It's paying off!
For a little over a year now, I've been taking Gerard to the library on as many Saturdays as I can for storytelling time. Even though I was pregnant with Aubrey at the time, I made the physical effort to get him ready and stroll the 4 blocks to our neighborhood library. It was worth it. One hour of singing songs, storytelling and playtime with kids his age. I'm very grateful for the San Francisco Public Library for having these programs; it helps those of us working moms who can not do weekday playgroups. Through this free program, Gerard has developed into a social toddler and an interest in books.
In the last few months, we also tried the "Your Baby Can Read" DVD system. We haven't really been consistent with playing the video, but I'm certain this has helped a little bit.
Both methods definitely helped him with his speech. Yesterday, as we were driving down the freeway along side our city rail system, he said outloud "People ride BART train too." That's a 5-word phrase! And it made sense! A few days ago, he was already on a 4-word phrase when he clearly told me "Cat eating food too." He was referring to the backyard cat that hangs out around our house. He recently identified each of us at the dinner table that we were all going somewmhere with him: "Gerard coming. Papa coming. Mama coming. Aubrey coming. Gramma coming. Ma (great-grandma) coming."
And the most amazing development to me is that he's reading by memory. He has a Toy Story book, a title he also watches the movie of regularly (sometimes twice a day). He has all of us reading books to him: he picks out the books, or he requests it by title. Tonight, as I read him Toy Story, I tried a game by letting him finish the sentences. Amazingly, he got all but one word completed as I started each sentence and had him tell me the word I left for him. I realize he memorizes the story but that's what early literacy is about. He knows the story, and it's very helpful that he can help me read the book.
I suggest to every parent to read to their kids every night. Not only will your child value this important skill, but it will truly give you that accomplishment every parent should feel when it comes to their children's development.
Our little girl Aubrey is also showing interest in books. She loves to grab books and also sits around for storytime.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The world of babies..... it's wonderful to some, bitter for others. So what's going on with us?
In our world, Aubrey is now an expert crawler and has been sitting up on her own, and also pulling herself up on objects to stand. She's been very curious with her brother's toys, digging them out of the toy boxes and such. She's still eating a lot of cereal and bananas, and she's not very fond of jarred food. We prepared her some pureed turkey meatballs + rice which she still is getting used to. We've brought out the walker but she doesn't like it much, preferring to be carried or left on the floor so she can explore. However, she does not like it at all when mama leaves the room!
Our ever-active Gerard has been quite the speaker. He's got some pretty good phrases going on. "Bob go?" is what he said when he was looking for his construction truck (he refers to anything construction as "Bob" from "Bob the Builder") "Sleep daw ter" is when he begs to sleep downstairs in grandma's room. "I coming" is when he wants to go out with us or go somewhere. His favorite movies have been the Toy Story series. He asks for "Toy Tory" everyday! And he knows about "Toy Tory 2." We took him out to his first movie experience to see Toy Story 3, but he refused to wear the 3D glasses.
A few days ago, we were driving to Babies R Us when we passed by a building that was in the middle of being constructed. From the back, Gerard spurts "build house. Bob!" telling us how there's a house being built by Bob the builder. We've been taking both kids out as much as we can, since Gerard loves it and now Aubrey does too. Chores are ditched just for these two!
In our world, Aubrey is now an expert crawler and has been sitting up on her own, and also pulling herself up on objects to stand. She's been very curious with her brother's toys, digging them out of the toy boxes and such. She's still eating a lot of cereal and bananas, and she's not very fond of jarred food. We prepared her some pureed turkey meatballs + rice which she still is getting used to. We've brought out the walker but she doesn't like it much, preferring to be carried or left on the floor so she can explore. However, she does not like it at all when mama leaves the room!
Our ever-active Gerard has been quite the speaker. He's got some pretty good phrases going on. "Bob go?" is what he said when he was looking for his construction truck (he refers to anything construction as "Bob" from "Bob the Builder") "Sleep daw ter" is when he begs to sleep downstairs in grandma's room. "I coming" is when he wants to go out with us or go somewhere. His favorite movies have been the Toy Story series. He asks for "Toy Tory" everyday! And he knows about "Toy Tory 2." We took him out to his first movie experience to see Toy Story 3, but he refused to wear the 3D glasses.
