I usually collect pearls of childish wisdom in my email and then on occasion I curate them into one post. Here are some of Jonathan's pearls in the last half year.
Israeli schools have devised a program to help classmates get to know each other. The idea is that each child in turn invites 5 other children arbitrarily assigned by the home teacher to an afternoon at home and gets invited to theirs. Its called a hosting party. Jonathan being in the first year of school took part in this program.We were in fact one of the first families to conduct a hosting party. After that we prepared a Powerpoint with pictures from the event to show in class and Jonathan was requested to present it. About 4 month later Jonathan asked me when he is to be invited next to a hosting party. when I asked why he wanted to know he clarifies that he wants his picture to be included in a presentation. The children of the digital world...
Jonathan has an habit of mimicking lips motion when he is bored. The idea is to try to move his lips imitating the person speaking to him, sometimes he even tries to say the words. This can be quite annoying at times, but I must confess I find it amazing ho fast he reacts and how close he is to saying to me that which I am saying to him.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Thursday, June 11, 2015
How to Neutralize a Bored (ADHD?) Boy? The Schoolteachers Dilemma and creative Solution
Jonathan is almost graduating his first year of school. I went better than we thought considering his ever present ADHD symptoms (although we do not have an official diagnosis). All in all he is up to his class level in his studies. He reads tolerably well in Hebrew, recognizes a few letters in the English alphabet and he can compute up to 100. We are still struggling with getting to school on time in the mornings (as both my husband and I are NOT morning people, the understatement of the century..., I sometimes wonder who's fault this really is) and when Jonathan is bored or unsatisfied he may break out into a mood and lash at his teacher. This effect can be enhanced if his routine is broken, which in the summer months of school it usually is.
The first graders are appointed to conduct the ceremony of Shavuoth - the celebration of summer, first ripening of fruit an crops and the traditional date that the Torah (or 10 commandments at least) were given to the people of Israel in mount Sinai at ancient times. The ceremony rehearsals composed of 3 weeks in May in which the children are expected to continue their studies independently with various assignments parallel to rehearsals in small groups. The frontal lesson routine is totally broken.
Jonathan was not finding himself in all this. He did not want to join the dancers and could not keep quiet while the other children rehearsed their lines. His teacher was finding it difficult to get him to cooperate at all. And then, on the second week of rehearsals (after suffering his nasty bouts of screaming and boredom for the first week) she had a brilliant idea! She assigned him a task that is important on the one hand and affords no rehearsal with other on the other. Jonathan would easily recognize his place in the ceremony without disturbing the other children or the rehearsals and he would feel needed! His role was to declare the ceremony has reached its end (and to invite the audience to stand up for the national anthem). Jonathan had one lie to memorize and was the only child to speak solo. He was exited and felt himself important. We picked the importance message up at home, on cue from the teacher and he became manageable for the rest of the rehearsals.
The parents were invited to the ceremony and I was almost as excited as Jonathan could be. He behaved impeccably during 20 minutes of ceremony, sitting quietly on the side of the stage and singing along when required. Then he started to get smile and wave at me, and made thumbs up signs to me and wiggled about in his seat. Just as I was wondering why he was so exited, he got up, picked the microphone and spoke his line. The sound was bad and the speakers beeped. Jonathan undaunted, simply repeated the line again and everyone stood up for the anthem. Then my important boy put the microphone down on its designated cushion and stood proud and erect center stage for the duration of the anthem! I was busting with pride.
Turns out the school filed it all. I am embedding the video here. I hope Jonathan will enjoy the memory as I will. Unfortunately the anthem part is cut off in the school footage! Lucky I filmed and photographed it myself! Proud mama all the way!
The first graders are appointed to conduct the ceremony of Shavuoth - the celebration of summer, first ripening of fruit an crops and the traditional date that the Torah (or 10 commandments at least) were given to the people of Israel in mount Sinai at ancient times. The ceremony rehearsals composed of 3 weeks in May in which the children are expected to continue their studies independently with various assignments parallel to rehearsals in small groups. The frontal lesson routine is totally broken.
Jonathan was not finding himself in all this. He did not want to join the dancers and could not keep quiet while the other children rehearsed their lines. His teacher was finding it difficult to get him to cooperate at all. And then, on the second week of rehearsals (after suffering his nasty bouts of screaming and boredom for the first week) she had a brilliant idea! She assigned him a task that is important on the one hand and affords no rehearsal with other on the other. Jonathan would easily recognize his place in the ceremony without disturbing the other children or the rehearsals and he would feel needed! His role was to declare the ceremony has reached its end (and to invite the audience to stand up for the national anthem). Jonathan had one lie to memorize and was the only child to speak solo. He was exited and felt himself important. We picked the importance message up at home, on cue from the teacher and he became manageable for the rest of the rehearsals.
