutes and the goat and I eventually had quite a crowd...
Words and sentences are mostly spoken in Hebrew but his German is also improving fast, especially since he started visiting a German play group once a week. The group closed but my husband and the father of another boy still meet regularly with the boys, so the German group lives on and contributed much to Jonathan's vocabulary. The more we associate with boys Jonathan's age, the more we understand that our boy is a strong strapping youngster. Somehow we tend to end up in a relationship with boys who are relatively small and usually a head shorter than Jonathan. I am sure this actually serves to build his self esteem and the other boys however do not seem to be the losers either – they all play together so happily.
It was at a friend that we learned that Jonathan wishes to take up his love for music into an active level. It was at his friend's house that Jonathan first played the harmonica. We then got him a cheep copy but it only made three sounds so he lost interest. Since then, my brother has brought a more advanced harmonica for Jonathan and he enjoys playing it very much (and is grateful to his cool uncle). He is really skilled – he gets both major and minor noted out of the harmonica, blowing air in and out. He also can move the harmonica across his mouth and he gets a whole scale played doing his – like running you finger on a piano. Jonathan also plays the piano on occasion at my parents house, usually in the company of his other uncle – my sisters husband – who is a musician. All he does is pound on the keys, but I did show him how to run his fingers on the piano and he immediately copies my actions.
Playing on a tambourine and on an Arabian drum is also an enjoyable pastime. This however he especially loved to do in my company. To some extent, Jonathan is a performer.
He has taken up to performing at a private puppet theater, using two sponge glove figures that are actually intended for washing up. The sponge gloves are shaped after cows for children's amusement. We never used them for washing, I used them as puppets to Jonathan's delight from an early age. He has now however taken to doing the puppeteering himself. He loved so much that I brought a special Micky mouse glove for him to enjoy. Jonathan not only loves to perform, he loves to boss his crowd while he is at it. In our last visit to my parents Jonathan took to singing, demanding that I join in, and then cuing me when to stop and clapping hands to signal to my parents and husband that the performance was over. He did this repeatedly and we all laughed our heads off. After all, Jonathan was seriously producing his own show! Jonathan chose the song, chose who was to sing it with him, when it should start and when it should end and then the crowd was ordered to clap hands in a timely manner – like in a TV show! The boy has what is takes to be a director! Or perhaps a conductor. He had 4 adults at his finger tips and was enjoying the whole scene immensely! My mother took the opportunity to mention that from all his grandchildren, it is only Jonathan who had managed to order/boss my father around. Jonathan practically ordered his granddad top sit down and enjoy the show (or rather take part in it when clapping was required). We all has a great time!
Wanting adults to share in his games is becoming more often. Ordering adults around is normal to Jonathan – he demands that I share in his activities – rather than asking for my company (and I always tell him to say please, and he does). He invites me regularly to sit and watch a DVD with him (he cuddles while doing so, mommy serving as great recliner too), he loves to match animal cards with me, calling my attention with great enthusiasm to the different animal images and he likes me to chase him when we go out for a walk. He will tell me when to run and when to stop. He liked things organized – having me sit in my usual chair when he goes to bed (if his daddy sits there instead of lying on the bed which is my husband's usual spot – Jonathan will re organize us to our respective places).
But is not all commanding. There is a lot of playful fun. My husband was eventually rewarded for his effort in the last year when one day, as Jonathan came to us in the morning to the “big bed” he played hide and seek in the blanket with his daddy. He also throws a blanket on my face and asks “where is mommy” and then reveals me with sequels of laughter. In the shopping mall, to which we like to go as a family for a simple family outing, this game is continued in the dressing cabinets of shops. Jonathan hides in the cabinet and waits for us to remove the drapes and find him. He loves mirrors too! The fashion shops are a mirror bonanza and Jonathan dances with his figure in the mirror or with the boy who gets reflected from the glass of the near by bank. A set of two mirrors opposite each other, which cause for “hundreds” of Jonathan to appear, seam to scare him off. Two mirrors creating a corner that “cuts” his body from the waist down as he beds to look around it, thus having “two heads” is however an effect he got curious about in a lively manner of bending and checking that was quite heart stopping and delightful to watch.
His motoric skills are as advanced as ever. He practically swims in the bathtub and rolls about. He has not trouble grabbing and stopping himself safe if he slips. Climbing in and out of the tub is also not an issue – but he prefers to be lifted out of the tub by a hugging mommy – I am lucky he has this preference, or I would loose total control of him during a bath – he splashes about and then delights in the fact that he can create rain in the bath! The only thing he loves more, I believe is to pour water into my belly button from a plastic kettle, when I choose to share a bath with him. He loves to shake out all the kitchen playthings into the bath tub – naturally wanting to do so by himself and getting the net that houses the toys all tangle up. Occasionally he will help me take the toys out of the water – but usually he throws them out for me to pick up! Seeing them flying out of the tub is a cause for much glee to Jonathan.
