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...
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Speech pearls and genius ideas
Jonathan still has some speech pearls and cute mistakes, although he is almost 6 years old.
I used to enjoy it every time when he said that he thinks he has a "genius idea"...but then it seemed as if he is mixing the Hebrew word for genius with the Hebrew word for reasonable or logical.
Genuis is "GEONI" and logical is "HEGIONI".
weather his idea is genius (i.e bright and innovative) or logical (following a consecutive thinking path), I think the deceleration is still very sweet, no matter what type of idea he thinks he has...(I tend to think that he thinks about genius bu says logical).
Jonathan heard a recording of mummy singing and asked how can it be done? In the era of smartphones, a demonstration was easily arranged and Jonathan enjoyed his first smartphone recording session. He sang a familiar children song, making deliberate mistakes and then laughing at himself. (Shakshuka means eggs with tomato source, Hashuka means to the market...the children song starts with the words I shall go to the market...Jonathan was singing I shall go eggs...)
Jonathan is starting to express more complex ideas.
for example: if mommy needs to work for money, then is mommy will work more hours then mommy will have more money...I learned this turn of logic one evening when I returned late from work and my son directly wanted to send me to work some more...because he wanted me to have enough money to buy him all the toys he wants...and I have only myself to blame because I have explained to him more than once that I must go to work in order to earn money for his food,clothes and toys...(and this is why I cannot stay with him in kindergarten).
Another interesting turn of thought was when Jonathan scolded me, declaring that he was not a waitress! I has asked him to remove his plate from the table to the sink (at the age of 5.5 years, removing his plate is his main task in the household, along with tidying up his toys - a task he only performed when I help...). Jonathan ususally removed his plate promptly when being reminded (and sometimes even before he is reminded to do so) but on that particular evening he was engrossed in a TV show (Sponge-Bob Sqaure-pants , if I am not mistaken) and he did not comply, but instead asked me if I thought he was a waitress, that he needed to remove plates from tables? It is needless to say that Jonathan was scolded heavily, made to remove his plate, and was at the receiving end of a lecture that mothers are not service maids in the house, right after I managed to swallow hard so as to prevent the burst of laughter and mirth that his so sudden a declaration had caused...
Just a week ago, Jonathan's teacher for social skills (yes, they have such classes...and Jonathan is attending one especially in the afternoons, as part of his preparation for school next year) told me how pleased she was that Jonathan was expressing his thoughts and difficulties clearly. Jonathan had to work on a drawing together with another child and they had to make decisions together and agree on things, and Jonathan found compromising with another very difficult, and he was ale to say so to his partner and his teacher.
If I needed more proof that Jonathan's expression capabilities are improving, I got it yesterday, when Jonathan scolded his grandmother because he thought she insulted his father.
My mother only mentioned that Gummibaerchen, fruit jelly candy from Germany that my husband and Jonathan both love, is sweet and unhealthy. Jonathan reacted in defense of the sweets, the land they represent (Germany) and his father who takes care to have the sweets brought to us from Germany at every opportunity. My mother was not offended, but rather satisfied that her grandson could stand his own (and his fathers) ground. I was happy that Jonathan expressed himself so clearly.
And in three weeks, Jonathan will be 6 years old! how time flies!
I used to enjoy it every time when he said that he thinks he has a "genius idea"...but then it seemed as if he is mixing the Hebrew word for genius with the Hebrew word for reasonable or logical.
Genuis is "GEONI" and logical is "HEGIONI".
weather his idea is genius (i.e bright and innovative) or logical (following a consecutive thinking path), I think the deceleration is still very sweet, no matter what type of idea he thinks he has...(I tend to think that he thinks about genius bu says logical).
Jonathan heard a recording of mummy singing and asked how can it be done? In the era of smartphones, a demonstration was easily arranged and Jonathan enjoyed his first smartphone recording session. He sang a familiar children song, making deliberate mistakes and then laughing at himself. (Shakshuka means eggs with tomato source, Hashuka means to the market...the children song starts with the words I shall go to the market...Jonathan was singing I shall go eggs...)
Jonathan is starting to express more complex ideas.
for example: if mommy needs to work for money, then is mommy will work more hours then mommy will have more money...I learned this turn of logic one evening when I returned late from work and my son directly wanted to send me to work some more...because he wanted me to have enough money to buy him all the toys he wants...and I have only myself to blame because I have explained to him more than once that I must go to work in order to earn money for his food,clothes and toys...(and this is why I cannot stay with him in kindergarten).