The parents were invited to the ceremony and I was almost as excited as Jonathan could be. He behaved impeccably during 20 minutes of ceremony, sitting quietly on the side of the stage and singing along when required. Then he started to get smile and wave at me, and made thumbs up signs to me and wiggled about in his seat. Just as I was wondering why he was so exited, he got up, picked the microphone and spoke his line. The sound was bad and the speakers beeped. Jonathan undaunted, simply repeated the line again and everyone stood up for the anthem. Then my important boy put the microphone down on its designated cushion and stood proud and erect center stage for the duration of the anthem! I was busting with pride.
Turns out the school filed it all. I am embedding the video here. I hope Jonathan will enjoy the memory as I will. Unfortunately the anthem part is cut off in the school footage! Lucky I filmed and photographed it myself! Proud mama all the way!
https://youtu.be/eLtTPTUzPP0
Monday, October 27, 2014
Boys will simply love you
I recently read this great blog post written by a lesbian mom of 3 boys. I regret I cannot find the link to put in here..she writes that while your daughters may give you on occasion the silent treatment/cold shoulder/bad mood swings etc (take your pick) your son will always just love you.
I am a mother to a 7 year old boy and 2.5 year old girl and I totally agree! My Jonathan has a simple and loving heart! Not a day goes by in which he does not tell me more than once quite simple that he loves me. On every second day he will tall me that I am beautiful/pretty alternatively he will call me the "coolest mom ever!" (his words , I swear!). What an ego booster- and I have all in-house!
My boy has a heart of gold and I am the major beneficiary of his enormous capacity for love!
Jasmin, already at 2.5 may give me the shoulder if she does not want to do something, and at other occasions she mimics me scolding, but turns it around to scold me! Her latest rebuke is "savlanut!", which means patience in Hebrew. And so I am lectured on the virtues of waiting, for a 2.5 year old to finish whatever she is doing at that exact moment (climbing the sofa, watching TV, having a pretend phone call using a magnet...).
I know Jasmin loves me too. She runs to the door the minute I arrive from work and dashes forward full thrust to give my leg a grip hug! Even her older and physically bigger brother cannot beat her to the door, even if he tries (he sometimes tries if he can get away from the computer screen long enough to greet me upon my arrival).
Both children love their daddy too and Jasmin, ever daddy's girl, practically cannot fall asleep until she has ensured that daddy too has returned from work (my husband works in the evenings). Recently Jonathan has been voicing how important family members are to him, how much he loves us all. He even invented a song about it "Ich liebe Alle!" in German, a simple melody naming all his family members, grandparents and cousins included and the simple statement "I love all".
He has also been repeatedly telling me how important it is to him that we do things together, and protesting when this does not happen as often as he would like (I sometimes truly regret that both my husband and I work and have little time during the week...). Jonathan will simply revel at spending an afternoon with me, even if we spend it running errands. He just loves being together with mommy! A mother's life is just full of humor, ridiculous situations, surprises and if she is lucky to have a son, then also lots and lots and lots of cuddling, hugs, kisses and simple plain love! Yes indeed, boys will simply love you! Always!
I am a mother to a 7 year old boy and 2.5 year old girl and I totally agree! My Jonathan has a simple and loving heart! Not a day goes by in which he does not tell me more than once quite simple that he loves me. On every second day he will tall me that I am beautiful/pretty alternatively he will call me the "coolest mom ever!" (his words , I swear!). What an ego booster- and I have all in-house!
My boy has a heart of gold and I am the major beneficiary of his enormous capacity for love!
Jasmin, already at 2.5 may give me the shoulder if she does not want to do something, and at other occasions she mimics me scolding, but turns it around to scold me! Her latest rebuke is "savlanut!", which means patience in Hebrew. And so I am lectured on the virtues of waiting, for a 2.5 year old to finish whatever she is doing at that exact moment (climbing the sofa, watching TV, having a pretend phone call using a magnet...).
I know Jasmin loves me too. She runs to the door the minute I arrive from work and dashes forward full thrust to give my leg a grip hug! Even her older and physically bigger brother cannot beat her to the door, even if he tries (he sometimes tries if he can get away from the computer screen long enough to greet me upon my arrival).