A few days ago, we were driving to Babies R Us when we passed by a building that was in the middle of being constructed. From the back, Gerard spurts "build house. Bob!" telling us how there's a house being built by Bob the builder. We've been taking both kids out as much as we can, since Gerard loves it and now Aubrey does too. Chores are ditched just for these two!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
the enunciator and the auburator
I can't express enough that our 2 year old is diligent about enunciating words and phrases. It's only hard to understand some because he's trying really hard to get the sound right, like for example today, he was saying "butt statton" when his dad eventually translated it to "bart station." I'm glad he isn't speaking gibberish. He talks a lot now, but it's usually to point something out or express something in specific. And good for us, we can understand a lot of what he means.
Meanwhile, our baby girl is crawling now. She's more gliding over the hardwood floor, unlike her brother who learned to crawl on carpet. But just like him, she loves going for electronic cords and my laptop adaptor. Yesterday I also noticed she's trying to hold on to her bouncer to stand. We've been taking her out every weekend now because she gets bored at home. We know this because once she's getting dressed and put in her carseat, she gets excited. Then when we walk to the car she kicks in excitement. And the most obvious sign is when I put her in the babybjorn, she laughs loud and kicks with so much excitement. A total girl :)
Meanwhile, our baby girl is crawling now. She's more gliding over the hardwood floor, unlike her brother who learned to crawl on carpet. But just like him, she loves going for electronic cords and my laptop adaptor. Yesterday I also noticed she's trying to hold on to her bouncer to stand. We've been taking her out every weekend now because she gets bored at home. We know this because once she's getting dressed and put in her carseat, she gets excited. Then when we walk to the car she kicks in excitement. And the most obvious sign is when I put her in the babybjorn, she laughs loud and kicks with so much excitement. A total girl :)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Kids can do without some things
http://moneyning.com/kids-and-money/five-things-your-kids-dont-really-need/
Is it just here in Silicon Valley, or are elementary school kids throughout the country walking around carrying cell phones and smart phones? The first time I realized one of my daughters’ friends, an eight year old girl, owns a cell phone, I was taken by surprise. Since then, I’ve learned that a full third of the kids in my daughter’s class own a cell phone, and a couple of them own a smart phone.
Most Young Kids Do Not Need a Cell Phone
Why does an elementary school child need a cell phone? I can see the logic in getting a mobile phone for your middle school child. By that age they are far more independent and spend time away from you. Giving them a cell phone with a limited plan would help you stay connected, make sure they are safe and enable them to get in touch with you should something happen.
But young kids who spend the vast majority of their time with their parents, those that are dropped off and picked up from school, play dates and activities, why do they need a cell phone? Aside from it being a status symbol for the kids, it seems wasteful.
A Collection of 50 Webkinz
The concept behind Webkinz is genius – these plush pets come with a “secret code” that enables their owner to play on the Webkinz World website. It’s a great way to entice kids to buy more and more stuffed animals, even at an age when normally they would lose interest in those. Indeed, the parent company behind Webkinz is Ganz, maker of plush animals.
In addition to buying too many stuffed animals, kids who play on the site inevitably discover that the best parts of the site are for members only – and this membership costs money, of course. Another smart feature (smart for the company, that is, not so much for parents): each Webkinz purchase enables your child to play on the website for just one year. After that, they have to purchase a new pet in order to renew the account.
Abercrombie Kids and Other Designer Clothing
Do kids really need a full wardrobe of designer clothes? More and more of the children in my older daughter’s class (fourth grade) are wearing Abercrombie Kids, and I have to wonder about this choice.
Many criticize this company for selling overpriced casual clothing, exchanging parents’ money for the promise that their kids would be “cool.” Critics point to many issues with the company, including its employment practices (especially their notorious ‘look policy’), merchandise, and advertising campaigns which have been described as sexually explicit and racist (Source: Wikipedia).
The way I see it, kids don’t need designer clothes. They certainly don’t need an entire wardrobe of designer clothes, and they need to know about the values behind the companies they purchase from. It’s important to teach kids from an early age that there are values that are more important than “being cool” and that being cool, in the shallow sense of the word, is not necessarily something they should aspire to.
A Wii
Yes, we own a Wii, and I am not proud of it. It was a birthday gift to one of my kids, and we gave it to her on the clear condition that if she wants more games, she would need to pay for them from her own allowance. Personally, I see Wii, iPod and all those other electronic distractions as something that causes the current generation of children to miss out on a lot. They don’t play the way we used to play. They don’t use their imagination, they expect to be entertained all the time, and when they are not entertained by an activity or a gadget, they’re completely lost and are unable to figure out what to do.