Another interesting turn of thought was when Jonathan scolded me, declaring that he was not a waitress! I has asked him to remove his plate from the table to the sink (at the age of 5.5 years, removing his plate is his main task in the household, along with tidying up his toys - a task he only performed when I help...). Jonathan ususally removed his plate promptly when being reminded (and sometimes even before he is reminded to do so) but on that particular evening he was engrossed in a TV show (Sponge-Bob Sqaure-pants , if I am not mistaken) and he did not comply, but instead asked me if I thought he was a waitress, that he needed to remove plates from tables? It is needless to say that Jonathan was scolded heavily, made to remove his plate, and was at the receiving end of a lecture that mothers are not service maids in the house, right after I managed to swallow hard so as to prevent the burst of laughter and mirth that his so sudden a declaration had caused...
Just a week ago, Jonathan's teacher for social skills (yes, they have such classes...and Jonathan is attending one especially in the afternoons, as part of his preparation for school next year) told me how pleased she was that Jonathan was expressing his thoughts and difficulties clearly. Jonathan had to work on a drawing together with another child and they had to make decisions together and agree on things, and Jonathan found compromising with another very difficult, and he was ale to say so to his partner and his teacher.
If I needed more proof that Jonathan's expression capabilities are improving, I got it yesterday, when Jonathan scolded his grandmother because he thought she insulted his father.
My mother only mentioned that Gummibaerchen, fruit jelly candy from Germany that my husband and Jonathan both love, is sweet and unhealthy. Jonathan reacted in defense of the sweets, the land they represent (Germany) and his father who takes care to have the sweets brought to us from Germany at every opportunity. My mother was not offended, but rather satisfied that her grandson could stand his own (and his fathers) ground. I was happy that Jonathan expressed himself so clearly.
And in three weeks, Jonathan will be 6 years old! how time flies!
Jonathan and his Teddy
Sometime during March 2013, Jonathan lost his "Dubbon", the Hebrew word for teddy bear. I must admit that when I gave him the little furry bear when he was about 1.5 years old, I was not too creative in naming it. Still Dubbon was a loyal companion to Jonathan and an inseparable part of our family for 4 long years. that is, until he was lost. We do not know when and where. We looked everywhere! The last pictures of Jonathan with the bear are from March 2013.
Dubbon was purchased in Germany in a drugstore chain called Schlecker, when Jonathan was 1.5 years old. The chain no longer exists. It went bankrupted. why is this important to write about here and not in the economic news? because Jonathan was doubly saddened by the loss of Dubbon, when he understood that the shop no longer exists, and thus I couldn't just go an purchase another. In the first few days after Dubbon disappeared Jonathan hardly noticed. Then her remembered him again and there was no end to his tears. He still misses Dubbon sometimes, but luckily, he has "Teddy"
When I saw that Jonathan was getting too attached to Dubbon, I began to worry what would happen if he would get lost. We only had one such bear, and getting another was impossible even in the days when Schlecker was still open, as the doll was purchased on a whim and came from a "one of a kind mix" basket. About the same time, we received yet another teddy bear of more or less the same size (but lighter fur color) from German friends. The second bear was thus christened "Teddy" (mommy once more showing total lack of creativity) , I started placing the both alternatively in Jonathan's bed.
Thus is Dubbon has or be washed because Jonathan insisted to have it sit during his dinner,or if Dubbon was forgotten at grandmas house, Teddy would be ready to fill the bears place. although the bears were never identical, they were similar in size and in design, and Jonathan grew to love both. It was however always obvious that Dubbon was preferred. It was however Teddy who came to the rescue when Dubbon was lost, thus fulfilling its true destiny. Although Jonathan missed Dubbon, he was happy to be comforted with Teddy at his side. And as time went by, he became more and more happy with Teddy.
It has been 8 months since Dubbon was lost. I am sure Jonathan still remembers that he had another bear, but he loved Teddy so much! In the time since Dubbon was lost, Jonathan has mentioned him a few times, but this has been happening less and less. (One particular incident resulting in my printing a picture of the whole family in which Dubbon is also to be seen, and hanging it on the wall as a memorial...Jonathan spent the next few days showing the memorial to all his friends...interesting ritual, but it worked, I guess it was his way to mourn the loss of the bear...The picture still hangs on our picture wall, but the larger image that served as a memorial has been removed). I know that he remembers that Teddy is not Dubbon, but now I also know he is happy with Teddy and still very much dependent on the (new) bear for his bedtime comfort. Rules are stricter with Teddy, who is not permitted to be taken out of the house (except to grandmas), but still he too gets misplaced...I am so glad I took care to present him with an alternative bear early in his dependence on Dubbon...but now, I have no alternative for Teddy...