Both children love their daddy too and Jasmin, ever daddy's girl, practically cannot fall asleep until she has ensured that daddy too has returned from work (my husband works in the evenings). Recently Jonathan has been voicing how important family members are to him, how much he loves us all. He even invented a song about it "Ich liebe Alle!" in German, a simple melody naming all his family members, grandparents and cousins included and the simple statement "I love all".
He has also been repeatedly telling me how important it is to him that we do things together, and protesting when this does not happen as often as he would like (I sometimes truly regret that both my husband and I work and have little time during the week...). Jonathan will simply revel at spending an afternoon with me, even if we spend it running errands. He just loves being together with mommy! A mother's life is just full of humor, ridiculous situations, surprises and if she is lucky to have a son, then also lots and lots and lots of cuddling, hugs, kisses and simple plain love! Yes indeed, boys will simply love you! Always!
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Jonathan gives me love...
To mommy with Love from Jonathan. My sweet 6.5 year old son wrote and drew this himself!
I have to write this one in Hebrew - Jonathan drawing missiles...and behaving maturely
יולי 2014 הימים ימי מבצע "צוק איתן" והילדים בכל זאת מושפעים... יונתן בן השש וחצי מצייר שמיים כחולים בית ופרחים וגם מטוסים באויר שיורים...הוא אומר שזה בכלל משפריץ מים או לייזר, אבל האמת היא שבימים שבהם מדברים עם הילדים על טילים ומסבירים שצריך ללכת לחדר מדרגות בזמן אזעקה, זה מחלחל...והילד מצייר...
אין יותר בוגר ומדהים מיונתן בימים אלו. יצאתי לקנות לחם והשארתי את הילד לבד. לזמנים של רבע שעה אני עושה זאת מידי פעם והוא מרגיש עצמאי וגדול! כולם מרוצים. הוא כבר בן שבע! בגילו גם אני הייתי לבד בבית לפעמים לזמנים קצרים.
בדיוק התחילה אזעקה ואני רצה בטירוף הביתה, ולא משנה שכולה הייתי במאפיה בפינה של הרחוב. דקה וחצי של אזעקה שעוברים עלי כמו גהנום של רגשי אשם כי הילד לבד...אז מסתבר שהוא רגוע ולגמרי בשליטה. הוא כבר יודע שצריך ללכת לחדר מדרגות והכל בסדר. הוא אפילו מתפלא שאני מתנשפת כל כך כשאני מגיעה לבית. והוא גם לא לבד. השכנים יצאו גם הם לחדר המדרגות ויש מי ששם עליו עין...זהו, שמענו בום של יירוט באויר ואפשר לחזור הביתה...אני מסדירה את הנשימה. הילד הבוגר וה COOL שלי לא הרים לדקה את העיניים מהטאבלט והמשחק בו הוא שקוע. שגרה של ילד ישראלי...
Monday, June 9, 2014
Notes for blogging
Due to a change of employment, I have to return the cellphone. Here is what I fished out of the memo app before giving it back, relating to Johnathan's blog.
יונתן מקנא ביסמין ודורש צומי. נמרח על הרצפה ומיילל. מוחה שלא קיבל חיבוק בכלל ועוד כהנה טענות דומות.
יונתן מתעניין בבישול אחרי שראה תוכנית בישול ואז רוצה לבשל ב 11 בלילה אבל לא למחרת בשעה נורמלית.
בכלל לא יוצא לי לעשות דברים איתו כי הערב נגמר והבטחות נותרות באויר. כמו צפיה משותפת בעובדות על דברים שמעניינים אותו באינטרנט... אני מסבירה למשל באוטו בנסיעה על משהו ומבטיחה שנסתכל במחשב בבית ואז לא מתפנה בגלל מקלחות והשכבות והזמן נגמר והמידע נותר טמון במחשב...עצוב לי
יונתן כותב "אמא" ו"אבא" ומצייר לב. עם לכתוב את המילה "יסמין" מבקש עזרה למרות שמכיר את האותיות. בנתיים גם "סבתא" הוא כותב לא רע.
שאלתי את יונתן אם רוצה להכיר גם האותיות באנגלית וגרמנית. הוא אמר שלא. ניסיתי לשווק לו את זה בצורה של "ככה זה הכל במחשב ובאינטרנט" אז הוא עונה לי בשביל האתר FRIV (אתר משחקי חינם שיונתן מאוד אוהב) כל מה שאני צריל לכתוב זה כ' ר' ן' וגם ה'. (האותיות הללו הן האותיות שבמקדלת העברית בעבור האותיות F, R,I,V בהתאמה). בקיצור הוא לא מבין למה הוא צריך את האלף-בית הלועזי...מה לעשות רק בן שש וחצי...