Jumping on one foot is not a problem, neither is drinking from a cup – though he prefers his bottle. In fact he wants to do everything himself and scolds if we do it for him. He must open the front door when we leave and close the gates of all the yards in the neighborhood when we are taking a walk. He likes to pour his own juice into the bottle and put chocolate power in a bottle to make his chocolate drink – he then also diligently wipes away excess power, making a mes in his efforts to clean up his own mess. If he eats and drops his food, he picks it up and if his hands are sticky or there is juice on his chin – he does not like it. He complains but if I am not fats enough in cleaning him, he will wipe whatever is bothering him on his sleeve.
He is actually a tidy boy, bless his heart. He puts his shoes away in their place, he will return pants to their drawer and diapers to their shelves. He will shove puzzle pieces into a box – even if its not the right one...He puts away his play kitchen into any large box he can find – the point being – all must be stowed. He has learned to return a DVD into its box when it is not being used and he usually does that (on occasion however a DVD gets lost, as do cards and other parts of his games, he is after all a 2 year old toddler). Despite all this tidiness, he is just as capable of sending every toy in his possession flying about the house and there can sometimes be no stopping him. Its is mommy and or daddy who will end up tidying the mess. After such scenes searching for parts is an integral part of putting the house back in order. Jonathan does not really tend to help in such searches, but he will imitate such behaviors if chasing a ball around the house. He loves throwing a ball around, even if he is not 100% tuned in on the social value of throwing the ball to another person just yet. Chasing a ball around the house and making sure I follow his performance while doing so is at this stage entertaining enough.
Doing things by himself includes also trying to get dressed alone, especially pulling up his pants. He puts both legs into one pant hole and pulls. Sorting it out is however not easy, because he insists on repeating the mistake because he wants to get dressed by himself. We also negotiate daily on his clothes, because he likes to choose them himself. Sometimes I think his choice is not warm enough and then we have a wailing argument about putting on another shirt. I resort to tricks of preparing two shirts one in the other before putting them on Jonathan at once. He also tries to put his shoes on, but he always does it the wrong way around. I wonder if this is a toddler thing and that the mind is not 100% ripe with right and left, after all the left part of the brain controls the right part of the body and vice versa. Jonathan still operated with both hands playing an active role. He is still stronger with the left had and tends to do more gentle actions (like eating soup from a spoon) with the left hand but the right hand is catching up.
DVD control is a big issue – because Jonathan is practically addicted to the TV, even if he does not watch it, he likes it to play. I think this is left over from the first day care center. He can play with other toys quite contentedly and so we try to limit his daily DVD doses. Since he started climbing the shelves to get to the DVD player, we lowered its position and he now can operate it from a small stool – the DVD;s however remain located in a high place and so far he still asks for them to be brought down and he has not taken to climbing up to get them. He did try it once and I got very angry – lets hope he remembers that for a while... after all the removal of the DVD's themselves from reach is the only control method I have left (except unplugging the player, but do not tell Jonathan that...or he will swiftly learn to plug it back – cables were never problem – Jonathan changing cables in the TV has already led us to getting our TV set repaired).
Solo action also include raiding the fridge by himself. He is powerful enough to open the door and he knows where is food comes from... I accordingly located his favorite yogurts and fruit on the bottom shelf, so he can take them out if he wants. We have a water dispenser installed in our fridge, and Jonathan likes to press it – this however is strictly forbidden! Jonathan will pull up a chair if he wants to reach the dispenser – or anything located higher up. He will sometimes bring a chair from another room for such a purpose. Jonathan also likes to “pull up a chair” in the local delicatessen. He comes into the small shop and sits on a high stool demanding a piece of ham. Both owners know him by now and gladly treat him to a piece of “Shinken”. My husband and Jonathan are regular visitors. After Jonathan eats his piece , they purchase some of the delicious ham to take home. I ran once into one of the owners at a Falafel stand in the street, while I was walking with Jonathan and the delicatessen owner particularity greeted Jonathan and not myself...Today Jonathan even gave one of the owners a hug!
Jonathan has a few such favorite eating spots. The delicatessen is the ham spot, he has a shop for Humus around the corner, a particular ice cream shop on a near street and another in the near by shopping mall. Close to our apartment he also has a juice stand he loves. We buy him fresh fruit pressed (sweet tasty vitamins) and so toddler and parents are both happy. Last week we have been getting hot weather in the middle of February (usually the coldest month of the year) so my husband and I both took Jonathan to the juice stand on two separate occasions in one day. In both cases Jonathan not only drank his fill but chose to share his drink with the parent escorting him. He did so by pushing a second straw to his cup and inviting me to drink. My sister was with us and took a photo of Jonathan and me drinking “head to head” from the juice cup. When I showed it to my husband I found that Jonathan has done exactly the same with him earlier that day. He really is a very loving child!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Winter blues: Jonathan's great moment summary of the last two months or so
I did not have a computer, so some events have accumulated. It become recently cold and rainy here (winter for real for a change), so going to a friend to write has also not been an option. Jonathan is as cute as ever, is creating headlines for me on a continual basis – so here is a short summary.
