4.11.2011

Letterman

There's an alphabet print on Tuck's bedroom wall, and magnetic letters in several locations.  There are foam letters in the tub and he often sleeps with a boxed set of Eric Carle's animal-alpha cards.  We sing "the ABCDs" regularly.  We read books, some specific to letters, like "Big A, little a, what begins with 'A'?"  We carve hard-boiled eggs into 'O's and shape carrots into 'L's.  We say things like "buh-buh-banana, what letter does banana begin with?"
There is no formal practice, no preschool-readiness regimen.  Alphabetic acquisition happens at the grocery store, in the car, at the kitchen table.  Tucker points to letters on hats, searches for them on signs, names them on the keyboard.  He calls the zoo the "zee-oh-oh".  He knows to go "down and across" to make a 'T'.  He matches big and little letters and he sings "the M says mmm."  He traces 'X's in the sand and turns over a 'U' to make an 'n.' 
I know this is all very normal two-year-old activity, but it's a level of learning we haven't visited with our own child before.  And it just leaves me thinking: OMG, he's so smart.
JEB

8 comments:

Christy said...

It leaves me thinking we have a tad bit of catching up to do! ;)

Poppy John said...

THIS POST WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER "Z".

L2A4

Jenni Baby...it sounds like you guys are lazy parents...how about his math skills???

Andy and Jenni said...

Dad, I don't think it was until I was three that I could divide a six pack?

Beth Ann said...

Oh course the kid's smart. Ever met his parents??? His Dad's a super nurse and his mom was an excellent teacher but may be an even better writer. Years of teaching taught you the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Of course he's smart!

Poppy John said...

Jenni Baby,
OK...that's cool...you're correct...but Andy was in college before he could divide a case. I'm a little worried.

L2A4

Andy and Jenni said...

Poppy John,
You are correct... but once I got to OSU the math became simplified: 24 beers/1 = Andy's. Ask Grandma Sandy... she taught me that ratio

Your Son-in-law

Poppy John said...

Andy My Boy,
You win...Grandma Sandy is the the town drunk...thank goodness it's a "small" town...and God bless OSU.

L2A4

Anonymous said...

It's quite above typical 2 year old activity!
One of my (three) kids was doing that at age 1-2, and I know that it's atypical. He was reading fluently at age 4, so look out! Soon no text will be safe. ;)
(Recently this kid, newly five, opened a Snapple bottle and turned over the cap to read the fact: "Armadillos can only have six babies at a time and they are always the same sex." then he added,"What's sex?" ...in the crowded pizza shop full of young families with little kids. LOL)
Enjoy your little prodigy. :)
One of my children has special needs, so I totally get the contrast you speak of.

And although I should have introduced myself at the beginning of my comment... I recently found your blog and went back to catch up a bit. You have a beautiful family! Celia is just such a lovely girl with a brilliant smile. And her hair! It's mesmerizing. :)