יונתן מקנא ביסמין ודורש צומי. נמרח על הרצפה ומיילל. מוחה שלא קיבל חיבוק בכלל ועוד כהנה טענות דומות.
יונתן מכריז שרוצה לנקות איתי את הבית כי פסח...למדו על זה בגן כנראה...
יונתן רוצה להזמין חברים ולפתוח מסעדה. נתן לי השראה לספרי ילדים שמלמד ילדים איך לתכנן משהו, למשל כמו תפריט או מסיבה...גם לימודי ושימושי לטווח קצר אבל גם חינוכי לטווח ארוך...
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Non Stop Talking
Jonathan likes to tell me everything! I am very happy this is so, however this usually means that I have to listen to a narrative that is never ending regarding all his favorite television shows, smartphone apps and fantasy games.
It is unfortunate that Jonathan cannot express himself clearly. His narrative is cut and confused. He delivers a lot of information with motion and sound and not with words. If I did not happen to have seen the program he is telling me about, it will be very difficult to understand what he is talking about. Jonathan makes up for his lack of communication abilities with enthusiasm and tenaciousness and duration - he simply goes on and on! Prattling along about the latest TV show on Nickelodeon or on you tube. Telling me about each phase he has managed to conquer and what stage his friends have managed to get through in a favorite computer game. My mother told me recently with great pride, that she was actually able to get Jonathan to tell her about a TV show and that by asking targeted questions, she managed to get a complete narrative from him and that she understood what he was talking about, although she naturally did not see the show!
Jonathan loves to talk to me about everything and anything. If he thinks he did something wrong, he will ask me not to be angry before sharing his information with me. sometimes he tried to lie to me, but he is not very good and I see though it immediately. It takes very little probing on my side to get the truth, and most of the times Jonathan regrets having lied, and he comes out immediately after lying with the true story, first declaring "oh, very ell, I will tell you the truth...". In such cases I always commend him on the truth and try to make him understand that it is important the he tell me everything that is on his mind.
Experts say that parents should take the time to listen to their children. that a conversation taking place in the car, when mommy is driving and child in in the back seat does not count. Experts say that modern parents tend to cut the children short and to manage them all too much. I notice that sometimes this is true of my dealings with Jonathan, and I try to improve and take the time to listen to what he has to say. Fining time is not easy. as a working mother I have very little time and two children demanding my attention. In the evenings, there is much to be done (eat, bath, sleep) and logistics to be taken care of (washing, home organisation and various errands). even so, I try to make the best of the time that I do have and to give each of my children some quality time alone with me. I truly hope I can maintain the good communication channels between Jonathan and myself, even though it is sometimes exhausting to try and follow what he is telling me...but even this, I hope will improve in time...
It is unfortunate that Jonathan cannot express himself clearly. His narrative is cut and confused. He delivers a lot of information with motion and sound and not with words. If I did not happen to have seen the program he is telling me about, it will be very difficult to understand what he is talking about. Jonathan makes up for his lack of communication abilities with enthusiasm and tenaciousness and duration - he simply goes on and on! Prattling along about the latest TV show on Nickelodeon or on you tube. Telling me about each phase he has managed to conquer and what stage his friends have managed to get through in a favorite computer game. My mother told me recently with great pride, that she was actually able to get Jonathan to tell her about a TV show and that by asking targeted questions, she managed to get a complete narrative from him and that she understood what he was talking about, although she naturally did not see the show!
Jonathan loves to talk to me about everything and anything. If he thinks he did something wrong, he will ask me not to be angry before sharing his information with me. sometimes he tried to lie to me, but he is not very good and I see though it immediately. It takes very little probing on my side to get the truth, and most of the times Jonathan regrets having lied, and he comes out immediately after lying with the true story, first declaring "oh, very ell, I will tell you the truth...". In such cases I always commend him on the truth and try to make him understand that it is important the he tell me everything that is on his mind.
Experts say that parents should take the time to listen to their children. that a conversation taking place in the car, when mommy is driving and child in in the back seat does not count. Experts say that modern parents tend to cut the children short and to manage them all too much. I notice that sometimes this is true of my dealings with Jonathan, and I try to improve and take the time to listen to what he has to say. Fining time is not easy. as a working mother I have very little time and two children demanding my attention. In the evenings, there is much to be done (eat, bath, sleep) and logistics to be taken care of (washing, home organisation and various errands). even so, I try to make the best of the time that I do have and to give each of my children some quality time alone with me. I truly hope I can maintain the good communication channels between Jonathan and myself, even though it is sometimes exhausting to try and follow what he is telling me...but even this, I hope will improve in time...
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