His conversation and words improving every day. He now, more or less, repeats everything he hears and is always asking “ma ze?” , what's this? In order to find out new words.
Jonathan actually took a dump in the toilet for real! He did this twice this week. Following these events he was unwilling to wear a diaper and I let him run around without one, as he was home sick anyway. The result is that he wet his pants – although I asked him repeatedly if he needed to go to the loo. Funnily he seams to be getting it backwards – he wets his pants but does “bigger things” in the toilet. All the books say it usually goes the other way around.
Although we are not really trying to get off the diapers yet, because its winter here and this is a more summer sort of thing (roll the carpets and let him run with no clothes on, and no diapers either - learning to control one's needs with only the floors getting messy from time to time), Jonathan is expressing a growing interest in the toilet and a lessening willingness to wear diapers. We hope to try and get him off the diapers in Passover, when he has a week at home during the holiday. |It is then considerably warmer too.
Jonathan has understood from an early age that if he is not tall enough, he can get a chair, climb on it and reach his target. Now the shelves have also become a legitimate device for the same purpose. This is how he surprisingly reached the DVD player earlier this week at last. I turned my back for just a minute and whoops, he changed the CD in it alone! I have been keeping the DVD player high up as part of the mechanism to control the time Jonathan spends watching his DVD disks. But as his climbing has taken on a new turn and he has successfully changed DVD's at my mothers without breaking the player, I decided to bring it down again and keep controlling Jonathan's DVD intake by only putting up his CD's when we are done watching them for the day.
The first result of this policy was that he enjoys it very much and changes the CD's more often. The second result was that he reached to his fathers DVD collection, as he could not reach own – and broke one of the films. We are now reminding him that he is not permitted to touch the CD's in the shelves – just the one's in his box – which still remains high up....
Jonathan has been sick for a few days at home, and DVD played a major role in his entertainment, as it was cold outside. This morning he was to go to Kindergarten again – he refused. Even my leaving the house did not work! He has in fact recently been more willing to let me go out of the house and even says “buy bye” nicely if I Go out. This morning, I left indeed and my husband took him to kindergarten later, after he got his “DVD morning fix”. Even so, I think Jonathan likes his kindergarten and after today, he will remember again how nice it is and tomorrow morning it will be easier to get him out of the house.
His conversation and words improving every day. He now, more or less, repeats everything he hears and is always asking “ma ze?” , what's this? In order to find out new words.
Jonathan actually took a dump in the toilet for real! He did this twice this week. Following these events he was unwilling to wear a diaper and I let him run around without one, as he was home sick anyway. The result is that he wet his pants – although I asked him repeatedly if he needed to go to the loo. Funnily he seams to be getting it backwards – he wets his pants but does “bigger things” in the toilet. All the books say it usually goes the other way around.
Although we are not really trying to get off the diapers yet, because its winter here and this is a more summer sort of thing (roll the carpets and let him run with no clothes on, and no diapers either - learning to control one's needs with only the floors getting messy from time to time), Jonathan is expressing a growing interest in the toilet and a lessening willingness to wear diapers. We hope to try and get him off the diapers in Passover, when he has a week at home during the holiday. |It is then considerably warmer too.
Jonathan has understood from an early age that if he is not tall enough, he can get a chair, climb on it and reach his target. Now the shelves have also become a legitimate device for the same purpose. This is how he surprisingly reached the DVD player earlier this week at last. I turned my back for just a minute and whoops, he changed the CD in it alone! I have been keeping the DVD player high up as part of the mechanism to control the time Jonathan spends watching his DVD disks. But as his climbing has taken on a new turn and he has successfully changed DVD's at my mothers without breaking the player, I decided to bring it down again and keep controlling Jonathan's DVD intake by only putting up his CD's when we are done watching them for the day.
The first result of this policy was that he enjoys it very much and changes the CD's more often. The second result was that he reached to his fathers DVD collection, as he could not reach own – and broke one of the films. We are now reminding him that he is not permitted to touch the CD's in the shelves – just the one's in his box – which still remains high up....
Jonathan has been sick for a few days at home, and DVD played a major role in his entertainment, as it was cold outside. This morning he was to go to Kindergarten again – he refused. Even my leaving the house did not work! He has in fact recently been more willing to let me go out of the house and even says “buy bye” nicely if I Go out. This morning, I left indeed and my husband took him to kindergarten later, after he got his “DVD morning fix”. Even so, I think Jonathan likes his kindergarten and after today, he will remember again how nice it is and tomorrow morning it will be easier to get him out of the house.
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