Learning to Write

Julian is really, really proud of his abilities right now. Barely 5 years old and still in pre-school, he is reading and writing and doing math and we applaud his efforts and successes and spend a lot of time helping him read a lot of signs, books, words, etc. Everything is an opportunity to practice the skills his sister so easily displays (remember - he wants to do everything just like her!)

So this morning, while he was eating breakfast, Julian asked me for paper and pencil so he could practice some writing. He was sure he could figure out how to write this something on his own. We didn't have a lot of time, so I asked him what he needed to write. Very matter-of-factly and innocently he replied:

" 'Kiss my ass'. I think I know how to write that on my own, mom."

Before you go thinking that those are everyday words in our family (they are not - we are very careful about what we say to keep our tones respectful and mostly swear-free) you should know that I've always taught my kids that there are no bad words, but how, when and where you say things can be thought of as disrespectful, not appropriate, etc. When they've heard or asked about certain words, I've explained what they were, what they meant and whether or not they are appropriate and under what circumstances (many explanations are "Adults can say this, kids cannot".) So......

"Do you know what that means?" I asked.
"I forgot." (Very sincerely, and I believed him)
"Where did you hear that?"
"On Hairspray." (One of his favorite movies.)

Sure enough, we did watch Hairspray a month or so ago and they did say that. At the time, I told both kids I didn't approve of them repeating that and told them what it meant, but I can't really expect Julian to remember. He was so sincere about being able to write those simple words on his own, all I could do was try to move onto tasks at hand - like getting dressed and eating breakfast - and saving my laughter for when I was in the car alone. Watching the movie was my doing - I didn't vet the thing before we popped into the DVD player.

Needless to say, I explained what it meant and that it's not appropriate for anyone to say it and that we weren't going to practice writing it (for now - I'm sure it will come up again in say, 6-7 years from now!)

Out of the mouths of babes!!! It still cracks me up!

Learning to spell

Julian just turned 5 and is in Pre-School. Someting happened a few months back that just seemed to click for him overnight. He started reading and spelling and doing simple addition and subtraction. It was a wonderful surprise!

This morning in the car on the way to school, he was happily talking a bit to himself. I could tell he was working out a spelling problem, but was only half paying attention. "B....R" I could hear him saying over and over. Then he asked what made the sound "Ah". "Mom, what says Ah?" So before I really put 2+2 together I helped him figure out the Ah and proudly he spelled his word: BRA! OK, well, that is a word, but out of the blue, on the way to school at 9am on a Thursday morning, "bra" isn't necessarily a word I'd figure my 5 year old would be trying to figure out. So I asked, trying not to laugh, why was he thinking about bra. "Daddy wears one, with a phone."

He was exactly right! But before you think my hubby is totally weird, Julian was referring to a picture in our office from our most recent cruise where our group was playing a game called Quest. Finding things and wearing them or showing them ... the first woman with two pairs of men's pants, not on the men, first man with a set of dentures, first woman with a tattoo, first man dressed as a woman with all the accessories, etc. That's when the picture was taken and it is a funny picture. But I think I have some 'splainin' to do with my son, huh?!?