5, 6, 7, 8, Meow!
Teaching moments with a toddler often degenerate like this.
While picking the kids up from day care, Josh asked, "Where did the lights go? Where are the presents?" Day care had some rope lights on wire frames that looked like presents, and Josh had spent pick-ups throughout the pre-Christmas season talking about those presents and what they might contain--even though they were open-air light frames that you could see through.
"Those were Christmas lights, buddy. Christmas is over. They've been put away until next year."
"It's Christmas!"
"No, Christmas is over," I reiterated gently as I began the drive home. "Don't worry though, Christmas will come again next year."
"Yes! Christmas will come back next year!"
Realizing that he's still working on days of the week, I realize this is a good teaching moment to explain the concept of a year. So, I asked, "That's right. Do you know how long a year is?"
"Yeah!"
"How long is a year?"
"Ummm..."
I'm not surprised he doesn't know, but I realize I'm not quite sure how to explain it. Months are kind of ambiguous as a time-keeping measure, as they don't have any inherent routine involved--provided you're not paying bills. So, I decide to stick to days and weeks, which are reasonably short periods which are full of routine, even for toddlers. Mind you, while he does pretty well with days of the week, I realize we haven't really talked much about weeks as a collection of days.
"Do you know how long a week is?" I ask.
"Yeah!"
This time I don't believe him. "It's seven days."
"Seven days..." he trails off. Since he's in the backseat, I can't tell if he's losing interest or actually thinking about what I'm saying.
"That's right! And there are 52 weeks in a year!" I add quickly, trying to sound excited.
"52 weeks..." he trails off again.
"That's right! Seven days in a week," I repeat, "and 52 weeks in a year!"
"Meow!" he answers.
The past few weeks have seen many appearances of Joshy Kitty, but my enthusiasm falters at the appearance right at the crux of my lesson. Still, I figure maybe the lesson can be salvaged if I appeal to his feline side.
"Does Joshy Kitty like learning about weeks and years?"
"Meow!" he answers energetically. However, it doesn't really answer the question. I try again.
"Do you like learning about weeks and years? One meow for yes, and two for no."
"One for yes, and two for no..." he repeats thoughtfully. "YES! MEOW, MEOW!!"
I tried to keep from laughing out loud, and somehow managed to keep silent as he continued.
"Three for yes, and four for no. MEOW!"
Pause.
"Five and six are both yes AND no! MEOW! MEOW!"
He didn't immediately continue, and I was curious, so I manage to ask through clenched teeth, "What are seven and eight?"
"Ummm... I don't know!"
At which point, I did laugh out loud.
"Stop laughing!" he admonished, before meowing the rest of the way home.
While picking the kids up from day care, Josh asked, "Where did the lights go? Where are the presents?" Day care had some rope lights on wire frames that looked like presents, and Josh had spent pick-ups throughout the pre-Christmas season talking about those presents and what they might contain--even though they were open-air light frames that you could see through.
"Those were Christmas lights, buddy. Christmas is over. They've been put away until next year."
"It's Christmas!"
"No, Christmas is over," I reiterated gently as I began the drive home. "Don't worry though, Christmas will come again next year."
"Yes! Christmas will come back next year!"
Realizing that he's still working on days of the week, I realize this is a good teaching moment to explain the concept of a year. So, I asked, "That's right. Do you know how long a year is?"
"Yeah!"
"How long is a year?"
"Ummm..."
I'm not surprised he doesn't know, but I realize I'm not quite sure how to explain it. Months are kind of ambiguous as a time-keeping measure, as they don't have any inherent routine involved--provided you're not paying bills. So, I decide to stick to days and weeks, which are reasonably short periods which are full of routine, even for toddlers. Mind you, while he does pretty well with days of the week, I realize we haven't really talked much about weeks as a collection of days.
"Do you know how long a week is?" I ask.
"Yeah!"
This time I don't believe him. "It's seven days."
"Seven days..." he trails off. Since he's in the backseat, I can't tell if he's losing interest or actually thinking about what I'm saying.
"That's right! And there are 52 weeks in a year!" I add quickly, trying to sound excited.
"52 weeks..." he trails off again.
"That's right! Seven days in a week," I repeat, "and 52 weeks in a year!"
"Meow!" he answers.
The past few weeks have seen many appearances of Joshy Kitty, but my enthusiasm falters at the appearance right at the crux of my lesson. Still, I figure maybe the lesson can be salvaged if I appeal to his feline side.
"Does Joshy Kitty like learning about weeks and years?"
"Meow!" he answers energetically. However, it doesn't really answer the question. I try again.
"Do you like learning about weeks and years? One meow for yes, and two for no."
"One for yes, and two for no..." he repeats thoughtfully. "YES! MEOW, MEOW!!"
I tried to keep from laughing out loud, and somehow managed to keep silent as he continued.
"Three for yes, and four for no. MEOW!"
Pause.
"Five and six are both yes AND no! MEOW! MEOW!"
He didn't immediately continue, and I was curious, so I manage to ask through clenched teeth, "What are seven and eight?"
"Ummm... I don't know!"
At which point, I did laugh out loud.
"Stop laughing!" he admonished, before meowing the rest of the way home.