Dubbon was purchased in Germany in a drugstore chain called Schlecker, when Jonathan was 1.5 years old. The chain no longer exists. It went bankrupted. why is this important to write about here and not in the economic news? because Jonathan was doubly saddened by the loss of Dubbon, when he understood that the shop no longer exists, and thus I couldn't just go an purchase another. In the first few days after Dubbon disappeared Jonathan hardly noticed. Then her remembered him again and there was no end to his tears. He still misses Dubbon sometimes, but luckily, he has "Teddy"
When I saw that Jonathan was getting too attached to Dubbon, I began to worry what would happen if he would get lost. We only had one such bear, and getting another was impossible even in the days when Schlecker was still open, as the doll was purchased on a whim and came from a "one of a kind mix" basket. About the same time, we received yet another teddy bear of more or less the same size (but lighter fur color) from German friends. The second bear was thus christened "Teddy" (mommy once more showing total lack of creativity) , I started placing the both alternatively in Jonathan's bed.
Thus is Dubbon has or be washed because Jonathan insisted to have it sit during his dinner,or if Dubbon was forgotten at grandmas house, Teddy would be ready to fill the bears place. although the bears were never identical, they were similar in size and in design, and Jonathan grew to love both. It was however always obvious that Dubbon was preferred. It was however Teddy who came to the rescue when Dubbon was lost, thus fulfilling its true destiny. Although Jonathan missed Dubbon, he was happy to be comforted with Teddy at his side. And as time went by, he became more and more happy with Teddy.
It has been 8 months since Dubbon was lost. I am sure Jonathan still remembers that he had another bear, but he loved Teddy so much! In the time since Dubbon was lost, Jonathan has mentioned him a few times, but this has been happening less and less. (One particular incident resulting in my printing a picture of the whole family in which Dubbon is also to be seen, and hanging it on the wall as a memorial...Jonathan spent the next few days showing the memorial to all his friends...interesting ritual, but it worked, I guess it was his way to mourn the loss of the bear...The picture still hangs on our picture wall, but the larger image that served as a memorial has been removed). I know that he remembers that Teddy is not Dubbon, but now I also know he is happy with Teddy and still very much dependent on the (new) bear for his bedtime comfort. Rules are stricter with Teddy, who is not permitted to be taken out of the house (except to grandmas), but still he too gets misplaced...I am so glad I took care to present him with an alternative bear early in his dependence on Dubbon...but now, I have no alternative for Teddy...
Jonathan and Jasmin Playing, Dubbon in His Lap - Last Pictures
Family Portrait - All 5 of us - Daddy, Mommy, Jonathan, Jasmin and Dubbon
Jonathan insisted that his teddybear be in the picture...
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Pottery App
In the effort to communicate with my son, I am all into the apps (short for applications) and games one can run on a smartphone.
its not only for calling now...
Recently we have taken up a pottery app (in iPhone and iPad) and we compete for best sellers. Jonathan has a knack for it, but now that mommy has caught on...mommy is in the lead with a pot sold at $149...its a shame the images are not stored and so I cannot add images of the artistic creations we have made.
and it looks like this cool app has been developed in Poland.
They have a cool website, so although you will not see any of my creations there, or those of Jonathan (I am not sure what happens to pots that are"sold" on the app)
so take a look at www.potterygame.com
Jonathan is also into "angry birds" (the app that started it all) and its new spin off "bad piggies" as well as "minion rush", "subway surf", "cut the rope" (now new with time travel) and even "sonic rush" (with a character from my childhood) and an occasional "amazing alex" or the supposedly more educational "toca builders".
Mommy likes pottery and rummy mobile. Daddy likes backgammon.
its not only for calling now...
Recently we have taken up a pottery app (in iPhone and iPad) and we compete for best sellers. Jonathan has a knack for it, but now that mommy has caught on...mommy is in the lead with a pot sold at $149...its a shame the images are not stored and so I cannot add images of the artistic creations we have made.
and it looks like this cool app has been developed in Poland.
They have a cool website, so although you will not see any of my creations there, or those of Jonathan (I am not sure what happens to pots that are"sold" on the app)
so take a look at www.potterygame.com
Jonathan is also into "angry birds" (the app that started it all) and its new spin off "bad piggies" as well as "minion rush", "subway surf", "cut the rope" (now new with time travel) and even "sonic rush" (with a character from my childhood) and an occasional "amazing alex" or the supposedly more educational "toca builders".
