Sunday, October 22, 2006

Too Verbal

When the Lone Star Baby was in the young one-year-old room at her old daycare, she was the only baby who really talked. The teacher used to sort of complain that she only wanted to do books, songs and the flashcards they (blech) used to teach words with pictures. She didn't really play with the toys very much. I knew what she meant, but figured we kind of had to follow the Lone Star Baby's lead - she's an unusual child.

Now, the Lone Star Baby has been at her Spanish-speaking Montessori school since last January, minus the summer. Her teacher tells me that it is amazing how much Spanish she actually already uses -they know that most of the children come to understand it quickly as they respond to it, but most don't actually use it themselves much at such a young age if it is not their first language. The Lone Star Baby uses it all the time. The teacher expressed her concern, though, that the Lone Star Baby is not that interested in the practical life activities and that she is trying to get her more interested. Too verbally oriented, again. I am sure it doesn't help that reading and going through papers and such are what the Lone Star Baby always sees her dad and I doing at home, but, really, she is who she is and she's two. There is only so much one can do.

I am trying to help by upping the volume of food prep. activities and crafts and such that we do at home, but she sort of already liked to do those things. I am trying to also increase housekeeping activities done together, but we don't really do that much housekeeping to be honest - in a crazy-scheduled life, something has to give and for us, it has been a clean house. I try, though. Her teacher says she sees improvement.


1 comment:

Triana said...

I think at two years old being able to speak your vocabulary in two different languages is life skills enough! Goodness! If only all of us could speak two languages, we'd be much further ahead of the game.