Having said that, as a grownup my life too is very different than previous generations’ – whether we want to or not, life is forever changed by technology.
A Club Penguin Subscription
Much like Webkinz, the genius of Club Penguin is that they offer a “free” subscription, but kids quickly realize that all the fun stuff is only available to paid subscriptions. At about $6 per month, this is something that my kids can pay from their own money, and indeed we ask them to do so. Each month they are faced with the decision of whether a Club Penguin subscription is worth giving up on other things they want, and this helps introduce the concept of budgeting and prioritizing.
I’m not above buying my kids things they don’t really need. In fact, my kids are surrounded with things they don’t really need. But to continue on Miranda’s thoughts in a previous post, it’s important to remember that there are many things we can live without - and this applies to our kids too.
Is it just here in Silicon Valley, or are elementary school kids throughout the country walking around carrying cell phones and smart phones? The first time I realized one of my daughters’ friends, an eight year old girl, owns a cell phone, I was taken by surprise. Since then, I’ve learned that a full third of the kids in my daughter’s class own a cell phone, and a couple of them own a smart phone.
Most Young Kids Do Not Need a Cell Phone
Why does an elementary school child need a cell phone? I can see the logic in getting a mobile phone for your middle school child. By that age they are far more independent and spend time away from you. Giving them a cell phone with a limited plan would help you stay connected, make sure they are safe and enable them to get in touch with you should something happen.
But young kids who spend the vast majority of their time with their parents, those that are dropped off and picked up from school, play dates and activities, why do they need a cell phone? Aside from it being a status symbol for the kids, it seems wasteful.
A Collection of 50 Webkinz
The concept behind Webkinz is genius – these plush pets come with a “secret code” that enables their owner to play on the Webkinz World website. It’s a great way to entice kids to buy more and more stuffed animals, even at an age when normally they would lose interest in those. Indeed, the parent company behind Webkinz is Ganz, maker of plush animals.
In addition to buying too many stuffed animals, kids who play on the site inevitably discover that the best parts of the site are for members only – and this membership costs money, of course. Another smart feature (smart for the company, that is, not so much for parents): each Webkinz purchase enables your child to play on the website for just one year. After that, they have to purchase a new pet in order to renew the account.
Abercrombie Kids and Other Designer Clothing
Do kids really need a full wardrobe of designer clothes? More and more of the children in my older daughter’s class (fourth grade) are wearing Abercrombie Kids, and I have to wonder about this choice.
Many criticize this company for selling overpriced casual clothing, exchanging parents’ money for the promise that their kids would be “cool.” Critics point to many issues with the company, including its employment practices (especially their notorious ‘look policy’), merchandise, and advertising campaigns which have been described as sexually explicit and racist (Source: Wikipedia).
The way I see it, kids don’t need designer clothes. They certainly don’t need an entire wardrobe of designer clothes, and they need to know about the values behind the companies they purchase from. It’s important to teach kids from an early age that there are values that are more important than “being cool” and that being cool, in the shallow sense of the word, is not necessarily something they should aspire to.
A Wii
Yes, we own a Wii, and I am not proud of it. It was a birthday gift to one of my kids, and we gave it to her on the clear condition that if she wants more games, she would need to pay for them from her own allowance. Personally, I see Wii, iPod and all those other electronic distractions as something that causes the current generation of children to miss out on a lot. They don’t play the way we used to play. They don’t use their imagination, they expect to be entertained all the time, and when they are not entertained by an activity or a gadget, they’re completely lost and are unable to figure out what to do.
Having said that, as a grownup my life too is very different than previous generations’ – whether we want to or not, life is forever changed by technology.
A Club Penguin Subscription
Much like Webkinz, the genius of Club Penguin is that they offer a “free” subscription, but kids quickly realize that all the fun stuff is only available to paid subscriptions. At about $6 per month, this is something that my kids can pay from their own money, and indeed we ask them to do so. Each month they are faced with the decision of whether a Club Penguin subscription is worth giving up on other things they want, and this helps introduce the concept of budgeting and prioritizing.
I’m not above buying my kids things they don’t really need. In fact, my kids are surrounded with things they don’t really need. But to continue on Miranda’s thoughts in a previous post, it’s important to remember that there are many things we can live without - and this applies to our kids too.
