Use your words, don't just pout

Do you know what kids don’t understand? English. This makes sense if you think about it.  Every word is new; they have to learn it in context.  If you have ever tried to learn a foreign language, some is easy, sometimes – you think you know, but you really don’t. 

I am often reminded of this when one of us tries to REASON with the kids.  I can hear us preaching long drawn out conversations about why what they did was wrong and why they shouldn’t do it again.  I tune it out.  I know they do too.

But sometimes they listen.  And they do their best.  This weekend, A asked me for more of something.  I had no idea what the heck she wanted. She told me she wanted more of … something.  Then, on try three, I heard it: “Moisture Crackers.”  WTF?!? 

Then I translated it.  Oyster Crackers.  Of course.  She doesn’t know Oyster so she used a word she does know: Moisture.  We must be saying moisture.  This happens all the time.  One day B told me I (mama) was going to buy her a “stocking bird.”  It is funny to me that because these little beings aren't afraid to just go for it.  I can't think of a time when I tried to use a word I had heard but didn't know the translation of it. 

Even Ms. R can come out with such big words: “Actually, I prefer clean peanuts. Not soggy.” 

They do stop me sometimes and ask what I mean by one word or the other.  A is particularly good at that.  Mom- What do you mean by that?   They already have some stunning vocabularies.  Excited to see where it goes from here. 

In the meantime, we are starting to use rhymes and songs to diffuse tense situations and long speeches. The new Keenan Mantra:

There’s no need to scream and shout.

Solve your problem – don’t just pout.