P=Parent
C=Child
C: What if you broke a fish in half?
P: I don't think you could do that.
C: What if it was a shark?
P: I really don't think you could do that.
C: What if you cut the shark in half with a knife?
P: Why are you talking about violent things?
C: I don't know what you mean.
P: Talking about knives is violent.
C: (Thinks for a moment)... But, violent is a shade of purple. And knives aren't purple!
Sunday, December 18, 2016
How to Argue With an Elementary-School-Aged Child (And Lose) #44
P=Parent
C=Child
C: How did dinosaurs make pudding?
P: I don't think they did.
C: Yes, they DID!
P: Oh, okay then.
C: So, how did they do it?!?
C=Child
C: How did dinosaurs make pudding?
P: I don't think they did.
C: Yes, they DID!
P: Oh, okay then.
C: So, how did they do it?!?
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
How to Argue With a Pre-School-Aged Child (And Lose) #43
P=Parent
C=Child
C: Grandpoppo is cool because he can eat and drive at the same time!
P: Oh yeah?
C: Yeah, I've seen him do it! Some people can do two different things at the same time.
P: That's called multitasking.
C: Yup!
P: Do you know any other examples of multitasking?
C: (Thinks a moment) Yes! Multitasking is like when a giant can grab a house with one hand and then grab another house with the other hand!
P: I guess that's a pretty good example.
C=Child
C: Grandpoppo is cool because he can eat and drive at the same time!
P: Oh yeah?
C: Yeah, I've seen him do it! Some people can do two different things at the same time.
P: That's called multitasking.
C: Yup!
P: Do you know any other examples of multitasking?
C: (Thinks a moment) Yes! Multitasking is like when a giant can grab a house with one hand and then grab another house with the other hand!
P: I guess that's a pretty good example.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Learning how to teach Spanish, part 2
It's been about a year and a half since I last blogged about Spanish lessons for my child. He's four now and is at that age where he seems to soak up everything like a sponge, the perfect time to be introducing a foreign language!
For the past year and a half, I have tried several things. Vocab, phrases, songs, books, videos, games, etc. Nothing seemed to be working that well.
Until I discovered that one of his day care teachers knows Spanish. So I asked her to speak Spanish to him when he's at school. She was happy to do it, even sending me emails of the phrases she's using so that we can use the same phrases at home. I told her we'd been trying vocabulary, and she said kids can learn with flashcards, one word at a time, but it's slower. The best thing to do is to speak Spanish to them, and let them figure out what they are saying (with some help, like hand gestures).
The result? After one week he's telling me what those Spanish phrases mean! I mean, it could be that he did soak up a little bit from those videos and books and songs (I sure hope so), but he wasn't showing any improvement at all until this week.
The conclusion? If at all possible, get someone other than the parents to teach the kid, and then let the parents assist at home. I don't know why this works, and homeschoolers might disagree with me, but there's something about being outside of the home, with someone other than a family member, that makes kids pay attention and learn. It's magical. Or, it could be that I'm not the best teacher.
For the past year and a half, I have tried several things. Vocab, phrases, songs, books, videos, games, etc. Nothing seemed to be working that well.
Until I discovered that one of his day care teachers knows Spanish. So I asked her to speak Spanish to him when he's at school. She was happy to do it, even sending me emails of the phrases she's using so that we can use the same phrases at home. I told her we'd been trying vocabulary, and she said kids can learn with flashcards, one word at a time, but it's slower. The best thing to do is to speak Spanish to them, and let them figure out what they are saying (with some help, like hand gestures).
The result? After one week he's telling me what those Spanish phrases mean! I mean, it could be that he did soak up a little bit from those videos and books and songs (I sure hope so), but he wasn't showing any improvement at all until this week.
The conclusion? If at all possible, get someone other than the parents to teach the kid, and then let the parents assist at home. I don't know why this works, and homeschoolers might disagree with me, but there's something about being outside of the home, with someone other than a family member, that makes kids pay attention and learn. It's magical. Or, it could be that I'm not the best teacher.
Friday, April 8, 2016
How to Argue With a Pre-School-Aged Child (And Lose) #42
P=Parent
C=Child
P: Ice cream takes awhile to make.
C: No it doesn't. You just put it in the cold garage.
P: Well, you put it in the ice cream maker in the garage, and the ice cream maker makes it.
C: (confused look during the entire explanation of how ice cream is made)
C=Child
P: Ice cream takes awhile to make.
C: No it doesn't. You just put it in the cold garage.
P: Well, you put it in the ice cream maker in the garage, and the ice cream maker makes it.
C: (confused look during the entire explanation of how ice cream is made)
How to Argue With a Pre-School-Aged Child (And Lose) #41
P=Parent
C=Child
C: Why do sharks have sharp teeth?
P: So they can eat.
C: So they can eat people?
P: No, so they can eat fish, probably.
C: But they eat people.
P: Not usually.
C: They eat people who aren't wearing sunscreen.
P: Oh yeah? Why do you think that?
C: You told me that!
P: I don't think so.
C: Yes, you did! When we were on vacation!
P: That doesn't sound like something I would say.
C: You did! You said sharks only eat people who aren't wearing sunscreen!
P: No, I think I'd remember saying that.
C: I remember. You are the one who said it.
C=Child
C: Why do sharks have sharp teeth?
P: So they can eat.
C: So they can eat people?
P: No, so they can eat fish, probably.
C: But they eat people.
P: Not usually.
C: They eat people who aren't wearing sunscreen.
P: Oh yeah? Why do you think that?
C: You told me that!
P: I don't think so.
C: Yes, you did! When we were on vacation!
P: That doesn't sound like something I would say.
C: You did! You said sharks only eat people who aren't wearing sunscreen!
P: No, I think I'd remember saying that.
C: I remember. You are the one who said it.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
How to Argue With a Pre-School-Aged Child (And Lose) #40
P=Parent
C=Child
C: If there were no more trees anywhere on the planet, would there still be wind?
P: Yes.
C: Why?!
P: Because the wind is the air blowing, it doesn't have anything to do with the trees.
C: Yes, it does. Look at the trees! The branches are moving and making the wind!
P: The wind is blowing the branches around.
C: (Pointing to a large pine tree) Look at that, you see the branches moving all around? They are making the wind. And when the big branch falls it makes a lot of wind. (nodding, matter-of-fact)
C=Child
C: If there were no more trees anywhere on the planet, would there still be wind?
P: Yes.
C: Why?!
P: Because the wind is the air blowing, it doesn't have anything to do with the trees.
C: Yes, it does. Look at the trees! The branches are moving and making the wind!
P: The wind is blowing the branches around.
C: (Pointing to a large pine tree) Look at that, you see the branches moving all around? They are making the wind. And when the big branch falls it makes a lot of wind. (nodding, matter-of-fact)
Thursday, March 31, 2016
How to Argue With a Pre-School-Aged Child (And Lose) #39
P=Parent
C=Child
P: Go Potty RIGHT NOW!
C: I don't know why you want me to pee in my pants! Why would you ask me to do that?
P: I didn't ask you to pee your pants.
C: Yes, you did! You said "Go potty right NOW, and right NOW I'm still wearing my pants. So, if I go potty right NOW, I'll pee my pants. And I don't know WHY you want me to do that."
C=Child
P: Go Potty RIGHT NOW!
C: I don't know why you want me to pee in my pants! Why would you ask me to do that?
P: I didn't ask you to pee your pants.
C: Yes, you did! You said "Go potty right NOW, and right NOW I'm still wearing my pants. So, if I go potty right NOW, I'll pee my pants. And I don't know WHY you want me to do that."
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