Mommy likes pottery and rummy mobile. Daddy likes backgammon.
Its been months since I posted on this blog
The problem of having a little sister who is in her second year...most of the funny stuff that happens is performed by her, and thus belongs in her blog...
http://www.secondchildmom.blogspot.co.il/
Still, Jonathan is not without his share of fun and cuteness...
Here are the memories I jotted down for blogging...these ideas will be the base for the next posts.
jotting is done in Hebrew, blogging in English...
http://www.secondchildmom.blogspot.co.il/
Still, Jonathan is not without his share of fun and cuteness...
Here are the memories I jotted down for blogging...these ideas will be the base for the next posts.
jotting is done in Hebrew, blogging in English...
יונתן
מתגעגע לדובון , נזכר בו ומדפיס תמונה משפחתית שכוללת אותו ושם על הקיר כמעין פינת
זכרון
טדי
בכל זאת משמח אותו קצת
אפילו
העציב אותו שהחנות שבו נרכש דובון איננה קיימת עוד כי אי אפשר יהיה לקנות עוד אחד
הוא
רוצה לשמור כוס פלסטיק חד פעמית כדי להזכר בכיף שעשה כששיחק איתה בחוף הים
DONE -I think I already wrote about this one...
יונתן
מקליט את עצמו שר
ליונתן
יש רעיון גאוני או הגיוני
יונתן
אומר שאמא צריכה לעבוד הרבה כי רז יהיה לי הרבה כסף- הגיון פשוט...
יונתן
אומר שהוא לא מלצרית כשאני אומרת לו לנקות אוכל מהרצפה ועל זה אמא שלי אומרת
שהמשרתים בחופש
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The machines Builder
Jonathan has taken to planning and even building
machines. Preferably laser machines.
He likes to draw out plans for his machines and make ingredient
lists. Then he wants to build them, but is not always able to explain how.
Planning the steps of a game and drawing instructions, drawing a course or
planning the making of a cake (lets go to the supermarket and purchase
ingredients and then we will bake a cake), are all charming pastimes for
Jonathan. Decorating a plastic box and then declaring that it is a “creation”
(Yetzira) or a machine is a daily event.
I would have started to hope that I am
raising a little engineer but then Jonathan wants to solve some issue with magic
(mommy make magic so that…) preferably magic which entails the shooting of
imaginary laser beams out of his hands (dramatic gestures, flying arms and
shooting noises all included for special effects). Considering the statues he
puts together at my parents (mommy, grandma, look I have built a machine..a
laser machine…) using plastic boxes, toy pieces and a watering pot, I am
raising a freestyle artists…such a shame that one must be truly exceptional to
make money of art...Watching Jonathan handle any electronic device with ease (including
my mother’s newest gem – the ipad) and his mastery of computer games, I do believe
there is hope of him yet making a sensible living…Ah! Balsam to a mother's sole…
Playing big brother
Jonathan built the cart for jasmine from a carton…
Character Summary
If I were to summarize the character of my children and their
learning methods I could do so with two simple sayings. Jonathan is the quantum
leaper; Jasmin is the one after the other consistent. He the daydreamer, she
connected to earth.
Jonathan can be stuck for months: repeating questions,
discussing a subject respectively over and over again for days. If he does not immediately succeed he wails
and gives up. He is not thorough. Often he imitates, but with no exactness. He
is detached from reality and lets a fantasy computer and cartoon world rule his
imagination. It takes time for him to register how the world around him works,
and he is often disappointed in what he finds. He has little patience or
duration, bordering on the spineless, expecting mommy to solve the problem and somewhat
typical for the eldest son. But once in a while he gets it! Suddenly its all
comes together and he makes the quantum leap! And whatever it was he could not
do before, he does naturally and flowingly.
Jasmin is the one who takes everything in. one step at a
time. She is consistent and methodic – going about her way is small steps and
phases to reach her goal. On the other hand she is earthly, connected to the
world with sheer instinct. She needs to see something only once to understand
it, and if she were not just a baby of 1 year and two months of age, I am sure
she could also master any skill in a very short time. At this stage she imitates
everything she sees immediately. She just gets it immediately! She learns
quickly and imitates immediately. Her efforts seam not perfect only because she
is but a baby!
How alike they may sometimes look, both strongly resemble their
father, somehow, both have my “look” to them too. They are siblings. And yet,
they are separate entities, two different people, who react to their surroundings
in so different a way.
Jasmin, Jonathan and daddy
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