Monday, July 12, 2010
An abundance of updates on the kids!
This last week, Aubrey's been eating a lot of new solids. Mongo beans, lugaw (rice porridge), watermelon and ice cream. She likes them all! Her appetite is crazy at the moment.
The first of her teeth are starting to surface out, so that confirms our suspicions. Time to start brushing that girl's gums! She's been doing some high-pitched screaming lately! And since she hardly ever leaves the house, we finally took her out on her first trip to the big city. She truly enjoyed it! She was so happy in the baby bjorn the whole time! We will start taking her out more often but we were really concerned about her catching anymore airborn germs because her first 4 months of life, she got sick plenty of times. I love to tickle her, and she loves it back by the smile on her face :) She is also very much into cars just like her brother! The other day I caught her playing with his BMW. If Gerard saw it he would have taken it away....
As for crawling, she's getting there. I've been watching her push herself with her knees. She still gets disappointed but in time, she'll be crawling everywhere. Right now she loves touching everything. It gets me mad, but I can't stop her. She's just doing her job!
-----
Gerard likes to identify himself and Aubrey as the "two bebeys." He's also been very, very, very good with identifying his family now. He can now answer more complex questions like "what are your uncles names?" and "who are your cousins?" I am also teaching him to identify his address in case he gets lost, and also, he's learning his first prayer: The Lord's Prayer. I am just sticking to my vows when the kid got baptised. He's also able to identify characters and nouns in books, particularly, Toy Story. He loves to choose Three Little Pigs and Green Eggs and Ham as his bedtime stories.
Do I really have a dirty mouth? Earlier tonight, his dad dropped and broke a plate on the kitchen floor. I then heard Gerard casually say "dammit." It's something I would say.... ugghhhh... I'm not proud of it... but I did chuckle when I heard him.
I wonder what new things these two will amuse me with next.
The first of her teeth are starting to surface out, so that confirms our suspicions. Time to start brushing that girl's gums! She's been doing some high-pitched screaming lately! And since she hardly ever leaves the house, we finally took her out on her first trip to the big city. She truly enjoyed it! She was so happy in the baby bjorn the whole time! We will start taking her out more often but we were really concerned about her catching anymore airborn germs because her first 4 months of life, she got sick plenty of times. I love to tickle her, and she loves it back by the smile on her face :) She is also very much into cars just like her brother! The other day I caught her playing with his BMW. If Gerard saw it he would have taken it away....
As for crawling, she's getting there. I've been watching her push herself with her knees. She still gets disappointed but in time, she'll be crawling everywhere. Right now she loves touching everything. It gets me mad, but I can't stop her. She's just doing her job!
-----
Gerard likes to identify himself and Aubrey as the "two bebeys." He's also been very, very, very good with identifying his family now. He can now answer more complex questions like "what are your uncles names?" and "who are your cousins?" I am also teaching him to identify his address in case he gets lost, and also, he's learning his first prayer: The Lord's Prayer. I am just sticking to my vows when the kid got baptised. He's also able to identify characters and nouns in books, particularly, Toy Story. He loves to choose Three Little Pigs and Green Eggs and Ham as his bedtime stories.
Do I really have a dirty mouth? Earlier tonight, his dad dropped and broke a plate on the kitchen floor. I then heard Gerard casually say "dammit." It's something I would say.... ugghhhh... I'm not proud of it... but I did chuckle when I heard him.
I wonder what new things these two will amuse me with next.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
dear diary
I love having conversations with Gerard, even if his answers are mostly one or two words. The kid's speech development is very much on track: he mostly just talks to say something specific and now his words are getting clearer. I've barely heard him speak in baby/toddler gibberish (which is also evident in Aubrey). Both kids are rather observant, instead of talkers. I'd like to think they got that from me, because I don't like to talk either!
Aubrey is also saying a lot of "mamamama" these days. She's also quite the dancer ;-)
Aubrey is also saying a lot of "mamamama" these days. She's also quite the dancer ;-)
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
It's unfortunate our kids today can't even play in front of their house or in their neighborhood without fear of being kidnapped. I spent a lot of time in my old neighborhood as a kid, and never really feared this. Well, a note to parents: if the kids are playing outside, please stay with them at all times.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/07/missouri.abducted.child/index.html?hpt=Sbin
http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/07/missouri.abducted.child/index.html?hpt=Sbin